Hoffman Estates police warn residents of check scam

Hoffman Estates police are asking residents to be alert about scams involving fraudulent checks. The warning comes after a Hoffman Estates resident received a letter in the mail claiming that she had won $50,000 as part of a “Consumer Reward Promotion Draw.” The letter contained a realistic-looking check for $3,150.25, and requested that she wire $1,930 to a location in London to pay a statutory nonresident tax before she could receive the full reward. The check, however, was fraudulent. In every instance of this type of scam, the checks appear to be legitimate, and are accepted by banking institutions. Police recommend staying cautious of activities sometimes used to initiate this type of fraud, such as work-at-home job offers, online dating, gaming and marketplace websites, and unsolicited mail or email. If you receive a suspicious check, contact police.