Police warn: Beware of check scam in mail

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by Brent Hovey

Reporter

Aurora -- The local police department wants to warn residents about a money scam that tries to rip people off through the mail.

Police Chief Seth Riewaldt said a few citizens have notified the department they have received checks in the mail. The check looks real and is made out to the receiver for an amount of up to $5,000.

Riewaldt warns residents not to cash the check. "It's very inviting. It looks like a real check, but you get ripped off," the chief said.

Riewaldt explained a resident gets a check through the mail and is encouraged to cash it and spend the money at Wal-Mart and the Gap.

The scam occurs when the base company asks the resident to wire back $1,500 through Western Union as a customer service operation to see how Western Union works.

Then when the check is cashed, the bank looks to the base company for reimbursement. When it finds out there is no base company, the bank is forced to take the money from the person who cashed the check.

If the cash is in someone's account, the bank will take it out. If it isn't, Riewaldt said the bank will handle collection another way.

In addition to the money for the check, the resident is "promised" $300 to shop at those certain stores.

"They hook in people by offering the money to shop," said Riewaldt. "They tell you 'have fun shopping and get paid for it.' But you're bouncing a check and the bank will come after you."

Riewaldt said it seems that names are selected at random and there are not many checks sent to each community, so word about the scam does not get around.

He added about once a year a mail order scam like this pops up.

"It's been said a thousand times, but it's the general rule: 'If it looks too good to be true, it is,'" said Riewaldt.

Riewaldt is asking if anyone gets an unsolicited check to turn it in at the South Aurora Road police station.

E-mail: bhovey@recordpub.com Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3115