Family falls victim to check washing scam - Edmond, OK
Posted by: 
Max and 99
N 35° 38.295 W 097° 30.745
14S E 634686 N 3944845
Viewers of this news story will be surprised where the crime happened: from a USPS mailbox.
Waymark Code: WM14NWZ
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 08/02/2021
Views: 3
The blue USPS mailbox in the Crest shopping center is the location of this news story about a crime. A woman dropped off a check in the box (and like many of us, assumed it was safe to do so). The suspect, if caught, will face federal charges for mailbox theft.
Article text:
An Edmond woman is shocked to learn someone stole her checks from a USPS collection box, washed the ink off and tried cashing it.
The scam is called ‘check washing.’
Sally Ruhl says she put three checks in a USPS collection box located in the Crest Foods parking lot near the intersection of 15th Street and Santa Fe Ave. on Saturday night.
“I heard that people in secluded areas might break into mailboxes, but I didn’t think it would be a location that it would happen because it is so busy,” said Ruhl.
Turns out Ruhl was wrong.
By Monday, Ruhl learned someone at Walmart in Del City tried cashing the now blank checks.
The suspect was unsuccessful, according to Del City Police, after failing to produce a proper ID.
“They had written in their own information,” said Ruhl. “One check for $900, one check for over $400 and one check was still blank.”
According to law enforcement, thieves can wash ink of checks with common household cleaning products.
Del City Police are familiar with the scam.
“We do run into fraudulent checks and things like that, not normally this level of fraud if you will,” said Major Michael Arterbury from Del City Police.
Police encourage online transactions if possible. Something Ruhl says she will now be doing more regularly.
“It’s time for me to get up with the times and do things more electronically and not depend so much on the checks,” said Ruhl.
Del City Police are working to identify a suspect.
Federal charges are possible as a mailbox was broken into.
Type of publication: Television
When was the article reported?: 07/30/2021
Publication: newson6
Article Url: [Web Link]
Is Registration Required?: no
How widespread was the article reported?: local
News Category: Crime
|
Visit Instructions:
Give the date of your visit at the news location along with a description of what you learned or experienced.