Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison and Chief of Detectives John Rowan have cautioned residents to be aware of a check washing scam that has bilked more than 40 residents out of thousands of dollars.
According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, "check washing scams involve changing the payee names and often the dollar amounts on checks and fraudulently depositing them. Occasionally, these checks are stolen from mailboxes and washed in chemicals to remove the ink. Some scammers will even use copiers or scanners to print fake copies of a check."
Tips to protect yourself against this type of crime:
Deposit mail before last pickup
Deposit your outgoing mail in blue collection boxes before the last pickup or at your local Post Office.
Retrieve mail frequently
Never leave your mail in your mailbox overnight.
Hold mail at Post Office
If you’re going on vacation, have your mail held at the Post Office or have it picked up by a friend or neighbor.