Scammers are trying to cast doubt on water quality, get consumers to pay in Cicero, Illinois
In several Chicago suburbs, scammers are trying to get homeowners to spend thousands of dollars to fix their water systems.
The water systems in question are not even broken.
In west suburban Cicero, a water tower looms large and proud over the town. But scammers are trying deceptively to cast doubt on the quality of the water — and trying to get residents to pay for testing.
"It's fear to our residents who work very hard — blue-collar community — and we don't want them taken advantage of," said Cicero Water Department Director Lido Manetti.
Manetti said tags have been popping up on front doors in Cicero — claiming to be from "water control," and urging residents to call a number printed on them.
"They want to come to your house," he said. "They want to set you up with water testing for water purification at a very high cost."
Manetti said the vague water control tag is a high-pressure sales scam, and it is not coming from his department or any other in Cicero.
Miles away in the north suburbs, the Village of Wauconda sent out a warning about the same scam late last year.
"It's becoming harder and harder trying to catch this scam," said Ismael Vargas, director of the Cicero Business License Department.
Vargas said it has been a challenge finding the company or people responsible for the scam.
"We write citations to show up in court — we have our own court," he said, "but nobody will show up, and they don't care to show up."
The 916 area code for the phone number on the door tag comes back to Rio Linda, California, a suburb outside Sacramento.
Nobody answered when CBS News Chicago called that number, and left a message saying the Town of Cicero is warning its residents that the company is trying to scam them.
As to the water safety in Cicero, Manetti said there should be no doubt.
"[People should feel] confident that their water is safe," Manetti said. "We buy our water from the City of Chicago."
The Town of Cicero asked residents to call if they receive a flyer from "water control." The town added that it will never reach out and solicit anyone.
