BLOOMINGTON - If someone claiming to work for a local business gives you a hard luck story about needing $40 for gas or needing to cash a check, forget it, police said.

A man claiming to work for various local businesses has been running a scam in which he gets other businesses to lend him $40 or cash a bad check, police said.

The most recent case reported to police occurred Tuesday when John Mincy, owner of Sign-A-Rama, 308 S. Eldorado Road, told The Pantagraph a hotel he has done business with learned a $40 check it took bounced. A man claiming to work for the sign company talked the hotel clerk into cashing the check.

The same thing happened recently to a restaurant with which Mincy has done business.

"I feel terrible," said Mincy.