Provided by Prince William County Police
There is a social media message circulating via email, SMS, and social media that states three or four guys are pretending to be water or electric company employees to gain access to a home. Once they gain access, the men rob the resident at gunpoint. There are no credible reports about robberies like the ones described in the warning.
Unfortunately, many false and misleading warnings circulate online. These messages can:
Cause unnecessary fear and alarm in communities.Waste the time of police who must answer endless queries about the messages from concerned members of the public.Make it less likely that people will heed genuine warnings.
While this particular warning is false, criminals have indeed posed as maintenance workers as a means of accessing households. Before admitting people claiming to be from your water, energy or telecommunications provider, you should ensure that they are legitimate. Such staff will generally wear a company uniform and be able to produce company ID. If in doubt, call the company to verify their employment before allowing them in.
Source: hoax-slayer.net/hoax-men-claiming-water-company-robbing-homes-gunpoint/