Kentucky Treasurer Allison Ball has issued an alert on a check fraud scam that seeks to steal the identity of Kentuckians.
In a press release, Ball said they heard of the possible scam on Thursday, and conducted an internal review.
Ball said, “Once confirmed, we took steps to immediately contact the Attorney General’s and Secretary of State’s Office.”
The scam is designed to get the check recipient to give away their personal information. This is done by mailing a check that appears official, but when the recipient tries to deposit or cash it, the check is rejected. If the recipient contacts the sender to correct the possible problem, they are asked to give their bank account information so the money can be directly transferred.
The signature on the “Instruction Letter” is listed as “Mrs. Alison Lundergran Grimes” and calls her the “Finance Manager.” Treasurer Ball says this is why the Secretary of State’s Office was also notified.
“This is a very sophisticated scam. These fake checks have continued to come in. My office doesn’t tolerate people writing fake checks to prey on the good nature of Kentuckians,” Treasurer Ball said. “I hope the Attorney General’s Office works hard to swiftly and quickly prosecute those responsible.
“Seek caution when giving out your bank information,” Treasurer Ball advised. “The Kentucky State Treasury will continue to be a watchdog for the people.”