Suspects cash thousands in fake checks
Manhattan Beach police are searching for these two women, suspected of allegedly cashing fraudulent checks. Photos courtesy of the MBPD.
by Andrea Ruse
Police are searching for at least two female suspects who allegedly separately cashed thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks and may be part of a larger crime ring stretching to Atlanta, Georgia.
While authorities said it is too early to say for sure whether the incidents were related, both involved fake, printed checks from the same victim’s account. At least one was cashed at a Manhattan Beach bank.
“It’s unknown whether this account just is being passed around or if this is part of a sophisticated crime ring that’s sharing account numbers,” said Manhattan Beach Police Crime Prevention Officer Stephanie Martin. “This was all done by printing checks and online.”
According to police, an unidentified suspect fraudulently printed checks linked to the bank account of a Bakersfield resident. The suspect also created an online version of the account — something the victim had never set up.
On March 2, a female suspect deposited a fraudulent check into a Long Beach victim’s account at a Wells Fargo Bank located on North Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach, police said. The check totaled $3,800, which the suspect immediately withdrew.
The suspect also transferred a large sum of money online from the Bakersfield victim’s savings account to checking account, according to police.
On March 6, a second female suspect deposited a fraudulent check for $8,700 from the account into a third account at the Wachovia located at 8840 Sepulveda Blvd.
“The bank felt it was possibly a fraud account from the very beginning,” said MBPD Detective Jeanette Meers.
Authorities said that the third account, which was originally opened in Atlanta, Georgia, has been linked to several fraudulent transactions and may connect the March incidents to a larger, organized operation.
“Some of the checks immediately went out in Atlanta to known suspects,” Meers said.
Police are still searching for both suspects involved in the March incidents and investigating into whether the incidents are part of a larger crime ring.
Because account information is often stolen from mailboxes or on unsecured wireless networks, according to Meers, she suggested sending sensitive mail from the post office and securing home wireless networks with passwords.
“Do the basic things,” she said. “…And check your bank statements regularly. If you catch it in time, you get reimbursed by the banks. If you catch it a year later, there’s a good chance you might not.”
Anyone with information regarding these or similar incidents should contact Detective Meers at (310) 802-5134. ER