From the desk of Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Powers
Dear neighbors,
Since starting our 513-946-SCAM hotline, my office has taken a number of calls. Many of them are heartbreaking and shocking.
I wanted to take a moment this month to share one with you, and I hope this story will help you stay vigilant.
Kathy, a 74-year-old living in Cleves was recently the victim of a check washing scam.
A check she mailed to her son for $100 was washed and the value changed to $4100. This happened despite that fact that Kathy mailed the check from an interior mailbox at her local post office.
That $4100 was then taken out of her account during the recent holiday season.
The scammers bet Kathy wouldn't notice the fraud until long after they got away with the money.
They were right. She didn't catch on until several weeks later.
Katy has alerted her bank and local police to the fraud. She's also been in touch with us through our 513-946-SCAM helpline.
Unfortunately, Kathy is having some difficulty getting her money back, as she didn't realize the fraud until after her bank's reporting window.
Kathy wanted us to share her story as a reminder-- check your bank statements and checking accounts regularly. Report any suspicious activity the moment you notice it... do not wait. And make sure you understand your bank's rules for reporting fraud.
Each bank operates on a different timeline, all of which you should find in your bank's terms and conditions. Please that the time to review them!
Always fighting for you,
Melissa Powers
Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney
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