A Palos Hills liquor store was cheated out of more than $20,000 in two deceptive wire transfers.

Someone on Jan. 7 called Palos Liquors on South Roberts Road claiming to be from MoneyGram International. The scammer said the program for wire transfers changed with the New Year and the employee needed to be trained on using the service.

The caller instructed the employee to transfer $10,000 into his account and to tear up the receipt since it was for training purposes. The next day, on Jan. 8, the same person called again and told other employees to wire another $10,000 to his account.

When the owner checked the machine, he found a $10,454.28 transfer on Jan. 7 and a $10,486.78 wire on Jan. 8, both from his account.

Palos Hills investigators are working with Antioch, CA, the destination for the wire transfers.

Police are treating this as a deceptive practice case.

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