Fraud Squad investigators are warning members of the public to be wary of fraudulent cheques and making withdrawals at automated teller machines.
Their warning came as a Marabella construction worker Hayden James, 42, was yesterday jailed for 30 months on two fraud charges relating to a forged cheque.
Noting that there have been a lot of fake commercial bank cheques circulating, the investigators said the fraudsters were well organised and professional.
“We are seeing a lot of fraud with commercial cheques, they are making the cheques and the identification cards, they are depositing the cheques in the bank and then making withdrawals.”
As a consequence, the officers are advising banks and business people to be extremely cautious when accepting and cashing cheques.
He also advised business people not to attempt to clear cheques by calling the bank because the criminals are intercepting calls.
“So when you think you talking to someone in the bank, you really talking to one of the criminals. Go in to the banks to verify all cheques.”
Recalling the recent seizure of 500-plus fake debit cards, the officers said information from Interpol led investigators to search a room at a popular Port-of-Spain hotel where two Bulgarians were staying. Interpol had informed the local law enforcement officers that the foreigners were seen tampering with ATMs in Barbados.
“When using your ATM cards ensure there are no foreign objects or smudges before you push your card in. If your card gets stuck do not put in your pin number.” They said the criminals were hiding small electronic devices in the machines to read and record the information on the cards.
He also advised card users to try to keep minimal sums of money in the account so in the event their card becomes compromised they will not lose a large sum of money.
Yesterday, in the San Fernando First Court, before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John, James, who was arrested after he deposited a forged cheque valued $40,000, pleaded guilty to two charges.
Prosecutor Ramdath Phillip said on July 11, James went to First Citizens’ Marabella branch where he deposited a cheque made payable to him in the sum of $40,755.10 and drawn on the account of Gulf Insurance Ltd. He withdrew $35,000 and used $1,341.18 to purchase US$200.
However, the insurance company later informed the bank that they never issued a cheque bearing that number to James and he was not entitled to the money.
He was charged by PC Hosein following an investigation supervised by Supt Tootaram Dookie, ASP Kent Ghisyawan and led by Sgt David and Popan.
James had several previous convictions, but his attorney Ainsley Lucky asked for mercy, saying, “He found himself in a desperate situation. Economic challenges propelled this man to do what he did. This was the last act of a desperate man.”
Phillip said none of the money was recovered.
Asked by the magistrate where the cheque originated, Phillip said inquiries into that were still to be carried out.
Forde-John sentenced James to 30 months on each offence, but ordered that the sentences run concurrently.