The city of Garland is warning residents to be on the lookout for bogus water workers.

According to a press release issued Thursday, City Hall has received complaints that swindlers posing as employees of the city water department have shown what they claim are city identification badges and talked their way into people's homes, then pressured them to buy water-purification systems.

All real city employees carry photo ID and drive clearly marked city vehicles, so residents should not allow anyone in their homes who doesn’t meet that description.

"Unfortunately, these types of scams do happen,” water utilities director Jack May said. “We encourage any resident or customer who is not sure about the identity of someone claiming to be a water department employee to call and check with us."

The Garland Water Department’s 24-hour phone number is 972-205-3210.

–Richard Abshire