The Houston-area woman said her property tax check was allegedly stolen and altered in a check-washing scheme.
SPRING VALLEY VILLAGE, Texas — A Houston-area woman said she lost more than $12,000 after her property tax check was allegedly stolen and altered in a potential check-washing scheme.
“You think you’re doing the right thing by walking it into the post office, and not just dropping it in a box somewhere,” said Kristina Vallee.
Vallee told KHOU 11 that the check was dropped off in person at a post office in the Memorial City area. She said the problem came to light when her husband checked their bank account to see whether their property tax payment had cleared.
“It was kind of a panic,” she said. “What else have they gotten into from our checking account? You just don’t know how far it could go.”
After discovering the issue, Vallee said they spent hours trying to secure their accounts and protect their personal information.
“The bank was very cooperative, they were really great, they handled it well, and said you know, we filed all the fraudulent claims and charges right then,” she said.
KHOU 11 reached out to the U.S. Postal Service for comment. Officials did not immediately respond to questions but asked for Vallee’s contact information to follow up.
Consumer groups say there are ways to reduce the risk of check-washing, which involves changing the payee names and often the dollar amounts on checks and fraudulently depositing them.
The American Banking Association recommends using pens with indelible black ink when writing checks and avoiding blank spaces on payee or amount lines. They also recommend avoiding putting other personal information on the check.
Vallee said the experience left her feeling exposed.
“You feel very vulnerable,” she said. “You hope and pray that they don’t keep our address because the address is on the check, so obviously your home can be at risk, but you know you just want to make sure that it’s taken care of.”