San Francisco woman loses $14,000 to mailed cheque theft

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An elderly San Francisco woman lost $14,000 after thieves intercepted, altered, and cashed cheque payments she had mailed for utility and personal bills. The perpetrators utilized a process known as cheque washing, which involves using chemicals to erase original payment details while preserving the victim's signature. This incident occurred amidst a reported rise in mail theft and cheque fraud across the Bay Area, where thieves often target blue US Postal Service collection boxes using stolen master keys.

Consequences

Victims face lengthy and frustrating investigations as banks verify claims before potentially reimbursing stolen funds. Authorities now advise residents to abandon outdoor collection boxes in favor of mailing items from inside post office buildings and to transition to electronic payment methods to mitigate the risk of fraud.

Sources

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