Two California men have been arrested in connection to a series of check fraud incidents across central and northern Arizona, accused of stealing mailed checks and altering them to cash out. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Francisco Hernandez, 28, and Raul Rodriguez, 38, were apprehended following a joint investigation by the Cottonwood Police Department and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO), allegedly using a sticky rod to fish out checks from USPS collection boxes and manipulate payee details for their gain.
The investigation spooled out after individuals reported their mail going missing in Verde Valley, with suspicions pointing towards a mail theft operation that swiftly materialized into the concrete form of Hernandez and Rodriguez's criminal enterprise and although the suspects initially appeared to have a streamlined operation, attentive bank employees and coordinated law enforcement efforts resulted in the duo's capture. Per the statement from the Cottonwood Police, at least 15 victims have been identified with losses surpassing $15,000, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
A retired FBI Special Agent, John Iannarelli, shed light on the check washing tactic in an interview with AZFamily, detailing the simple yet effective use of chemicals to erase ink without tarnishing the paper, thus leaving a blank slate for fraudulent purposes. The suspects employed this process after fishing checks out of collection boxes, ultimately cashing them out at unsuspecting financial institutions.
Rachel Caballero from TruWest Credit Union urged anyone affected to contact their bank right away to stop further unauthorized charges. Hernandez and Rodriguez thought they could get away with their crimes in the quieter Verde Valley, but victims were found in many cities, including Flagstaff, Sedona, Rimrock, Camp Verde, Cornville, Prescott Valley, and Cottonwood. YCSO is asking residents who mailed checks that never arrived or haven’t been cashed to carefully check their bank statements for any suspicious activity, as per AZFamily.
For individuals concerned they might be entangled in the fallout from this criminal escapade, the advice from Iannarelli was unequivocal: avoid mailing checks from unsecured roadside boxes and instead opt for the more secure interior environs of a post office. "In the cases where a check was issued and a criminal intercepted it, it may very well count as check fraud and be covered by the bank as a result, but the best way to make sure you don’t lose money, don’t become a victim," Iannarelli told AZFamily.
