Scam Alert

Carbondale City Police posted a scam alert on their FB page. I imagine it is on the police website as well. Someone is calling employees, claiming there is a deposit shortage and that the employee will be arrested unless they take money from the business and purchase pre-paid credit cards. I hope no-one will still fall for such a scam but I figure someone will. No reputable orgainzation is going to call and ask for pre-paid anything to deal with a legal situation. Body of the post is below:

Business Scam Investigation

Carbondale – On 03-15-23 City of Carbondale police officers responded to a business in Carbondale in reference to a theft by deception report.   Officers 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.  The employee was instructed to take money owned by the business and use it to purchase pre-paid credit cards.  

The Police Department received similar reports from two other businesses since this initial investigation.   The police department encourages employers to educate their employees about scams of this nature.  Employees should never provide account information over the telephone.  Any businesses who may have become a victim of this scam or anyone with questions about scam prevention is encourage to call the police department at (618) 549-2121.  The investigation into the incident is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the City of Carbondale Police Department at (618) 549-2121. You may also call the Carbondale/SIU Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (618) 549-COPS (2677) or the Murphysboro/Jackson County anonymous tip line at (618) 687-COPS (2677). Anonymous tips may also be made by selecting the “Crime Stoppers” tab located on the main page of this website. Please help yourself, along with your county, its communities and the university campus by using these numbers if you witness, or have any information pertaining to, a crime. Cash rewards for information which leads to an arrest are also made anonymously. Remember, crime doesn’t pay, but Crime Stoppers does!

The mission of the Carbondale Police Department is to work in partnership with our community to preserve life, protect human rights, protect property and improve quality of life by providing police service to all in a fair, sensitive, and professional manner.