Forgery, Credit Card Fraud Rise

Check forgery and credit card fraud cases have more than doubled in Spokane County since this time last year.

Sheriff’s Lt. David Wiyrick said some crooks steal checks and credit cards after breaking into cars in public places, such as along the Centennial Trail. Sometimes, they simply open unlocked cars.

“Treat them like you would cash,” he said of checks and credit cards.

Wiyrick offers this advice:

Don’t leave your checks and credit cards in obvious places at home. And don’t leave them in a car, even locked in a trunk. Many cars’ trunk releases are located inside; some thieves simply break into cars and then release the trunk lock.

When you throw away checks or credit cards, Wiyrick said, cut them up, including the checks that come with a credit card.

He said businesses also should do a better job watching for phony checks and credit cards.

For example, business owners should make sure photo identification matches the patron. One man in his 20s used stolen identification from a man in his 60s to write bad checks, Wiyrick said.

Some thieves steal outgoing mail from mailboxes. They snatch checks being mailed out and alter them.

Criminals who steal personal identification, including Social Security cards, sometimes use the information to open bank accounts. They place a small amount of cash in the new account and flood area businesses with worthless checks, Wiyrick said.

Because businesses don’t ask for adequate identification, the crooks pass the bad checks easily.

, DataTimes