Tulsa Police Warn Of Phony Fire Inspections

Someone claiming to be from the Tulsa Fire Department is trying to get into homes. They're claiming they need to inspect dryer vents.

The fire department doesn't inspect dryer vents, but someone is using their good name to trick people into opening their door. And they're starting by making appointments over the phone.

Cheryl Surrat didn't buy any part of the story she was hearing on the phone.

"It was a man on the phone and he said he was affiliated with the Tulsa Fire Department and he wanted to come out and check my dryer vent," Surrat said.

Cheryl and her son Otis are alert for scams. They didn't believe the story - and they knew the dryer vent was okay. There were too many red flags about the phone call.

"You don't just block your number unless you're trying to hide something, so I was just taken about and scared for my mother's safety," Otis said.

"He just kept trying to convince me to let him come this week and set a date and I never would. I didn't feel safe about that," Cheryl said.

The Tulsa Police Department isn't sure what the scammers are after.

"We've had at least two incidents where an individual is making these phone calls, typically to older folks in the area, and making statements there was a law change and the fire department has to make inspections of homes, specifically dryer vents," said Jason Willingham of Tulsa Police Department.

The only time the fire department does anything door to door is after a fatal fire - when they canvas the neighborhood to give out smoke detectors. And when they do - they're easy to identify.

Clearly dressed in a Tulsa Fire Department uniform, they will have a badge and credentials identifying themselves as firefighters so it will be very apparent that these are actually firefighters," Willingham said.

The caller told Surrat they would be in her neighborhood this week. She just hopes no one took the bait - and lets them in the door.

"He just wanted to come in and check the dryer vents and I thought that was very strange," Cheryl said.

The police department wants to hear from people who get one of these calls, if there is information about who is doing the calling. Their two reports so far were both in the same neighborhood.