FLIMFLAM GANG WORKS LOTTERY SCAM IN REGION

FLIMFLAM GANG WORKS LOTTERY SCAM IN REGION

IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE AND YOUR NEW FRIENDS

LOOK LIKE THESE GUYS, YOU MAY BE IN TROUBLE ...

December 6, 2006

By JOE HOSEY staff writer

A team of grifters preying on the region's Hispanic population has netted tens of thousands of dollars in recent months, police said.

The crew of con men and women have trolled the commercial areas of Crest Hill, Joliet, Dundee, Streamwood, Hillside and other locales, luring the gullible with false promises of riches.

Crest Hill police are seeking help to identify this man and woman. The pair, along with another man and woman, are believed to be involved in a lottery scam.

"It's believed to all be the same" suspects responsible for the cons in the five municipalities, said investigator Renee Maly of the Crest Hill Police Department.

This collection of crooks struck in Maly's town Oct. 12 and reportedly took their mark for thousands of dollars by plying the ever popular Mexican lottery scam.

The victims of the Crest Hill con game, as well as the perpetrators and victims in the other areas were "usually Hispanic," Maly said.

In Crest Hill, they approached their victims in the parking lot of Hill Crest Shopping Center.

After approaching their victims, the con artists claim to have won the lottery, said Maly, then "say they're illegal and can't cash in."

Instead, they sell the winning ticket to instant riches to the victim for a substantial cash sum. The ticket, of course, ends up being worthless and the buyer is out quite a bit of cash.

"In most cases, well above 10,000," Maly said.

Crest Hill police have obtained images of the lottery scam artists through surveillance cameras in area businesses and now are seeking to identify the scam artists. Anyone recognizing them is asked to call Crest Hill police at (815) 741-5115.

All four of the suspects in the surveillance photos are Hispanic, police said. Two are men and two are women. The first man is about 42, 5 feet tall and 150 pounds. He has light skin, black hair and green eyes. The second man is about 28, 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. He has darker skin, black hair and brown eyes.

Police provided no description of the women but said they have been involved in similar incidents in the area and are believed to be "associated" with the two men.

"These subjects have been successful in obtaining large amounts of cash and jewelry from several victims," police said.

Contact Joe Hosey at (815) 729-6054 or e-mail him at jhosey@scn1.com

Original article: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/161567,4_1_JO06_LOTTERY_S1.article