Scam Convinces Crowd That Highland Park Was Giving Away Free Houses And $100,000
HIGHLAND PARK (WWJ) -- Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Highland Park on Saturday under the impression they would receive two things -- a house within the city and $100,000.
The promise turned out to be a scam created by someone passing out fliers that stated residents would receive the money and a house if they showed up to city hall on July 4.
Mayor Hubert Yopp told WWJ Newsradio 950 that the man had been passing out copies of a phony notice from the 1800s.
"Querying some of the bystanders I found out that they said that this man...had a document from the 1800s that entitled them to homes in Highland Park," Yopp said.
Several people were arrested during the gathering.
"Very few people that I noticed [were] from Highland Park," Yopp said. "The dominant figure -- about 90 percent -- was from surrounding communities or not from this city."
More information will be released by Highland Park officials on Tuesday.
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