An Iowa health inspector said a scam artist with poor timing called a restaurant and claimed to be from the health department while she was inspecting.

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Emily Wegner, a restaurant health inspector with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, said she was inside a West Des Moines restaurant Monday when someone called the restaurant and claimed to be from the department, WHO-TV, Des Moines, reported Thursday.

Wegner said the man on the phone claimed to be a health inspector and wanted a deposit for an inspection next week. However, she said the state does not charge for health inspections.

"It was just crazy that I happened to be here when the phone call came in," Wegner said.

She said such scams are common, with Asian restaurants a frequent target.