Chicago police warn of scammer using popular rapper's name for donations, victims lost thousands
CHICAGO (CBS) -- CBS 2 Investigator Dorothy Tucker first told you about a scammer and his elaborate con in back in April, using a popular Chicago rapper's name and a community organization.
Now, Chicago police are officially warning you to be on the lookout for the guy.
In April, you met the Cole sisters, who lost tens of thousands of dollars to a man they knew as Jeffrey Washington. They met him outside their banks on 83rd Street.
He offered to pay their cell phone bill and mortgages in return for a cash donation to help CEDA, an organization that helps low income people in Cook County pay for heating, electricity and other bills.
It sounded too good to be true, but their bank statements showed the bills got paid. That is until a few days later, and the banks and lenders discovered the scammer's money was no good.
Police now say the man has used this scenario in at least five cons going back more than a year:
The 600 block of East Bowen in February 2021.
The 4900 block of South Indiana last December.
The 200 to 300 block of West 83rd Street in January and March of this year. It was three times in that area.