Two Kane residents dodge two scams, a third loses $1,000

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – Two Kane County residents avoided being scammed, but a third resident got snookered out of $1,000, according to Kane County Sheriff’s reports.

The two unsuccessful fraud attempts involved a $6,000 grandma scam and the other a fake $900 legal fine.

A grandma scam is when someone calls and either claims to be a grandchild or says the grandchild is in trouble and they need money, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In the grandma scam, a resident of the 38W600 block of Glenview Drive, St. Charles Township reported Nov. 22 that she received a call from someone stating that her grandson was in an accident with a pregnant woman. The grandson also had a dislocated shoulder and stitches from the incident, the report stated.

The resident was told she needed to pay $6,000 for her grandson to be released.

The resident was skeptical and called the boy’s father who verified that her grandson had not been involved in an accident and that it was a scam, the report stated.

In the other attempted scam, a resident of the 1200 block of Ronzheimer Avenue, St. Charles, reported Nov. 22 that she received a voicemail from a man she didn’t know who said he was Officer Walker from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

She called the number back and was transferred to another man, who said he was Lt. Coleman, who told her she needed to pay $900 to the sheriff’s office because she didn’t appear for jury service, the report stated.

The “lieutenant” also requested that she verify her signature on some documents, the report stated.

The woman came to the sheriff’s office front lobby, with “Lt. Coleman” still on the phone. He said he wanted the $900 in MoneyPak debit cards – which she refused to do – and he hung up, the report stated.

The resident then made a report and provided the phone number to the sheriff’s office.

In the third scam, a resident of the 6N300 block of Oakwood Drive, St. Charles Township, reported Nov. 22 that he was contacted by a contractor who said his business won the bid for a job in Chicago, the report stated.

The caller said he was given more than a 50% deposit on Nov. 14, but needed $1,000 to buy supplies, the report stated.

The resident received a check for $4,783.91 in his account, but needed to “Zelle” or send the $1,000 electronically in a phone app to the contractor, the report stated.

The resident said he didn’t have Zelle, but his niece did, and she sent the $1,000 to the contractor and he would pay her back from the newly deposited money. Then on Nov. 22, the resident was told the check was a fake and his account did not have sufficient funds, the report stated.

His niece was working with her bank to get the $1,000 back, and he thought if he made a police report, it could help her situation, the report stated.

The Federal Trade Commission calls these types of frauds a grandparent or family emergency scam and a government impersonator, business imposter and fake check scam.

Fraud can be reported to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.