Friendswood police are alerting residents in the area after several incidents where a man posed as home service workers, only to steal from homeowners.
The incident happened on Sept. 23, the suspect targeted senior citizens. In the incidents, a Hispanic man wearing a black baseball hat, approached the victims at their home and explained he was there to provide home services.
In one of the cases, the man identified himself as a pest control company worker and claimed he was there to provide pest services. In another incident, he identified himself as a city of Friendswood employee.
The suspect allegedly stole personal belongings from the homeowners in both incidents.
The Friendswood Police Department is urging others to remain vigilant. Police also provided the following tips to protect others from this scam:
- Always ask to see credentials. For example, city employees will be in a marked city vehicle and wearing city uniform.
- Ask them to wait outside while you check their credentials. Contractors currently working to replace water meters will never ask to enter a resident’s home.
- Contact the company to verify. Service provider companies can generally contact their employees or have scheduled appointments.