Schaumburg police warn of scam targeting seniors

Evidently the frigid weather hasn't stopped scammers in Schaumburg from trying to fool senior citizens.

Schaumburg police issued a warning Tuesday morning about a scam that fools seniors into letting a stranger into their homes.

Last week, a Schaumburg resident told police about a man who posed as landscaper doing work for a neighbor. The fake landscaper convinced the senior to let him inside his house, by asking to fill a bucket of water.

The two eventually went downstairs to the basement, where the con man tried to stall and distract the resident.

When the landscaper finally left, the resident discovered money missing from an upstairs bedroom.

Police warn that this is a familiar scam, with offenders sometimes pretending to be utility workers, new neighbors wanting to see the fence line in the backyard or contractors offering to do home repair work.

Police remind residents to always ask for photo identification and to call the utility company to verify they have an employee dispatched.

The offenders sometimes follow senior citizens from grocery store parking lots as well, police warn. Do not stop and confront the scammers - call 911 and report the activity, police add.