FRAUDULENT CRIMES

BAD CHECKS

The Blackfoot City/Bingham County Investigations Unit will investigate checks written on a closed account and single insufficient funds checks over $250.00 if the guidelines set forth below are followed.

1. Persons accepting checks must take proper photo identification.  This requirement may be waived if the person accepting the check personally knows the check passer.

2.  The identification number, type of identification and state of identification of the person who passed the check must be written on placed on the check.

3. The person accepting the check must initial the check unless there is other means to identify who accepted the check, such as a cash register that prints an employee number on the check.

4. The check must have been given as full payment for a direct purchase of goods or services.

5. The person taking the check will have to be able to say, in a court of law, the photograph on the identification did match the person passing the check.

Investigators WILL NOT investigate the following classes of check offenses:

1. Checks where the passer was not properly identified.

2. Misdemeanor insufficient funds checks (checks under $250.00).

3. Stale checks over sixty days old. 
4. Most out-of-state checks, depending on the circumstances.  (The cost involved to prosecute these types of cases is very high.)

5. Checks not initialed or marked in some manner that would identify who accepted it.

6. Checks processed for civil action or collections.

7. When restitution has been accepted on checks without the approval of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

8. Two-party checks.

9. Rent checks.

10. Checks given as payment on account.

11. Post-dated or held checks.

12. Checks that have had partial payments made toward paying them off.

Forged checks are a different type of crime and the Blackfoot City/Bingham County Investigators will investigate all forgeries accordingly.

 FRAUD SCHEMES

Home repair schemes often involve furnace repairs, driveways and cement repairs, and roofing repairs. Frequently, the individuals involved in these schemes will contact you at your door. They will usually advise you that they are in your neighborhood performing other repairs and have leftover materials to either spray or repair your roof, spray or repair your cement, or repair your furnace. If you think you might need the work mentioned, obtain a written estimate and compare it with other written estimates.

A common fraud scheme involves a subject representing himself as a bank examiner or detective. They will usually ask victims to withdraw money from their accounts to "catch a crooked employee". The fraud suspect then takes the money, promising to return it, but he is never seen again. Bank examiners and police officers never ask people to withdraw money from their accounts to entrap bank employees.

Other fraud solicitors may attempt to obtain your credit card or bank account numbers over the phone. Never give out your credit card or bank account numbers over the phone unless you initiate the telephone call and know to whom you are giving these numbers.