by KIM HILSENBECK
The City of Kyle is investigating a series of attempts to cash or deposit 21 checks—each in the amount of $994.67—because the City did not issue them. The checks all have the City’s bank routing and account information.
At total of $20,888.07 would have already been withdrawn from the City’s bank account had Perwez Moheet, finance director, not implemented safe guards to protect against this from happening, according to Lanny Lambert, city manager.
Kyle has been the apparent victim of a scam, along with people from as far as Pennsylvania and Las Vegas who appear to have been doing the job they thought they were hired to do.
The City was first alerted on June 13 that someone tried to cash a check in San Antonio against its bank account.
Based on the information to date, unsuspecting persons thought they were hired by Employment Fredericksburg Inc. to be customer service evaluators, or secret shoppers.
In letters from the supposed employment firm, the evaluators were instructed to pose as a prospective customer and cash or deposit the enclosed check at a local bank. The letter said they were to evaluate the bank’s customer service.
The work had to be conducted within 48 hours.
At first glance, the letters may have appeared legitimate, yet the details don’t add up:
- The firm listed a Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) address with an Ontario phone area code.
- A quick check of the address shows it does not exist.
- The phone number rings and then disconnects.
- The firm does not come up in any web searches.
- On the checks, the company is shown as being from Fredericksburg, TX, but no street address was listed.
Police Chief Jeff Barnett said his department is investigating the issue. Because of the international address and postal aspect, Barnett said Sgt. Jacob Luria contacted the FBI, the US Postal Service fraud investigation unit and the Vancouver Police Department for assistance with the case.
Snopes.com, a website that debunks rumors, urban myths and scams, listed this type of fraudulent activity as fairly common. The site’s authors recommend that if anyone suspects anything illegitimate about a work from home offer, they should contact the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission.
Correction: an earlier version of this story listed the employment firm as Employment Fredericks Inc.
