CHECK RECOVERY- CHECK INVESTIGATION - COLLECTIONS
COUNTERFEIT CHECKS - FORGED DOCUMENTS
IDENTITY FRAUD - WHITE COLLAR CRIMES

BACKGROUND:

Established in 1982 by Charles Bruce, Check Investigative Services is regarded one of the leaders in the recovery of fraudulent checks.

< Check Investigative Services, back by over 25 years of experience, has been able to assist many companies and individuals in the recovery of account receivables, fraudulent checks, credit card fraud, recovering stolen property, unraveling internal and external fraud problems, and white collar crimes.

In addition, Check Investigative Services provides documentary evidence, expert witnesses, testimony and any other assistance that may be requested by State and Federal law enforcement on behalf of our clients. Check Investigative Services has always borne the cost of these expenses and will continue to do so in the future.

MISSION:

It is the goal of this company to recover ones lost asset without having to seek civil or criminal remedies. However, as part of our service, Check Investigative Services will provide representation in all civil and criminal courts. Should litigation be necessary, legal representation can be provided at a reasonable cost.

As a special benefit to our clients, you will be added to the membership list of the National Crime Alert Network. Alerts will be sent to you by faxed. The alert notice highlights check fraud, forgery, and counterfeiting suspects in your area that may have an effect on your business.

INTELLIGENCE AND FINDINGS:

Our confidential data and intelligence findings are maintained in a secure database by Check Information Systems. In addition to supporting the National Check Fraud Center, Check Information Systems maintains a large data base of confidential data and intelligence of check fraud, forgery, counterfeit, and white collar crime suspects.

"Would your organization benefit from expert advice in order to select effective security features that will combat counterfeiting and forgery attempts against its most valuable documents?"

If you have been a victim of CHECK FRAUD, FORGERY, received a COUNTERFEIT CHECK, or been involved in a WHITE COLLAR CRIME, we urge you to contact this office at once. Check Investigative Services may be able to assist you in the recovery of your funds.

Since 1994, Check Investigative Services has been able to identify and locate a large number of forgery and counterfeit suspects which eventually resulted in their arrest by local police and Federal agencies.

COUNTERFEIT CHECKS ON THE INTERNET

SCAM #1:

In one of our cases, all reported incidents involves the same group of suspects. Delivery of merchandise was made by a commercial carrier such as FEDERAL EXPRESS and UNITED PARCEL SERVICE.

A common scam would be where the BUYER arranged to have an item shipped by a common carrier to a out of state address. Unknown to the seller, the address may be of an innocent party whose address is being used by a scam artist. Normally a RUNNER will be waiting outside or near by the address for the common carrier to deliver the merchandise with a COUNTERFEIT BANK CASHIER CHECK which has been printed by the scam artist in advance with the SELLER'S name already printed on the check with the amount due and payable.

We find fault with the common carrier who allows the delivery of the merchandise to the RUNNER. The delivery should be delivered to the address provided by the shipper only and not be allowed to be delivered elsewhere or to a person who is just standing around waiting for the delivery.

Sometimes the package will not be left at the address because no one is at home. This is part of the scam. The scam artist will then call the common carrier to arrange for pick-up at the Common Carrier terminal center on a Saturday. Shipment are normally sent COD, INSURED, SECURED PAYMENT. The average size check reported to our office has been $9,250.00.

When the items are picked up at the terminal center, normally a different name is used on the Counterfeit Bank Cashier Check. A Counterfeit Bank Cashier Check is normally used rather than a counterfeit personal check or a money order as payment. When the check is returned by the seller's bank, the shipping agent, when called, has decline any responsibility for the lost.

View our special report regarding COMMON CARRIERS COD PROBLEMS.

SCAM #2:

For the pass several years there have been a growing number of COUNTERFEIT CHECK scams aimed at:

Based on our observation and findings, our main concerns are that many firms do not obtain enough vital information about their client and many do not verify the information being presented to them on the application for services.

Many of these Companies believe that because of competition in this market place, many of the common security measures are not followed to prevent FRAUD.

SECURITY MEASURES FOR NEW ACCOUNT:

The following security measures should be implemented at the time a new account is established:

• Verify Address being used. --Normal practice is to use a Drop Box where the Box Number is substituted as an apartment or office number.
• Verify Social Security being used.--Stolen Social Security Numbers or made up Numbers are being used.
• Verify phone number.--Phone numbers that normally obtain goes back to a Cellular Phone which have been CLONED, Beepers with a message capability, or to a Pay Phone.
• Obtain a copy of Driver license.--Even though a Bogus Driver License maybe used, it can possibly establish a person's signature or appearance.
• Verify all Checks being submitted for Deposit.--Normally, a stolen check has been scanned using a fictitious name or a name linked to vital information which has been stolen.
WHEN IN DOUBT
CALL THE BANK; FAX A COPY OF THE CHECK TO THEM FOR VERIFICATION.
• Monitor account for Sixty Days.--Scam artist normally do not purchase stocks or bonds. They use the Debit Card and Checks being provided once received.

Below are several signs which may indicate a bad check. While one sign on its own does not guarantee a check to be counterfeit, the greater the number of signs, the greater the possibility that the check is bad.

1. The check lacks perforations.--You Should be able to feel perforations on at least one edge of all legitimate checks except for Government Checks, Checks printed on computer card stock, Counter Checks, and Temporary Checks issued by a Bank or Credit Union.
2. The check number is either missing or does not change.
3. The check number is low--101 on personal checks or 1001 on business checks. 90% of bad checks are written on accounts less than one year old.
4. The type of font used to print the customer's name looks visibly different from the font used to print the address.
5. Additions to the check (such as a phone numbers) have been written by hand.
6. The customer's address is missing.
7. The address of the bank is missing.
8. There are stains or discolorations on the check possibly caused by erasures or alterations.
9. The numbers printed along the bottoms of the check is shiny.--Real magnetic ink is dull and non glossy in appearance.
10. The MICR encoding at the bottom of the check does not match the check number.
11. The MICR numbers are missing.
12. The MICR coding does not match the bank district and the routing symbol in the upper right-hand corner of the check.
13. The name of the payee appears to have been printed by a typewriter.--Most payroll, expenses, and dividend checks are printed via computer.
14. The word VOID appears across the check.--This means that the Check was either scanned or color copied.
15. Notations appear in the memo section listing "load," "payroll," or "dividends."--Most legitimate companies have separate accounts for these functions, eliminating a need for such notations.
16. The check lacks an authorized signature.

PROFILE:

Not all counterfeit checks are investigated by the FBI or the Secret Service. The individual case must first meet a certain criteria or PROFILE.

Most individual cases are not Investigated by the FBI or the Secret Service but by your local Police or Sheriff Department. However, when it becomes knowledge to the respected Federal Agency that the alleged suspect is the same person or criminal group who has committed other fraudulent financial crimes such as passing forged documents or counterfeit checks, or bank fraud, then and only then will they look at the case.

Because we have been able to combine known cases committed by the same suspect or group, our office has been able to present many cases to the FBI and the SECRET SERVICE which ultimately meet their PROFILE.

If you or your firm has received a FORGED or COUNTERFEIT CHECK which was used to obtain GOODS or SERVICES, we urge you to contact this office at once. Your information and input may be vital to an ongoing criminal investigation. We will forward you reported case to the proper law enforcement agency.

View pictures of Counterfeit Bank Cashier Checks that have been used in the commencement of a financial crime.