Elmhurst Man Victim Of Scam In Northlake

NORTHLAKE, IL – An Elmhurst man's credit card was stolen when another man encountered him last week in the Sam's Club parking lot in Northlake.

The victim was retired Elmhurst teacher Paul Guerino, who also belongs to the board for Bensenville Fire District No. 1.

Guerino has already written about the incident on Patch, which obtained the police report through a public records request to Northlake police.

On the afternoon of Jan. 29, Guerino was walking to his car parked near the front entrance when a man approached him, the report said. The man wanted change for a $20 bill.

Guerino told police that he pulled out his wallet and checked his cash, giving the man change. Guerino then went to Dollar Tree at 6 W. North Ave. in Northlake.

There, he found his Discover credit card missing. He said he usually leaves the card sticking out because it's the only one he uses, police said.

Guerino said that when he returned home and called Discover, he found out that someone bought a $1,000 television using the card, police said.

He said Discover would reverse the charges. He said he did not seek an investigation, but only wanted police to be aware of the parking lot scam, the report said.

In a post on Patch, Guerino wrote, "My Discover card is in the front of my wallet and extends upwards, so it is easy to pull out. While I was turning around, his swift fingers got my card."

The man was described as Hispanic, 30 to 35 years old, having brown hair and brown eyes, and wearing dressy clothes.