La Plata, MD – Charles County Government officials received word Friday, July 31 that there may have been an attempted phone scam. This time the caller identified himself as an employee of the Bryans Road Public Works.
There is no such thing as Bryans Road Public Works. The person, who identified himself as “Howard,” called a resident’s home phone and told the homeowner the water/creek in her backyard was polluted and they needed to test it and schedule an immediate inspection.
The caller also told the homeowner that if they did not agree to scheduling an immediate inspection, they would have to pay a $1,000 fine. The homeowner hung up.
Details are still unclear, but county government officials want to make sure citizens know that no employee of public works will ever call you and demand immediate testing; nor would they call and threaten you with a fine. In fact, all correspondence relating to public works activities is done via US mail or a door hanger on your front door.
Authorities are not sure where this caller was going but the homeowner did the right thing by hanging up and notifying authorities.
Also, if a Charles County Government Public Works employee ever comes to your home, they will be in a county truck with the Charles County Seal on the side, they will have an official county ID badge, and will be in uniform.