Mt. Prospect woman scammed out of $1,885

A Mount Prospect woman made multiple payments over weeks to a man who called her July 21 to say she had won a $9,000 three-year grant, police said. By Aug. 25, when she refused to pay more, she had been scammed out of $1,885, according to a police report.

The man initially told her she needed to wire $200 to pay a fee before she could receive the money. After she sent the $200, the man called again, telling her the wire transfer did not go through and she had to send $200 again. On July 23, he called and told her there were legal fees of $400 and she sent that money, too. On July 24, she was told there were state fees and she sent $330. On Aug. 25 the man called and told her the final payment for fees was $312. So, she sent that money, too.

He then called her back and told her it took too long to make the payment for the initial registration and now she owed $545. She refused to send any more money before she received the grant. When a Mount Prospect officer called the phone number, it had been disconnected.