St. Charles Police Warn Residents Of Potential Ruse Scam

ST. CHARLES, IL — Police and city officials are alerting St. Charles residents about a potential scam in which a man claiming to be a city employee asks to enter their home to “check the water.”

A resident recently reported that a man in a white truck tried to charge them $50 to run the faucets in their home to determine if “the water is safe,” officials said in a Facebook post, urging people to contact police if they receive a similar solicitation.

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St. Charles Deputy Police Chief Chuck Pierce said the resident was unable to provide a detailed description of the man who came to her door, but officers are looking for any footage of the incident to provide residents with more information.

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Though the resident only reported seeing one man, it is possible other people are involved, Pierce said. In many ruse scams, one person will distract a resident at their front door while another gets into the home through another entrance, he said.

Pierce urged residents to check any vehicles for clearly visible City of St. Charles logos if they are solicited by someone they are not expecting. City employees also carry photo identification that residents can ask to see, Pierce said.

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City employees “very rarely, if ever” make visits to homes without being requested by residents, Pierce said. City employees will never ask for any form of payment, and residents will receive notices if work is scheduled to be completed in their area, city officials said.

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If residents are uncomfortable with someone asking to enter their home, “there’s nothing wrong with closing the door” and calling police or city officials to verify, Pierce said.

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