Water Scam Being Pulled in Garden Grove is Larger, Wider and Now Has a Face

​We told you here about a mystery man who went to a home in Garden Grove, identified himself as a city employee named Christopher for the resident and claimed he was there to perform tests because the city water supply had been contaminated.

As the city then warned, there is no contamination, no such tests being conducted and this Christopher fellow is obviously a faker-faker-belly-acher.

We do now have a face to apply to a scam artist, however.

​Police now believe the operation is larger than previous announced, involving several more bad guys who've struck many more local homes.

Above is an artist rendering of just one of those who has posed as a city employee. He is further described as a white male, 5 foot to 5-foot-3, 150 pounds with a heavy set build and dark hair with some gray in it. He was last seen wearing gray pants and a gray shirt with an unknown named stitched on.

The teams are working in pairs, with one guy distracting the resident about the water lines and bringing the person out of the home as another sneaks in and burglarizes the abode for cash and/or jewelry, according to Garden Grove Police.

The elderly are most at risk of being targeted by the scammers, some of whom are dressed in uniforms bearing name tags, some of whom are wearing plain clothes and all of whom are producing phony City of Garden Grove identification when asked.

The city's water agency has invited residents who want to confirm the person at the door is a city worker to call them at (714) 741-5395.

Meanwhile, Public Works is reminding residents that city employees drive city vehicles that are clearly designated as "Garden Grove," and their employee uniforms are usually orange shirts with navy blue pants.

This scam operation is running in the same town where mostly elderly residents have been receiving letters in the mail from a fictional firm claiming to sell insurance for water-service lines for $4.95 a month.

Such letters--which you can see at www.garden-grove.org--are not being issued by the city, Garden Grove officials warn.

Residents are advised to call 9-1-1 if they suspect a crime is being pulled on them, or contact the police department directly at (714) 741-5704.

Meanwhile, if you recognize the joker from the composite drawing, contact the Investigator Ramirez at (714) 741-5839.