Pa. Ag department warns restaurants of potential scam

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding today urged restaurants across the state to be on guard against a potential scam in which an unidentified caller claims to be a health inspector and asks for business information.

Redding said the caller is not a licensed agent of the state or any county.

He also reminded restaurants that inspections by the state Department of Agriculture’s food sanitarians are always unannounced. Upon arrival, sanitarians will identify themselves and showing proper identification, including a commonwealth employee photo identification card and food sanitarian badge.

The agriculture department has received several reports of calls received by restaurants in Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Montgomery and York counties. Other states, most recently Indiana, have also reported incidents similar to those reported in Pennsylvania.