Rantoul, IL – A Rantoul resident was recently targeted in a fraudulent check scheme involving a counterfeit payment falsely claimed to be from the Village of Rantoul. The $199 check was allegedly linked to a fake lending program, police said.
According to the Rantoul Police Department, the check was confirmed to be counterfeit and had no affiliation with the Village. The scam was designed to convince the recipient they had received a legitimate loan from a trusted local source. Officials emphasized that the Village of Rantoul does not operate any lending program of this type and warned that any such check is fraudulent.
Police said scammers often use the names of recognized organizations and government agencies to make their schemes appear authentic. In this case, the unsolicited check arrived without any prior loan application or agreement.
Authorities outlined several red flags of check scams: receiving unsolicited checks, being instructed to return part of the money, being pressured to act quickly, and noticing suspicious errors such as misspellings or unusual formatting.
Residents are urged not to cash or deposit questionable checks and to contact both their bank and the Rantoul Police Department before taking any action. Anyone who has received a suspicious check claiming to be from the Village of Rantoul is asked to call police at (217) 333-8911.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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