Waterbury Cops Warn of Water Department Impersonators

WATERBURY, CT — City police are warning residents to look out for a recent scam in which people are pretending to be Water Department employees.

The scammers are attempting to gain access to homes and charge people phony fees, according to the police department.

The Water Department recently sent letters to customers who are participating in a voluntary sampling program, police said. These legitimate letters indicate that sample containers will be dropped off and later picked up. However, no in-home visits are necessary, according to police.

Police have received “several” reports about individuals attempting to enter homes while falsely claiming they need to collect “lead samples” or install “lead filters” for a fee, police said, in an alert about the scam.

Police warned that none of these people have any affiliation with the Water Department or city.

According to police, legitimate Water Department employees would only request access to your home if there was a previously scheduled appointment. They also drive clearly-marked city vehicles and have official photo ID badges.

If you need to verify that someone is actually with the Water Department or if officials are active in your neighborhood, call 203-574-8251.

To report suspicious activity or if you have information about individuals falsely claiming to work for the Water Department, call police at 203-574-6911.