Blog 3182 – 07.18.2024

Mail Theft, Check Fraud, It Can Happen To You

Yesterday, I received a phone call from my bank saying that they were holding a suspicious check for five thousand dollars that had been presented against my account. They gave me the check number and asked if I had written the check to an individual. I said that I had indeed written the check, but to my electric utility company and that on the comment line that I had written my utility account number. I also told them that the amount that I had written the check for was $468.02 and not the $5,000 that was now showing on the altered check. Fortunately, I never keep that much money in that particular account so the bank could not cash it.

I was advised to go as soon as possible to a local branch of my bank and put that account on an out- going hold and open a new account and close that one after changing any direct deposits going into the account to the new account. I did so immediately. The friendly banker (Financial Services Adviser) at my branch bank explained the whole scenario to me and said that the bank deals with this particular problem frequently. He even showed me a copy of the check the bank was presented and it clearly shows the name of the woman it was purportedly written to and her account number on the comment line. The check had been stollen in the mail, a federal offense, “washed” and had the to line, the amount lines, and the comment lines changed. The banker said that usually young people are recruited to use their names account numbers for these illegal actives to shield the masterminds behind them.

Needless to say, I spent the better part of yesterday, with my wife for it is, as all our accounts are, a joint account, trying to resolve all the issues that this check theft and bank fraud has caused us. We will be several weeks arranging transferring direct deposits into the new account, and closing that account when the bad check has been removed and the corrected balance is showing any end of month direct deposits. Also there is the matter of switching over any auto bill payments to the new account. Whew, the whole process is daunting.

I will not be sending anymore checks through the mail, but will opt for an electronic method of payment or will just make the payment over the phone using a credit card.

Today’s encouraging word is what happened to us does not have to happen to you, but it certainly can unless you take steps to prevent it before it does. Be warned.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White