Police in Fairfax County, Va. are asking residents be vigilant as officials seek a suspect wanted for impersonating a water utility worker.
There have been at least two incidents involving a Fairfax Water impersonator reporting during the past week. Thursday, a man claiming he was from the utility company knocked on the door of a 76-year-old woman's Alexandria home, saying he needed to check something. As she escorted him to her backyard, police say another individual may have entered the home and stolen money from the woman's purse.
In the second incidents, the potential victim realized the situation "didn't seem right" and did not let the alleged impersonator inside.
Police and Fairfax Water say residents should check the authenticity of workers by the following tips:
- Fairfax Water employees have photo identification with them at all times when they are on the job. Our vehicles and field staff’s clothing bear our logo. During the summer months, there may be Fairfax Water summer interns in your neighborhood who do not wear uniforms, however each one will have a Fairfax Water photo identification displayed prominently.
- If someone comes to your door and identifies themselves as a Fairfax Water employee, please ask for their identification or call 703-698-5800, TTY 711 to verify before letting them into your home.
- Fairfax Water employees do not receive or accept any form of payments during service calls and do not collect water-service fees door-to-door.
- Most water meters are located outside of a customer’s home. Therefore, Fairfax Water employees typically DO NOT require access to a customer’s home to read a meter.
If you need any more information, contact Fairfax Water at 703-698-5800.
