Ann Nash has used the U.S. Postal Service mailbox in her Garfield Ridge neighborhood for many years and never had any problems until recently.
“From what we can figure out, he mailed a check around the 12th, and it was cashed on the 19th and altered, and they took 7,500 dollars out,” she explained. “It was originally a $20 dollar check when he mailed it.”
Nash told NBC 5 that her husband dropped off the check at the USPS mailbox near Archer and Nashville avenues. He discovered the check never made it to its destination when he went to the bank earlier this week.
“Horrified because it’s a lot of money,” she said. “We needed to pay bills, and it’s crazy because the bank gave us the check image, and it’s altered in the worst possible way. I can even see where it looks like it's whited out.”
The bank told her husband the check was deposited through a mobile banking app, and the check cleared. Nash and her husband said they’re now waiting to get their money back.
She shared her story on social media to warn others and soon learned they weren't the only victims.
“Everyone’s like, oh yeah, it happened to my father, it happened to my mother, it happened to me,” she said.
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The United States Postal Inspection Service said it's actively investigating cases of mail thefts across the Chicagoland area, but couldn’t say exactly how many cases are linked to this specific mailbox or even the post office at Archer and Laramie avenues.
‘I do stuff online now,” said another victim, who didn’t want to be identified. “I don’t bother, I do debit and how I pay my bills now—I don’t go to the post office."
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The victim, who is also from Garfield Ridge, said someone altered and tried depositing her certified check of $8,900 meant to pay off her car note. It was dropped off inside the post office at Archer and Laramie.
“No one’s watching what anyone is doing so you don’t know if its an inside job or what’s going on back there,” she said. “It’s frustrating because you think you’re safe and someone can just change it and take all of your money out of your account.”
The victim said her bank was able to stop the check and eventually gave her money back more than 90 days later.
“I hope they catch this person, people, whoever is doing this,” she said. “You know it could happen to anybody.”
Experts said it's best to use a gel pen when filling out checks to prevent check washing.
To prevent what's known as "check washing," experts say it's best to use a gel pen when filling out checks. Additional tips from the USPS can be found here.
Anyone who had a check stolen can file a report with the Postal Inspection Service by calling 877-876-2455.
