By Shermain Bique-Charles
Scammers are pretending to be health workers, and residents are warned to be extraordinarily careful and extra skeptical when seeing someone at their gates or premises, scanning the area.
Reports are that young men are seen dressed in plain t-shirts and shorts, inspecting properties in various communities.
“He couldn’t see me but I could see him standing at my gate looking around my yard,” a woman from Five Islands told OBSERVER media yesterday.
She said that when he shifted her curtains, the man was frightened because he thought that no one was at home.
“When he saw me, he frightened. I never said a word, then he waved a green paper he had in his hand, saying he was from the Central Board of Health (CBH), and he left in a hurry,” the woman said.
This is just but one of a number of reports about similar incidents in smaller villages around Antigua.
But Chief Health Inspector, Sharon Martin, said that all of the company’s field workers are uniformed and can be easily.
“My workers are equipped with a picture ID which they must present to you before entering your premises. They never leave the yard wearing short pants and t-shirts…” she explained.
Furthermore, Martin told our newsroom that these field workers never travel alone.
“They do not work singly. They work in twos and threes, and when they go around, they go around as a group. If you look and see someone at your door, then you should see others even at the neighbour’s home,” Martin said.
She warned residents that they should not engage anyone posing as a CBH worker unless they can provide an identification card.
“Anyone approaching your gate saying that they are from CBH, ask them to identify themselves with their picture ID. Once you see they come in short pants, don’t even give them the time of day,” Martin said.
Residents are also told to inform their neighbours, friends and loved ones about the latest scam.
“Also notify your neighbours. Beware of them. They are not from CBH. They are out for something other than what they say they’ve come to do,” Martin added.
Lawmen say that they have not had reports of anyone impersonating CBH workers. The Public Relations Officer Inspector Frankie Thomas said that without an official report, the authorities cannot act.
