Scammers Taking Aim At Chicago Restaurants

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A scam making its way across the country is now zeroing in on Chicago restaurants, and it's a sneaky scam that victimizes people who are deaf.

All businesses are bound by law to make access for the deaf communicating through what's termed a "relay call." The calls have opened up new worlds for the deaf and business who want to serve them. It's also providing new opportunities for criminals.

For Ray Rodgers, a deaf businessman, communicating through a "relay call" is liberating.

Over a webcam, Rodgers signs to an interpreter, who speaks his words to a hearing person on the other end, and then translates their response.

"We have to take every phone call as a legitimate phone call, " says Brad Rubin, owner of Eleven City Diner.

Scammers who know that are using what sounds like a legitimate "relay call" to target area restaurants.

"I myself have fielded no less than 30 calls over the last six months, they are very aggressive, " says Rubin.

Eleven City Diner's experience for pricey orders is typical.

"The orders would be for 200, 300, 400 corned beef sandwiches. We were always asked to process it through unique means [such as] Western Union, telegrams, " says Rubin.

The forms of payment turn out to be stolen or bogus. Typically a restaurant is asked to accept charge card or wired payment well beyond the purchase amount, and then pass along the "change" to a delivery driver.

Rubin says the calls sound very legitimate. Still, scammers refusing to provide names and addresses have helped the restaurant avoid falling victim, but concerns remain.

"It is frustrating and saddening, we don't want to alienate or make it more frustrating for an individual using legitimate relay service, " says Rubin.

Rodgers also shares his concerns.

The scammers usually call at rush times like lunch or dinner when there's not much free time to spend on the phone. Consumer Alerts have been issued in states from Arizona to South Carolina, and now Illinois. What's so disturbing, these criminals try to take advantage of businessmen going the extra mile to serve the deaf.

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