Insurance to reimburse library for money stolen through check scam
DOVER (WJER) (Aug. 23, 2023) – The Dover Library is getting back the more than 20 thousand dollars that a scammer siphoned from its bank account.
Someone apparently produced five counterfeit checks with the library’s account information and cashed them in Florida. Director Jim Gill says the library’s fiscal officer was reviewing the checks that had cleared when she discovered the fraudulent transactions.
“It’s not so much that it was earth-shattering with the amounts because we pay vendors in that realm, but it was the fact that they were out of sequence and then were cashed in Florida that caught our attention, obviously.”
The theft was reported to police and insurance.
“We do have an update thought which is good that the bank was able to retrieve most of those funds back and that our insurance will cover the difference, so we’re pleased in light of everything…Unfortunately, it happens a lot. It’s just signs of the times. Good thing we have insurance.”
It’s unclear how the scammer obtained the library’s account information, although Gill says they’ve been assured by authorities and banking officials that they weren’t to blame for what happened.
“These people are really good at this. They create fake IDs. They put money into bank accounts. They build trust with banks and then they take advantage of that and scam people out of their money and deposit it.”
The library has implemented a new check verification process through the bank that Gill says will add another level of security and help prevent fraudulent transactions.