Four people have been charged in a lottery ticket scam that swindled five victims out of $110,000 and targeted two others for $50,000, Chicago Breaking News reports. more ›

Kramer and Newman couldn't make it work, but crooks in Ohio and Michigan can. Michigan police officers have busted a crime ring that transports and sells out-of-state, non-redeemable cans and turns them in for that sweet, sweet 10 cent payoff. The 13 crooks were arrested with $500,000 in cash. That's...a lot of cans. The 67-count warrant was a part of Operation Can Scam that busted two smuggling rings based in Ohio and Michigan. Investigators allege... more ›

There was very little else for Londonist to be concerned with when the threat of a Tube strike became a very unpleasant reality. The inconvenience was extreme: there aren't many alternatives to the Tube in London despite the best efforts of the Londonist team to get everyone from A to B. Brighter news came in the form of the first ever female Yeoman Warder, or Beefeater as the position is more commonly known, and... more ›

Well, it is shaping up to be quite the warm weekend. Any of our lovely readers want to invite us to some type of pool party? We'll bring waterwings shaped like Mayor Daley's face. Someone should really make those. In the event we receive no invitations, we've lined up some other activities certain to help you, and us, take advantage of another weekend. As we mentioned yesterday, Calsfest 2007 is taking place at Cal's Liquors,... more ›

Who didn't pump gas today? Well, most people we know would raise their hands, because we are all hardcore green-living fanatics who live by the code of Al Gore, and we walk everywhere, but some people live and die by that bubbling crude, oil that is, black gold, Texas tea. Today was "Don't Pump Gas" day, but unfortunately, when we rolled out of bed this morning a little late and turned on the TV, we... more ›

Humor us. Let's say - and this is purely hypothetical - that you were on the wrong side of the law. What lengths would you go to to relieve your targets of their hard-earned money? You could take the impersonal approach with a bank robbery or armored truck jacking. Or you could go hands-on, forcefully coercing individuals to give up whatever cash is on their person or in their back account. Now supposed you were... more ›

The guy who's accused of killing Tank Johnson's friend/bodyguard is pleading not guilty. This is silly. "The Sun-Times is putting the Tribune on trial. The charge: The Trib has ruined the Cubs." Would the Sun-Times be attacking the Trib so virulently if they weren't a major competitor? We think not. In CTA news: Two more downtown Metra stations will get CTA transit-card vending machines. Also, the CTA said they're going to start flooding the... more ›

While Chicagoist has had some experience with Deep Throat before, we've never had such a personal experience as we had recently. We stalled putting up our original post about the Pure Entertainment bust because we wanted to speak with the clubs that had the most contact with Pure, but we are still awaiting comment. Pure also owns UR Chicago, so we tried to reach someone there for comment as well, but are still waiting to hear back from their spokesperson. more ›

Not all political news can be about hogs and nuts, but we'd like to dedicate this edition to our dear friend from the 7th Ward, Bill Beavers, without whom we wouldn't have nearly so much arrogance to write about! more ›

Bears fans will be allowed to tailgate at Soldier Field, but the NFL shut down plans to air the game inside the stadium. Making sure to jinx the Bears, City Hall is going ahead and making plans to throw a party to celebrate. The NYT on Robbie Gould. A 16-year-old boy accidentally shot himself on a CTA bus. After acquiring 60 stand-alone Osco stores, CVS is cutting 100 jobs. Residents of the 19th Ward,... more ›

We admit it. We’re whores for eBay. Few things are quite as exhilarating as making off with brand new pair of Prada pumps for $95, or a $1,000 darkroom set for $175. With the bountiful deals, however, also comes cutthroat last-minute bidding, and occassionally, agonizing defeat. more ›

Oprah urges each and every one of her viewers to “live your best life.” And whether she’s making like an angel or giving out free cars, she often helps to facilitate that in any way she can. But we’re pretty sure she’s not happy about people using her Oprahness to scam people out of money via e-mail phishing schemes. Illinois’ own angel Attorney General Lisa Madigan says not to fall for it. In other less... more ›

What could possibly go wrong with the concept of donating clothes to those less fortunate? Apparently … quite a bit. Some aldermen are proposing the removal of Chicago’s clothing drop boxes. It all started when Ald. Dick Mell (33rd) designed an ordinance that would fine the drop box owners for not quickly removing graffiti. Tagged donation boxes were creating an eyesore and garnering some complaints from the neighbors. But Mell soon heard other drop box horror stories. Donated clothes being sold for personal profit. Boxes placed on private property without the permission of the city or property owners. Well after hearing all this, Mell is now looking to straight-up outlaw the donation boxes. more ›

As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it that made that makes the -ists ponder? Phillyist is concerned that the war on Trans fats could affect it's beloved cheese steak sandwiches, something for which we should all be concerned.... more ›

Oh the schemes people can hatch when left to their own devices. Whether it's a novel way to get even with your neighbor, planning ahead so you can deposit that money you stole on the way home, a scam to rip off an amusement park, or just an excuse to go get a sandwich, there was no limit to creativity in this week's chronicle of stupidity. more ›

This morning the Trib’s Eric Zorn discusses what he calls the beginning of “to help my school season.” Now’s the time of year when young kids start going door-to-door selling wrapping paper, candy, etc. to raise money for their schools. While he supports the idea of giving kids some idea of what it’s like to earn money, he avoids putting the guilt on his co-workers or neighbors but hopes anyone selling Girl Scout Cookies stops at his house twice. more ›

We've gone round and about the blue bag debacle many times, but it's back. And just in time, too, because Chicagoist was just at a party this weekend where recycling came up *again.* Seriously. Did we do it, did they do it? Why? Why not? Was it all really a scam? Why did you have to buy blue bags? Did anyone notice that the Tribune came in a blue bag and that sometimes Dominick's and... more ›

If it weren't for our life as an -ist, we're not sure we'd ever leave our apartment. Fortunately, to fully -ist, one must seek out the new, the fresh, and the unknown. Brand new, or just new to us, that's what we're all about this week. more ›

"Listen up everyone. I'm an entertainment officer for the CTA here to make sure you have fun on your commute today." more ›

Upon reading the blurb about Galina Safir, a suburban woman who is suing her dating service, Soulmates, Inc. because they didn't hook her up with a mate, we were wondering the following things: more ›

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced on Sunday that she will run for reelection, and so far she is easily in the lead as no one has yet stepped up to run against her. Madigan has released a statement on her campaign website that reads, in part: Whether the issue is protecting women from domestic abuse, protecting our children from sexual predators, protecting seniors from scam artists who are targeting them, fighting unfair pricing... more ›

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Attention gullible dipshits! If Sgt. Mark Dang contacts you via e-mail to ask for your help in transferring part of Saddam Hussein's fortune that he found in Iraq, be careful. Sgt. Dang may only be taking advantage of your delusions of renown among the U.S. Armed Forces and, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, may not even exist. "I would be very surprised if this con artist is a member of our military, which is serving so courageously in the Middle East. ...This seems to be a new twist on a very old scam," Madigan said today. more ›

If you're one to give out your bank account number over e-mail to unknown Nigerians, Libyans or Cote d' Ivoirians in exchange for a cut of their father's $28 million fortune, watch out you gullible sucker because now they have FBI letterhead. more ›

The Hollinger scandal has finally busted itself wide upen, but the ensuing legal battles have probably just begun. Hollinger International, which owns the Sun-Times, has admitted, after a three-month investigation, that they inflated the Sun-Times' circulation by over 50,000 for weekdays and 17,000 on Sundays. According to Hollinger's press release, Saturday circulation was not inflated. Weird. more ›