Carbondale police warn of recent scam targeting businesses

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) - Police are investigating reports of “theft by deception” at area businesses.

According to police, they responded to a Carbondale business on March 15 for one report.

They learned an unknown suspect called the business claiming to be a member of law enforcement investigating a deposit shortage. The caller instructed the employee to pay for the shortage or face legal action. Police say the employee was told to take money owned by the business and use it to buy pre-paid credit cards.

According to the police department, they received similar reports from two other businesses since that first one.

The police department encouraged employers to educate their employees about these scams. Employees should never give account information over the telephone.

Any businesses who may have become a victim of this scam, or anyone with questions about scam prevention, is encouraged to call the police department at 618-549-2121.

Copyright 2023 KFVS. All rights reserved.