MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Maryville Police are investigating multiple reports of check fraud and theft, totaling more than $80,000.
The Maryville Police Department provided 10News with several police reports filed by Maryville residents starting in June. The reports allege the checks people put in the mail were stolen, and then cashed, by someone who wasn't the intended recipient.
In most cases, the amounts on the checks were altered to be higher than intended by the victim.
One victim told police that he went to a Maryville post office to mail a $6.15 check to East Tennessee Pharmacy Services in July. At that time, he noticed two other unauthorized checks in addition to the check to East Tennessee Pharmacy Services were cashed in his name.
All three of the checks were altered and eventually cashed for more than $21,000.
The victim showed police his check book, showing the two additional checks were never written out.
Another victim told police she put a check for more than $4,000 in her mailbox in May to pay a credit card bill. The check was cashed, however, the credit card company sent her a bill the next month, showing it had never received her payment. This victim told police she discovered that the check had been altered, and asked the bank to freeze her account.
A third victim told police she mailed a more than $10,000 check to a business in North Carolina and that the money was taken out of her account. However, the business contacted her later telling her they never received the payment.
This victim was able to get a copy of the check that was deposited, which was not the check she wrote, but had the same check number. The check contained the same details but was made payable to a party listed as, "Christian Williams," with an address in Dallas, Georgia.
Other victims recounted similar events to police, with some telling officers the altered checks were taken from the post office, and another from a U.S. Post Office Box in Maryville.
Other names the checks were deposited under include Caleb Tetteron, Yainelvis Mendoza and Jefferson Charles.
Anyone with information on these events should contact Maryville Police at 865-273-3700.