Fraudulent Check Mystery

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Maverick
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Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

Let's see if anyone can figure out how this happened. Our checking account statement this month showed two fraudulent checks, totaling $1000.08, cashed at a WalMart in "WILK" (I assume Wilkesboro, NC) on 12/30/16. We were in Florida on that date and have never been in Wilkesboro. The checks with the numbers listed in the statement are unused still in our check book. Although the Credit Union normally has an image of the checks, there is none for these checks. The guy at the Credit Union said some merchants will accept a check and then return it to the customer. I assume they scan the check in that case.

I reported it to the Credit Union customer service on 1/15/17 and called the Sheriff to file a report. A Deputy was at our house in about 15 minutes, took the info for a report, and gave me a case number. Said the case would be given to an investigator and the investigator might try to obtain video of the perp, ask me to review it, and try to identify him/her.

Went to the Credit Union this AM, 1/17/17, gave them the case number, and signed an affidavit. Funds should be restored within 10 days, probably in a day or two.

I have a theory but maybe some of you might have some ideas.
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Basement Paul
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Basement Paul »

My guess is that you used a check somewhere and somebody snapped a picture of it with their phone. Had some phonies made with your account numbers on them just getting similar sequence numbers, and started writing. I'm thinking the credit union should change your account numbers.

Hopefully that's the last of it.

-BP
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Maverick
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

Maybe, but I think the credit union would have scanned images of the phony checks. They have no images. :?:

I wonder if WalMart has security people that would be willing to talk to me about how it happened. Might try to contact them after the sheriff has had time to look into it.
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

The investigator, a Wake County Detective, called yesterday, . By the sound of her voice, she might still be in High School. :mrgreen: However, she was very interested in finding the perp(s). I told her about Walmart's web pages for cooperation on fraud. She will contact Walmart and see about a video.

She had no theory so I offered her mine. Only one I could come up with is a conspiracy between three crooks: someone that saw my check, a crook that works for Walmart in Wilkesboro, and a crook that made the purchases. I think maybe crook #1, who saw my check, called the crook #2 who works at Walmart, with the info from the check. Crook #3 in Wilkesboro bought two items from Crook #2 who managed to enter the checks info for the transactions but without a check scan.

The detective agreed that might be how it happened. This will be fun if we get our money back.
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Maverick
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

NOT fun anymore!! Two more fraudulent checks. :evil: Will got the the credit union AGAIN tomorrow.
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Basement Paul
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Basement Paul »

That sucks! I'm not sure why the credit union didn't go into immediate damage control... I really hope you get all your money back.

-BP
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Maverick
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

One of these two checks, like the first two, used a check number that was unused and still in our check book. The other was a duplicate number of a check we wrote a couple of weeks ago. I don't understand why the credit union would clear two checks with the same number. :shock: Hope to find out tomorrow. :evil:
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

And another!!! Five all totaled. Account was closed.

There were check images for two of the transactions. Images were of another person's check with my account number and my credit union's routing code on the bottom. Check belonged to a guy in South Carolina, transactions were in North Carolina and Minnesota. Must be a bigger bunch of crooks than I imagined.

What's especially annoying is the fact than one of the fraudulent checks bore the same number as a legit check already cleared. Talked to the credit union fraud person to complain that they would accept two checks with the same number. All she would say is they don't check for duplicate check numbers and no other banks do either. Check number is part of the machine readable characters on the check so it should be a VERY simple matter to look for dups. Not interested. As part owner of the credit union I may take it up with an officer at the CR. Hope I get my money back soon.

So now we're working on changing 9 automatic funds transfers and dealing with 6 checks that will bounce because the account was closed. :evil:

Update: Hang Dong Mo Ho says duplicate checks aren't a problem for the banks. :shock: When asked if it's a problem, he/she says this:

Best Answer: No, this won't mess up your bank; as long as you have not had stop payment request within that range and your account has sufficient funds, the bank must honor the repeated serial number checks. They are just a payment on demand instrument. So the processing of one check should not invalidate another. However, your bookkeeping and check balancing will be easier if serial numbers are not re-used within a short amount of time (for example - same tax year).
If you want to be sure, it is best to notify the financial institution where you have this account. They may notate the account that you will use checks with same serial numbers.
Hang Động Mơ Hồ ·
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Blue_69_malibu
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Blue_69_malibu »

Hang Dong Mo Ho? Is a credit union really outsourcing part of their operations?
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Maverick
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

He's not associated with the credit union. Got his post off the internet. Also saw some by his cousin Long Dong Wang Fu. :mrgreen:
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

Thought this was over. The Credit Union refunded the $2000+ for the five fraudulent withdrawals. But, we just got notices from a debt collector for the two electronic funds transfers by Walmart in Wilksboro, NC. Been thru this before with asshole debt collectors and invalid debts. This time I'm keeping a log of all their unscrupulous actions and will report them to the NC Dept of Insurance who issues their permit. :twisted:
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Re: Fraudulent Check Mystery

Post by Maverick »

I sent a Certified Delivery letter to the collection agency with lots of details including copies of the police report and credit union docs. Didn't dissuade them -- got another demand for payment. I submitted a complaint to the federal Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Think that might have helped as I got a letter from the jerks saying they're convinced it was fraud. So, unless something pops up on the other three fraudulent transactions that part is over. Someday I have to check my credit report to see if they harmed my credit. Its been a real pain dealing with the checks that bounced after the account was closed and getting all the auto payments set up again. We had to deal with several complications in that process.
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