(WXYZ) — The Waterford Township Police Department is warning residents of a scammer who falsely identifies himself as a DTE Energy employee.
Police say on Jan. 5, the scammer approached an elderly woman who resides on Highfield in Waterford Township. The woman allowed the man to enter her home when he claimed he needed to shut her power off for a short period.
For the inconvenience of shutting off her power, police say he stated that DTE would pay her $48. He placed a $100 bill on the table and asked the resident if she had $50 and they would call it even.
Police say the resident became suspicious and said she was going to call her neighbor for advice. The man then grabbed the bill and fled the home.
Police describe him as a clean-shaven man with brown hair approximately 35 years old. He was wearing a tan jacket and tan baseball cap and drove off in a small black car. Police say nothing he was wearing identified him as a DTE employee.
Waterford Township PD says an actual DTE employee will have identification and clothing easily identifying them as an employee.
