Kingston Fire and Rescue warns of phone scam regarding smoke and CO alarms

The City of Kingston and Kingston Fire and Rescue are warning residents of an apparent scam targeting local homeowners.

The scam involves a caller who wants to set up home visits to survey smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, according to a press release from Kingston Fire and Rescue. The caller may claim to be calling from the City of Kingston, and reportedly asks to schedule an appointment with the homeowner. The caller may also ask for the age of the resident who answers the call.

“Kingston Fire and Rescue is not conducting a survey of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,” the local fire department said. The City of Kingston is also not conducting any survey related to smoke and/or CO alarms.

Although Kingston Fire and Rescue does conduct a campaign every year called ‘Wake UP Kingston,’ which invites homeowners to contact the fire department if they want to schedule a home inspection, the 2018 Wake UP Kingston campaign ended over a month ago.

Any residents that believe they have been contacted as part of a scam or fraud case should do the following:

• Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.This agency collects information on fraud and works closely with police to solve these crimes.
• If you receive a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be affiliated with the City’s Kingston Fire & Rescue team, hang up.
• If you become a victim of fraud through monetary loss, call Kingston Police at 613-549-4660.