Elgin man loses $13K to bill-paying scam: 'I just fell for the trap' – ABC7 Chicago

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) — Scammers are preying on inflation frustration.It’s a scam that cost one local man $13,000.The I-Team has a warning Thursday about con artists claiming to help you pay your bills.As costs continue to soar, there are scammers targeting struggling consumers.”My bills were piling up,” Elgin resident Mohammad Mazher said.As inflation hung over his head, Mazher was receiving constant texts and calls from a stranger who reached out to him on WhatsApp.Mazher said the callers told him they could negotiate or lower all of his bills: utility, mortgage, credit card bills – everything.All he had to do was pay them 60% of the monthly bills. They would cover 40%.Although it sounded like a deal, it wasn’t.”It’s a scam!” Mazher said.He said they gained his trust by using his native language of Hindi. Then he said the scammers told him to look at a website with an offer to “negotiate bills.”RELATED: Here’s how to protect yourself from sports betting scamsHe sent them a total of $13,000.”The scheme was they will pay the bills off. I would go check online in my ComEd and utility bills, it says paid off. After three or four days, it would get canceled,” Mazher
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