MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaiʻi Island police are warning the public about scams involving phone calls to Hawaiʻi residents in which the caller indicates that it is “Fire Safety Month” and that they need to come over and inspect your smoke alarms.

Police are advising that anyone receiving these calls not provide any personal information and to not allow anyone to come over and gain entry into their residence for a smoke alarm inspection. This not only applies to phone calls, but also to ‘door-to-door’ salesmen attempting to solicit the same type of service. It is highly likely that the ‘scammer’ is trying to enter the residence with the intentions of committing a crime.

The below links provide information on similar type scams occurring in other states, Canada, and the United Kingdom:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/carbon-monoxide-smoke-detector-scam-1.4944806

https://patch.com/connecticut/shelton/volunteer-fire-department-warns-scam-involving-smoke-alarms-0

http://ceredigionherald.com/22002/fire-service-warns-public-about-scam-smoke-alarm-phone-calls/

Applegate Valley Fire Dist. warns of possible scam

Anyone with information about any persons making phone or internet scams is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.