LYNN — Police are looking for two men who have been perpetrating a scam at local Latino businesses this week.
The two men, who identify themselves as City Hall employees, have been telling business owners and staff that if they don’t purchase a $50 coronavirus poster to display in their stores, the city will shut them down, according to Frances Martinez, North Shore Latino Business Association executive director.
“They’re just trying their luck to see who falls into it,” said Martinez. “They’re going around saying they’re from City Hall. They should not be telling people, putting the pressure on people saying you need to purchase this or else you get shut down.
“Businesses are buying the poster because there’s so many different regulations now that they feel they may have missed something and need to get it.”
Martinez said she sent over videos and photos to Lynn Interim Police Chief Leonard Desmarais, which local business owners had shared with her. The two men started visiting stores on Monday, she said.
“We were notified by Frances Martinez of the North Shore Latino Business Association that it appeared some Hispanic businesses were being targeted by someone claiming to be an inspector of some type and saying they needed to pay a fee for a COVID poster,” said Desmarais. “(We) have detectives out right now meeting with the businesses as well as canvassing the area for suspects.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Martinez said she had already heard from four businesses that had been scammed with the poster sale.
The suspects are going around to everyone, she said, including grocery stores, restaurants, barber shops and hair salons.
One of those businesses was JB’s Barbershop, located at 98 Union St., according to the store’s manager Elvim Castro.
“Someone came into my store (Monday) afternoon around 5 p.m.,” said Castro. “Police were here trying to figure out what was going on.”
Castro said the man was driving a black SUV, which had a blue plate, and identified himself as a City Hall employee.
“He looked so real,” said Castro, explaining that the man showed him a badge, wrote down what he said was his employee number, and spoke in both English and Spanish. “I paid $50 for the poster and then he left. I’m not the first one because I’ve been receiving a lot of pictures from people who did the same thing.”
Castro said the man told him that if he didn’t purchase the poster, he would be issued a citation from the city and his business could get shut down. Only after speaking with the store owner did he realize it was a scam, he said.
“The poster looks so legit,” said Castro, explaining that it lists COVID-19 regulations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, phone numbers and the CDC website.
“People want to take advantage of whatever is going on,” he said. “(As) Spanish businesses, we’re trying to stay away from problems, so they’re attacking the Spanish businesses. They don’t go to American businesses where they know all the rules.”
Desmarais said it’s the first he has heard of such a scam in the city, which could lead to larceny charges for the two suspects if they are identified. Other charges could follow based on what else was said or done during the incidents, he said.
In the meantime, Desmarais advises anyone who is approached by people claiming to be inspectors or agents enforcing any kind of ordinance, especially for COVID-19, to call the Lynn Police Department at (781) 595-2000 or to verify the person’s legitimacy with City Hall at (781) 598-4000.
“No one who is legitimate is going to get bent out of shape because they want to ensure it’s a legitimate visit,” said Desmarais. “Follow your instincts. If you feel like something is not right, then pick up the phone.”
