Denver woman says thieves ‘washed’ her check, nearly stole $5,000

DENVER — A lady from Denver’s Wash Park neighborhood has a warning for others after she says thieves nearly drained $5,000 from her checking account.

The thieves used a tactic it’s possible you’ll or might not have heard of it — examine washing. It occurs when a solvent is used to take away a examine’s ink and its rewritten.

Kathleen Bailey stated she turned a sufferer to the scheme final week.

“I simply occurred to cease to get a small merchandise on the ironmongery store they usually informed me that my card had declined,” she stated.

Instantly after, Bailey stated she went to her Chase Financial institution department, the place she was informed somebody tried to money a examine from her account for $5,000.

“They requested me, “Did you write a examine for $5,000?” I stated, “No, I do not even have $5,000 in my account,”” the girl recalled.

Thankfully, Bailey’s financial institution flagged the withdrawal as suspicious, stopping any lack of fund. Chase Financial institution supplied Bailey with a replica of the examine, and her fears have been confirmed — somebody had “washed” her examine and rewrote it.

The examine was initially made out to pay a water invoice of lower than $100.

“I needed to change my complete checking account, and that is a number of issue for some folks,” Bailey stated. “It was a large number attempting to modify all the things over to a brand new checking account.”

Denver girl says thieves ‘washed’ her examine, practically stole $5,000

Over the previous yr, banking specialists have reported a rise within the age-old examine washing method. Some specialists cite the tip of pandemic-era stimulus checks as a catalyst for thieves to show to mail theft, which is simpler to perform. Others cite the rise of contemporary, anti-fraud know-how, prompting folks to show to examine washing.

“After I went to report the incident to Denver police, they stated it is an enormous downside and every single day they get two or three of those complaints and this was simply down at district three,” Bailey stated. “I am not going to ever use a [United States Postal Service] blue field once more, by no means. And if something, I’ll take it into the submit workplace and mail a examine or a letter.”

USPS has these tricks to defend your mail towards examine washing.

Editor’s observe: Denver7 seeks out viewers suggestions and suggestions to assist folks in want, resolve issues and maintain the highly effective accountable. If you already know of a group want our name middle may tackle, or have a narrative thought for our investigative staff to pursue, please electronic mail us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or name (720) 462-7777. Discover extra Contact Denver7 tales right here.