Police continue to search for two suspects of check scams

By ALAN EDRINN

Police are searching for two people who allegedly used stolen identities to cash several fake checks last month.

Between Jan. 21 and 23, the two suspects used counterfeit business and personal checks to get cash and cashier’s checks from legitimate bank accounts, said DeKalb Police Det. Angel Reyes. So far, four identities have been used to access their accounts.

The scam starts with one of the two suspects making out a cashier’s check from one account in the name of someone else’s identity they have taken, Reyes said. The other person will then go to a different bank and, using fake identification, cash the cashier’s check, Reyes said.

“It is identity theft by using people’s identities and info, then forgery for using counterfeit checks and thefts for taking the cash,” Reyes said.

So far, four cases have been reported to DeKalb Police, one to both the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and Cortland Police Department, and the couple has only been seen entering banks four times, Reyes said.

The two suspects, a black man and woman in their 50’s, were both well dressed while they entered the banks, Reyes said. The use of cashier’s checks also adds to the perception of legitimacy, he said.

The victim’s identities could have been taken many different ways, including being taken from bills the suspects found, Reyes said.

Investigators have surveillance from all the banks the suspects visited, which showed they were the same people in each event.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the DeKalb Police Department at 815-748-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272.