How Public Service Officers Can Spot Signs of Check Fraud
- Public Service Officers play a key role in stopping check fraud
- There are specific items they can and should look for when supervising offenders
- Garbage is not off limits
In the fight against check fraud, public service officers are often overlooked -- even as they play a crucial role to stopping fraudsters.
Financial institutions are seen as the last defense between fraudsters and their customers' funds. They are tasked with putting in place strong policies and procedures to fight fraud, while also working with companies like OrboGraph, who provide technology solutions including image forensic AI to identify when check payments are fraudulent.
However, it's the public service officers who are the ones out in the world putting the fraudsters behind bars. One overlooked division is probation officers.
The Role Probation Officers Play in Fighting Check Fraud
Probation officers play a crucial role in the criminal justice system, tasked with supervising convicted offenders so they can detect and prevent any ongoing criminal activity. When conducting routine home visits, these officers -- if informed and vigilant -- can identify potential signs of check fraud and other financial crimes.
Eric Huber, TD Bank Cybercrime research leader and curator of Fraudsterglossary.com, recently put together some guidelines for probation officers specific to detecting check fraud activity, recommending a thorough search of the home and resident electronic devices for evidence of counterfeiting operations, deposit fraud, and communication with other fraudsters.
The Check Fraud Checklist
One "key" item probation officers should look for, notes Mr. Huber, is United States Postal Service keys, also known as "arrow keys." These specialized keys, which we've discussed in this space previously, are used to access various mail receptacles and can indicate the person is engaged in mail theft or check fraud schemes.
Other items to be on the lookout for:
- Burner phones
- Check washing supplies
- Debit cards not in the resident's name
- Higher end printers and paper shredders
Additionally, probation officers should thoroughly search any garbage or discarded items, as fraudsters often try to dispose of incriminating evidence like washed checks, empty chemical containers, and discarded mail.
By staying vigilant, probation officers can best fulfill their role in disrupting check fraud schemes and identify offenders are choosing not to reintegrate into society.