Clarksville Fire Department issues warning about scammers posing as fire officials

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Clarksville Fire Department has issued a warning to local businesses about a potential scam.

In a news release, Clarksville Fire Chief Brandon Skaggs warned about scammers posing as Fire Marshals while requesting interior photos of their shop.

Skaggs said after identifying themselves as a fire marshal, the caller instructs employees to take photos of the interior, including entrances, windows, and office areas and email them to the scammers. Employees are told it's part of a "safety check."

"We’ve seen these scams happening in other parts of the country," said Skaggs said in the statement. "Thieves call claiming to be with a local fire department to obtain interior photos, then use information from the photos to commit a burglary after the business closes."

Skaggs said Fire Marshals or other representatives from the Clarksville Fire Department will never call and ask for photos or other information over the phone. Any safety inspections will be conducted in-person by a uniformed fire department employee. Those officials will also have documentation to verify their identity.

So far, only one Clarksville business has reported receiving these scam calls so far, but Skaggs said there could be more victims, and encourages them to get in touch with Clarksville Police or Fire. Skaggs said no businesses have been burglarized as a result of the scam.

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