Business Receives Fake Tax Lien Claiming It Owes $175,243

PALOS PARK, IL — Two Palos Park businesses were targeted in separate scams on Monday. The Palos Park Police Department has issued a community alert warning businesses to be aware of COVID-19 related scams.

Police followed up on a report of fraud and identity theft at a medical office. The business had apparently received a letter from the Illinois Department of Employment Security in an attempt to defraud the business. The letter claimed the employee had been hired in 2012 and worked up until March 2020 when Illinois went into coronavirus lockdown. Police said the employee had never worked at the medical office.

A Palos Park gas station also received a “lien for tax liability” purportedly from Cook County. The letter threatened to seize social security benefits, garnish wages and permanently revoke the business’s license unless it paid $175,243 by Oct. 7.

Both businesses reported the scams to police.