Local Police Issue Craigslist Scam Alert

The following information was released about a recent scam that affected an Arlington Heights area business:

An area Arlington Heights business owner was contacted by a Chicago bank informing him about a bank customer attempting to cash one of his business checks. The signature on the check was a copy of the owner's and the check number came back to an actual check issued to a different payee.

Several people received similar checks after they responded to a "work at home" offer on Craigslist. Prior to receiving the checks sent from Nigeria the people were called by a subject calling himself Tony Hunt. He told the people they would be receiving a check in the mail and they needed to buy a small amount of equipment for the job before sending the remaining funds back to an address in Nigeria. The checks were fraudulent and the connected account was closed.

Arlingotn Heights police say the business owner did not experience any financial losses.

Residents and business owners living and working in any town should be aware of such scams.