Check Fraud

Dear Editor:

Thank you to Dan Guarino for the article “Fraud! Check Scam Hits Rockaway” in the March 30, 2023, issue. On two occasions since January, I have had checks to my mortgage company, and real estate taxes to the NYC Department of Finance stolen. I do not drop my business or personal bills in free standing mailboxes in the community where they can be potentially fished out. I bring my mail to the Beach 116th Street Post Office and place them inside the PO mail slot. I began getting emails, texts and phone calls that my January mortgage was never received. After a few weeks waiting for some answers, I went to my local Chase bank and put a stop order on the check and reopened my account. Then two months later, upon checking another account, found that my real estate check for April was cashed by someone named Majorky De Las Cruz using the technique “check washing,” a term I never heard of before. I had it checked out by my brokerage account fraud people who found out that one of two checks was washed by putting paid to the order of the above’s name on the check. The fraud division picked it up and I was reimbursed. I was charged a late fee and had a double payment one for January and the April bill. In this case it was, once again mailed in our local post office. I was told to call the Postal Service fraud department to report the incidents. This apparently has been happening a lot and they would investigate. I was told to send letters certified mail, return receipt. I have never had to send my bills this way and pay extra to send my bills. As of now, I haven’t heard from the PO fraud department. All I can say is try to be careful when sending important mail; check your online accounts to make sure your checks have gotten to whoever should be receiving them. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

John W. Roberts