Cheyenne Police Warn of Check Fraud Scam

Cheyenne police are warning residents about a check fraud scam making the rounds.

According to a department Facebook post, a resident earlier this week reported receiving a phony $7,350 check in the mail from Burns Custom Spraying LLC in Butler, Missouri with instructions to cash/deposit it.

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"If the check is deposited, scammers will typically ask victims to send the money back," the post reads. "If money is sent, and the check is found to be counterfeit, the victim can be held responsible for lost funds."

Police say you should always verify the legitimacy of checks before depositing them.

Prevention Tips:

• Make sure the check was issued by a legitimate bank.
• Call the bank that issued the check to verify the check. Find the phone number on the bank’s official website. Don’t use the phone number printed on the check.
• Consider how and why you received the check. If someone you don’t know initiated the payment, proceed cautiously.
• Look for misspelled words and grammatical errors in their communication with you.
• Look where the check was mailed from. If the postmark is not the same city/state as the issuing bank or overseas, be wary.
• Don't be embarrassed or ashamed - these criminals are full-time fraudsters who are really good at tricking people. Report any suspicious activity right away.