Ok, so we were robbed. What do you think?

[BusynMember]

We moved three months ago.

A month ago, my 90 year old father mailed us a holiday check, as he does every year, and forgot about our new address. He mailed it to our old house. The post office is still supposed to be forwarding our mail, but they didn't. Well, he kept calling to as k if we got the check. We figured it was just taking time because of the forwarding. Today he called his bank and found it had been cashed. It had no bank name on the check, just a code, and will need 24-48 hours to track down so we assume she went to some seedy fast loan place. She cashed it for Pamela Smith (not my real last name) in care of Rachel White (not her real name, but she did use her real name.) And they must have taken her driver's license and cashed it.

Luckily we know all the cops well in our old village and the cop took it seriously. He is going to call my dad for more info. The woman lives in our old house.We found her Facebook where she is so tired of unpacking and is an Avon lady and a newly wed (for the fourth time. We found that on the internet. She has also been changed before for fraud regarding money). Interestingly, she has made friends with somebody I was close to.She had pictures of the inside of our old house so we know where she lives. We even saw a littel green tennis ball in the kitchen. That belonged to my yorkie mix who likes to play fetch...lol. Amazing she didn't pick it up yet.

We do not believe this husband knows she did this. He's going to be surprised when the cops show up.

Does anyone have any idea if we have any chance of getting this money back? Should we just wait and let the cops do the work? We know so many people who know her and it is ungodly tempting to call her and let her know we know, but that would accomplish nothing so it won't happen.

Thoughts? Hints? Advice? Similar experiences?

My dad is REALLY upset that this could happen. That's the saddest part. He is not very involved in the world as it is now...he is shocked that anyone would do that or that the check could be cashed without me being the one signing it. He is very naive and he doesn't need this.

 

[GuideMe]

I am so sorry MWM. Unfortunately, I do not think you will get your money back unless, possibly, if she still has it on her, which I doubt. She probably spent it as fast as she got it. If she is charged and found guilty, she probably will have to pay retribution towards you. I hope the police charge the bleep out of her. I hope you find some way to hold the check cashing place accountable as well I do know one thing, once she is charged, she will never be able to cash a check or pawn anything in that area again because the name circulates by law to these types of place, I believe

 

[BusynMember]

I think the place that cashed the check has to pay it. After all, I didn't sign it and she wasn't me. I do plan on pressing charges.

 

[GuideMe]

I hope they do it pay it MWM. I'm so sorry that this happened to you. Do they really think they won't get caught? Especially since she lives in the house you use to live in.

 

[donna723]

I'm not positive but the check cashing business would probably be held liable. A friend of mine had a similar experience - not exactly but the same principle. Her debit card info was stolen when the system of a large chain store was hacked. The hackers made false cards and IDs to go with the stolen debit and credit card numbers. Someone hundreds of miles away went in to a Walmart and bought enough merchandise with my friend's debit card that their checking account was emptied out. They reported it, it was investigated, and WALMART was found to be liable because they had accepted the falsified cards and ID and didn't properly verify. In about two weeks the money was back in their account, repaid by Walmart!

 

[BusynMember]

We have their name, address, phone, proof (the check) and police and postal service are on it and angry. This is mail fraud, apparently, as well as illegal check cashing. And whoever chased the check is in for some fun too. We've had calls all morning long, papers to sign, lots of interest. My father will get his money back because that signature on the check is obviously not mine. His bank said the investigation will take up to ten days and he could be reimbursed.

This lady is a real difficult child of 41 who was married some five times, although twelve years to this man. She has already been in trouble with financial institutions. She has lived over half the U.S., but not since this current marriage because he has a very stable job with a good company in town. I know about him because we spoke to our ex-next door neighbors who are our friends and also friends with the couple, although they don't know the wife too well. Apparently, the two husbands went to school together, common in our small town, and he happened to marry this difficult child. In the small town that they live in, this is going to be major gossip. When a cop pulls up anywhere it is always major gossip. And they have kids who I really feel sorry for because, well, other kids are mean.

Anyhow, they asked if we'd be willing to go to court as witnesses and we said we would.

All this for $200. Now that is a lot to me and hubby and probably a lot to her, but is it worth jail???

I am pretty sure her husband doesn't know about it. Our next door neighbors were good, solid folks and I can't see them knowingly hanging out with somebody who would do that. So I feel badly for the husband too, if he has no idea what she is like. Her court charges may have been before he met her. I wasn't the one looking up her court records. My husband did.

She is trying to put on a good persona of The Happy Homemaker.

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

Would my son do thi s if he had a check come in his mail? Probably not, but only because he's smart enough to know it could land him in jail.

 

[nlj]

This is fraud. What place cashed it? Was it a bank? They're liable and you must claim the money from them - or your father must claim the money from them. It's his check.

I have had experience of credit card fraud in recent months and the credit card company paid me the money back and then dealt with the fraudsters themselves. The check should never have been cashed without proper ID and other safeguards. I would say that the place that cashed the check is definitely liable.

 

[2much2recover]

Sounds like this criminal is a little cray-cray! I do believe you will get your money back. Sucks to be her, JAIL TIME! What's the saying? Don't do the crime if you can't do the time LOL As if we don't have enough on our hands with our own difficult children

 

[BusynMember]

LucyJ, it's not a credit card. It's a check. I think it's done differently here. We aren't sure where she cashed it yet. Some currency, not a bank. But he's going to get his money back and she's in trouble. I had no idea how much. Apparently opening mail that is not addressed to you, even if sent to your address is serious business. And we have a copy of the cashed check.

My dad's bank about guaranteed he'd get his money back, but we have to make a claim and they have to investigate. So we are doing the annoying paperwork involved right now.

I am tempted to park at the end of their block and wait for the police to come...hehe. My bad!!!

I won't do it, but it's tempting