SINGAPORE — The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has warned the public to be on the alert for companies using the organisation’s name in an attempt to pressure people into buying fire extinguishers or signing up for public seminars on fire safety.

Feedback from members of the public indicated that the sales personnel employ aggressive techniques to get people to purchase products, buy fire insurance or sign up for fire safety talks, the SCDF said.

The sales personnel had also shown their company pass with photo identification or the Civil Defence Emergency Handbook, to give the impression that they were representing the SCDF, while some had threatened people with fines if they refused to buy their products.

The SCDF said that while its personnel have started to conduct home visits to talk about the SG Secure initiative, they do not work with any company in the sales of fire extinguishers or insurance.

The SCDF also reminded people to be cautious when dealing with such people.

It added that owning a fire extinguisher is not mandatory and people will not be fined for not having one at home.

SCDF personnel working on official duty carry their warrant card or a letter of authorisation as proof of their identity.

Any members of the public who have had similar experiences with salespeople impersonating SCDF officers are encouraged to notify the police.

People who wish to file a complaint against these companies can call the CASE hotline at 6100-0315 for help. They can also file complaints online via CASE’s website at https://www.case.org.sg/complaint.aspx or at the CASE office located at 170 Ghim Moh Road.