Recently a pair of fraudulent inspectors started visiting Korean nail salons and demanding money from the owners. They pair, who possess N.Y.C. Sanitation Department IDs are not from that or any other City agency, walk into the salon and point out violations listed on paper and say that the nail salon owner can avoid being written up by paying $200 immediately.

Ms. K, the owner of N Korean nail salon, on Church Ave. in Brooklyn, fell victim to this pair this month and lost the $200 that they extorted from her. One of the pair entered her salon and introduced himself as a Sanitation Department inspector. He didn't inspect anything, but began reading off violations from a list, ticking off boxes on an accompanying form as he read. He then told the owner that if she paid something immediately, he would discard the record, and give Ms. K a letter for future inspectors, who would return in three months' time. He then demanded the money.

"It's better to give him $200 and just be done with this," thought Ms. K. As soon as he received the money, he hurriedly left the salon saying he was going to his car to get some documents. Instead of returning, he got into the car that was waiting at the curb and, with his accomplice, drove away.

At the P Korean nail salon in Jamaica, Queens, the owner was a bit luckier – or smarter. On the afternoon of Dec.15, a man entered her salon and showed her a Sanitation Department ID. Ms. L, the owner, said, "When I saw his ID I felt suspicious. When he began to question our sterilizer, I knew something was wrong. We had recently been inspected and the sterilizer had passed inspection. So I didn't really believe this man was telling the truth. He then told me that if I would pay him he would discard the report. When I told him that I wouldn't pay, he simply left the salon."

According to witnesses, the two men are Hispanic. One enters the salon while the other sits in the car. They have a list of salons and inspection forms that otherwise seem real. The police believe the pair is still visiting salons in the area, and urge owners to be cautious, and not to pay anyone who comes in demanding money in return for ignoring inspection issues.