The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a critical warning to the public regarding a fraudulent scheme in which scammers are impersonating FDA officers investigating food poisoning incidents at food service establishments, including restaurants, cafés, and other food vendors.

According to initial reports, the scammers contact these businesses, requesting access to their WhatsApp accounts. Once granted, they misuse this access to gather sensitive and confidential information, such as client databases, which could then be used to compromise the systems of the vendors or extort money from them.

The FDA has emphasised that food poisoning incidents are regarded as significant public health concerns. However, the FDA does not conduct investigations or enforcement actions via phone calls. All FDA inspections are carried out in person, ensuring due process is followed.

As such, the FDA strongly advises all food service operators to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from FDA staff conducting food poisoning investigations. Any suspicious calls or messages should be immediately reported to the police or to the FDA’s Head Office or any of its regional offices across the country.

The FDA also wishes to remind the public that, in line with its code of practice, field officers are strictly prohibited from accepting any form of payment from clients during inspections or investigations.

Food service operators are urged to take all necessary precautions to protect their businesses and sensitive information from these fraudulent attempts.