Evanston Township High School officials say several scam artists are passing around fliers in town purporting to be from the school and asking for donations.
Some fliers say the funds are to help underwrite a basketball tournament, others seek to cover funeral costs for a deceased basketball player or for “Stop the Violence” programs.
Evanston Township High School officials say several scam artists are passing around fliers in town purporting to be from the school and asking for donations.
Some fliers say the funds are to help underwrite a basketball tournament, others seek to cover funeral costs for a deceased basketball player or for “Stop the Violence” programs.
While the flier content seems to vary, there is always some ETHS-related art — the school logo or seal or an image of the Willie Wildkit mascot
The scam artists, usually two young men and occasionally a woman, have been seen outside of Whole Foods, in parking lots of big-box stores including the Jewel and the Best Buy on Howard Street, at Penny Park on Lake Street and elsewhere around Evanston and in Skokie.
School officials say the solicitors do not represent the school and should be reported to Evanston police by calling 847-866-5000.
And the scam is not an entirely new one, as this Medill Reports story from last fall indicates.
‘funeral expenses’ scammer
I was approached yesterday INSIDE World Market by a young man who said his ETHS teammate had been shot and killed the day before, and he and his friends were collecting money for funeral expenses. He spoke very well, was totally respectful and even had fliers. He said the World Market store manager had given him permission to be there and talk to shoppers. When I said I hadn’t seen anything in the news about this death, he assured me I would, ‘in the Evanston Review.’ Ultimately I decided not to give him money, even though he talked a very good game.