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PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Suburban Detroit officials are offering a warning to restaurant managers about a health inspection scam.
The Oakland County Health Division and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office say Monday that some area restaurants are receiving automated calls from someone claiming to be a health inspector and scheduling inspections.
Legitimate restaurant and other food establishment inspections, however, are routinely unannounced and are never scheduled through an automated telephone system.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says in a statement that those involved in the scam are seeking to "extort and steal money in a variety of ways."
The Health Division says restaurant staff should request that inspectors show a photo identification badge.
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