Framingham Police Investigating $14,000 Stolen Check

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FRAMINGHAM – A Framingham resident reported to Police that a check was stolen from his mail box and cashed for $14,000

The check was stolen in 2022, but reported to Framingham Police on Monday, February 13 at 7:42 p.m. by a resident on Lake Avenue in the Saxonville section of the City.

The police spokesperson said the check was stolen was the Lake Avenue mailbox,

The check was then “It was then “forged and cashed for approximately $14,000,” said Framingham Police Lt. Rachel Mickens.

No suspect has been identified, said the Police spokesperson.

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Thieves are stealing paper checks from mailboxes, “washing” them with nail polish remover, and filling in new amounts costing individuals thousands of dollars.

Residents should empty their personal mailboxes as soon as possible.

The U.S. Postal Service has been putting warning signs on blue mailboxes, telling people to use online bill pay or bring their letters to a post office.

The Better Business Bureau issued an alert against check washing, urging consumers to sign their checks only with black gel ink that is “indelible,” or long-lasting.

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Enduring black ink is difficult to clean off with household chemicals, making it a lot harder for scammers to erase the original name and dollar amount written on the check, according to the BBB.

Regular blue or black pens typically contain dye-based ink that can be washed off easily, officials said.

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