Police Advise of Lost Dog Scam

If someone arrives at your doorstep in tears over a lost pet, Buffalo Grove police advise you to think before you act.

The department has learned of a new scam in which a person asks a resident for help with finding a lost cat or dog.

“They state the pet ran in their backyard and ask for help finding it,” according to a notice in the department’s police blotter.

When this happened in another suburban village, the homeowner assisted the visitor and left the front door open, allowing others to enter the home and steal valuables, police said.

The scam has not been reported in Buffalo Grove, said Cmdr. Jim Newton, but residents are urged to be weary of strangers at their door.

“If you don’t recognize who’s at your door, don’t answer it and don’t divulge any information with anybody that you’re not familiar with,” he said.