‘Scam’ basement inspector was real

What was reported by Shawano police earlier this week to be a possible scam turned out Wednesday to be a misunderstanding, after a supposedly fake basement inspector was caught by officers — and turned out to be an actual basement inspector. Police reported that a male driving a silver crossover-type vehicle, with an unknown plate number, came to a Shawano residence on Monday claiming to be from the “water company.” The man stated he was there for “service work in the basement.” The homeowner didn’t allow him in, however, thinking it was odd that he didn’t have a company vehicle or uniform shirt, according to Police Chief Mark Kohl. The incident was reported in the Shawano Leader, and on Wednesday police were called by another resident who had seen the story in the newspaper and told police the same man had stopped at their residence. Several squad cars responded and stopped the man’s vehicle, Kohl said. It turned out the man was working for HydroCorp, a Michigan-based company that contracts with the city’s Department of Public Works to conduct backflow prevention inspections to ensure that backflow does not enter the city’s water supply. The city is required to check backflow devices in basements, or contract to have that service done. Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said HydroCorp inspectors always set up appointments with homeowners for the inspections. “They wouldn’t be showing up unannounced,” he said. He said the inspectors also carry badges and have their credentials on them. He also said the Department of Public Works was notified that the company would be in town doing inspections. Sheppard said in the future the DPW would also notify the police department about the inspections. Kohl said the fact that this particular incident turned out to be a misunderstanding shouldn’t dissuade people from calling police if they see something they believe is suspicious. “I believe this is another great example of neighbors looking out for neighbors,” he said. “These are the types of calls that have happy endings, because the public didn’t wait for someone else to report it.”