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A SMALL business owner said $13,000 vanished from his bank account after he posted something in the mail.
Frank Colanto from Swampscott, Massachusetts said this ordeal made him change the way he sent his checks.
Colanto said he realized $13,000 had unexpectedly been withdrawn from his checking account, he exclusively told NBC affiliate WBTS.
He explained that he noticed the large withdrawal had been made when he checked his online banking.
“I was angry, but then sick to my stomach,” he said.
Colanto said he had been the victim of a check-washing scam.
This is when a fraudster gets ahold of a physical check and makes changes that would redirect the money.
These could include switching the name or the amount of money on the slip.
The name for this scam comes from the idea that criminals “wash off” the ink on a slip and rewrite their chosen details once the paper is dry.
Colanto said he had previously taken steps to protect his checks and mail from thieves.
He explained that he would always drop his mail off at his local post office and never use a blue mailbox on the streets.
Despite this, Colanto’s checks were reportedly affected by the scam and he initially lost thousands of dollars.
He added that his money was later refunded but he had to wait a month to get his cash back.
Despite this, the small business owner explained how this ordeal made him change the way he wrote and sent his checks.
“It’s made me tighten up everything I do,” Colanto told WBTS.
“I got different checks that have holograms that can’t be washed, I got special pens with ink that won’t wash off.”
Top tips on avoiding scams:
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam and how to avoid them.
- Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
- Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
- Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
The U.S. Sun has previously reported on this worrying scam and how people can protect themselves and their money.
A woman had her bank account drained to nothing after she attempted to pay her water bill.
Natalie Smith from Virginia said she lost $9,800 after scammers got ahold of her check.
Smith said the check was cashed electronically and the money left her account immediately.
The Postal Service warned customers never to leave mail unattended or in their mailbox overnight and never send money via the mail.
People can also take other steps to protect their money from this scam technique.
These include paying bills online or depositing checks electronically using a smartphone, according to Aura.
