Fraudulent checks in SW Kansas cause significant losses for businesses

SYRACUSE, Kan. (KWCH) – Fraudulent checks are making the rounds in parts of southwest Kansas. The checks look identical to real ones and can cost business owners thousands. They’ve been found at local stores and banks in Finney, Grant and Hamilton counties.

The small Hamilton County town of Syracuse, near the Colorado border, is facing a big problem with the fraud.

“(Thieves) came into our stores and passed up to $10,000 worth of fraudulent checks. Then they hit us on May 5 again for about $60,000,” Hamilton County Sheriff Mike Wilson said.

Wilson identified a group of eight suspects as culprits.

“This group will just go out and hit multiple towns per day,” he said. “They’ll duplicate a check from a local business, then go to the banks they deal with usually.”

Wilson said spotting the spotting the fraudulent checks isn’t easy.

“Just a few little things that are different on these checks, but they’re pretty identical to the local businesses,” the sheriff said, comparing the fake checks with legitimate ones.

at Black Bison Pub in Syracuse, owner Janet Thomeczek said she didn’t receive a fraudulent check, but the crimes are affecting how she does business. She said she’s instructed her staff not to take checks from anyone they’re not familiar with.

“We depend not just on local people but the people that come in that are traveling through and to be mistrustful of them when we’ve never had to be is kind of unnerving,” Thomaczek said.

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