New Account Check Scam

A federal grand jury has charged 18 people with running a multi-state check scamming operation that's believed to have netted over $1 million over a four year period.

Detroit residents James Harris Bey, 36, Fred Kendrick, 30, Ralph Starr, 29, and others appear to be the ring's leaders who recruited more than 30 "passers."

The ringleaders would rent cars and drive to different cities. From there, passers would obtain a state identification card and a fake check, go to banks and open accounts.

[ ... ]

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Sasse said in documents that the passers then would open a checking account with a fake check worth about $1,200. The bank would give them instant credit, and they left. The next day, the passers would return, present a fake payroll check and pull out the money.

The thieves went to as many bank branches as possible, repeatedly pulling out funds. Cleveland FBI agent Dean Winslow investigated and ended the scam.