Skokie Police Warn About New Debit Card Scam
SKOKIE, Ill. (CBS) -- Police in north suburban Skokie are investigating what appears to be a new scam.
WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports a woman staying at the Double Tree Hotel got a call late at night from a man claiming he was the front desk clerk.
Skokie Police Officer Joe Marzigliano said the person who called her said "that they needed her debit/credit card information to verify her account there.
"It was kind of a little bit later at night, so she was resting at the time, and she didn't really think about it, and she provided the subject with her information, and in doing so she was told that she would receive a 10 percent discount at check-out."
Scammer Pretends To Be Hotel Desk Clerk
When she checked out in the morning, she realized there was not going to be a 10 percent discount, and when she called her bank, she learned she'd been taken for $5,000.
Police said they aren't sure whether the scammer was calling rooms randomly, but they said anyone staying in a hotel could be a victim.
Marzigliano said it's the first time Skokie police have ever investigated such a scam. He recommended not using a debit card, which is typically tied to a checking account, but instead using a specific credit card for travel expenses; and never giving out debit card info over the phone.
But he said he understands how easy it could be for a person to fall victim to this type of scam.
He said police are working with the bank, but he said cases like this are often difficult to solve.
