The City of Terrell has issued a warning after multiple reports of people posing as city employees and going door to door to sell water filtration systems. According to officials, the fake workers are operating in groups of three and specifically targeting elderly residents, a pattern that makes the scam feel official enough to fool someone who isn’t expecting it.

There are two simple ways to tell a real city visit from a scam. Legitimate City of Terrell employees carry proper identification and arrive in city-marked vehicles, and they are not visiting homes to sell products. Terrell also requires door-to-door salespeople to hold a permit and limits solicitation to the hours between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., so anyone selling after hours is already operating outside the rules. If someone suspicious comes to your door, contact law enforcement immediately.

The warning is specific to Terrell, but the lesson applies to every community in Ellis County. Scammers count on people being too courteous to question a uniform or a clipboard. Sharing this with an older neighbor, parent, or grandparent takes a minute and could keep them from becoming the next victim. Have you ever had someone knock on your door claiming to be with the city or a utility company? Tell us how you handled it, and we’ll share the best tips on air.