FRESNO, Calif. (KGPE) – It’s Watch Out Wednesday! Beware of crooks stealing your money and in some cases your identity.
“Always be on the alert that someone is trying to take what you have, whether it is your identity or your money, it is their job,” said Central California Better Business Bureau President Blair Looney.
As you head to the mailbox to pay monthly bills, watch out! crooks eager to wash checks could be right around the corner.
“Always be on the lookout,” said Looney.
Surveillance video shows the moment Clovis Police said suspects cleared out a mailbox in Fresno County last year.
In 2022, there were 395 mail or package theft reports in Clovis. So far in 2023, there have been 173 mail or package thefts.
Once the scammer finds a check, bingo!
“With a check they not only have your routing number, your account number, your name your address, most times your telephone number on there,” said Looney.
To avoid the scam, Looney said:
- Use a gel pen, scammers can use acetone to remove regular pen ink from a check.
- Drop off mail inside a post office
- If you drop it off outside of the post office, drop it off one hour before the last pick-up
- Keep an eye on bank accounts regularly and notify your bank and authorities right away
“If you see that, you wrote a check for $200 ad all of a sudden it has become $2200 there is a question of did whether someone capture the check and washed it,” said Looney.
To report fraud to the BBB visit their website.
