POLICE BEAT

Check fraud ruins the day ... again

Posted

Many people take for granted that the personal check they slip into the mailbox will arrive safe and sound at the intended destination. Unfortunately for a local woman, somebody got to her hard-earned money first.

The victim told police Jan. 29 that she earlier dropped an envelope with a $296 check into a West 233rd Street mailbox. Later, she got a call from her bank saying the check had been altered for a value of $5,968 and deposited into a stranger’s bank account, according to reports.

Officers with the 50th Precinct said the woman was targeted by a common scam where perps lower a sticky lure down the narrow opening of the sidewalk mailboxes. They fish out envelopes until they find a personal check.

Scammers will then use acetone to remove the handwritten payee name and dollar amount but leave the printed information intact.

They then change what they want and deposit the money into a bank account.

Detectives are investigating.

 

And for my next trick …

Forget the slick Las Vegas magic shows with tigers and sawing a lady in half. The Boogie Down has its own brand of magic. Just park your car on the average side street and in a matter of hours — poof — that sucker’s gone without a trace. Abra-Bronx-dabra.

A 49-year-old woman was the victim of this nasty trick Jan. 25 when, around 3 p.m., police said she walked back to the spot on the 4900 block of Henry Hudson Parkway where she last saw her vehicle. Instead of the 2017 Honda CRV, the woman found nothing — not even some broken glass, according to police.

Detectives valued the vehicle at $24,000. The case is under investigation.

Police Beat, Heather J. Smith