Phil Carter’s checks, mailed from Plano post offices, went missing or were altered, sparking an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. <\/p>\n
PLANO, Texas \u2014 Phil Carter wrote several checks to pay his mortgage, credit card and utility bills in February. He and his wife physically dropped the sealed envelopes to two local post offices in Plano.<\/p>\n
Their bill payments never made it to their correct destinations, but when Phil\u2019s wife checked their bank accounts, two of the checks were cleared. After further investigation with their bank, they discovered at least two of the checks were altered to \u201cPay To The Order of Holly Wilson.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know a Holly Wilson,\u201d Carter told WFAA during an interview.<\/p>\n
The Carters estimate that more than six checks totaling over $7,000 in bills are either missing or have been altered. All these checks have one thing in common: they were physically dropped off in collection boxes at two Plano post office locations: 2901 W Parker Road and 3400 Coit Road.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen the checks and they haven\u2019t cleared,\u201d Phil said. \u201cNeither have the mortgage and credit card companies.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Carters filed a police report with Plano Police Department, detailing their suspicion of someone stealing their checks from the inside mail-drop off box.<\/p>\n
But Phil said it\u2019s not just happening to him and his wife in Plano. A spokesperson with the police department confirmed with WFAA they received several reports about the location on W. Parker Road and have forwarded the information to the United States Postal Inspection Service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re aware of the complaints that have been received and we are looking into those,\u201d U.S. Postal Inspector Sean Smith said. \u201cDue to it being an active federal investigation, we can\u2019t discuss the particulars.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Inspection Service partners with the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office to investigate and prosecute mail theft as a federal offense. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Stealing checks from the mail in Texas violates both federal and state laws. Under 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1708, the federal offense is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Penalties under Texas Penal Code \u00a7 31.20 range from Class A misdemeanors to first-degree felonies depending on the number of people targeted.<\/p>\n