Check washing scams on the rise on Long Island
Authorities on Long Island say they’ve noticed a major increase in so-called ‘check-washing’ scams, where thieves steal envelopes with checks inside from mailboxes and forge fake information on them to steal the money.
LONG ISLAND – Long Island authorities are raising the alarm over so-called “check washing” scams, where thieves steal envelopes with checks inside from mailboxes and forge fake information on them to take the money.
Scammers will take the stolen checks and “wash” them in a simple bath of household chemicals, removing the original name and sometimes the dollar amount originally written on the check, before writing in new information.
For victims like Amit Aery, finding out about the theft could take weeks and cost thousands.
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