A young man thought he was just helping a friend cash a check, but what seemed simple quickly turned into a bank fraud investigation. Multiple branches flagged suspicious activity and authorities were called in. Watch how a $7500 scam nearly put him in serious trouble. What's your name? >> Kelly. Kelly. >> What's going on, man? Where'd you get this check from? >> I don't know. I just alarm system that in the area. >> Okay. Where's the Where's the house in the area? >> I don't know the address. I just where the people who All right. Make that make that make sense. You do what? >> I I help people put in alarm systems and houses. >> All right. What company do you work for? >> I don't know company. >> What's your business? >> I don't know. A friend of mine texted me saying if I needed some money so I could get some some money cuz I don't got a job. So he said if I could help him doing alarm system for Paul so I could get some bread out of that. And then yesterday I just received that through mail. >> You received it through the mail? >> Yeah, I received it through the mail. >> Yeah, I I just received it through the mail and I came here just to check check if it was good, if it wasn't bad. Cuz it was weird to me that the the amount of it. The amount of it. I even called him. I said, "Oh, this too much money." Like that's weird. I received it through the mail and I just came by to verify if it was good, if it was bad or something. So, if I ask him these checks aren't being reported stolen or anything, right? >> Well, I assume that they're not cuz I just received it through mail. >> Police begin questioning the young man who identifies himself as Kelly. He claims he works installing alarm systems and says he received a check through the mail. According to him, a friend offered him the chance to make some quick money by cashing it. But as officers ask simple questions like the company name or the address of the house, Kelly struggles to give clear answers, raising immediate suspicion. >> Uh, no, we called what we thought was the account holder and the account phone number had been changed today at another location and checks were being checks were being brought into different banks from South Carolina. >> South Carolina, right? >> Yeah. um in Augusta Road in South Carolina, our TD Bank up there. There was two, what two more down here, two down here. >> Um >> cuz pretty much what we do is [music] we get notes like we have a system that we could see if any fraud comes in and we could put it out on our system for each account. So the phone numbers were changed today, the accounts were changed today. The guy, which oddly enough was able to answer some of the questions on the on the profile, but when we asked him about his email, he didn't know it. Now there was no email on the account. He was like, I don't remember which one I use. But there was nothing on the account. Um the guy the customer's in Brooklyn, but we can't find the actual number for the customer. We just have whoever we're talking to and that's what they've been doing lately. He's going >> to whomever. >> Yeah. And the guy was getting real aggressive on the phone. I'm like, "Dude, it's a check for $7,500. I just want to make sure I'm giving money to the right person." And he's like, "No." He's like, "The check's good." He's like, "I'm done answering your questions." And I'm like, "I'm helping you out." So, right there, that's a red flag for us also. >> And there's only been two checks issued since January, and they were both under $50. >> Yeah. And none of the checks signature magical. Okay. So, that was like the reason that the flag was like all happening again. >> Yeah. And it all happened at different branches. So, as we were like coming here to check on the check, like really check on it, um we were getting notes in the same system saying, "Hey, this guy just ran out of the branch and we got his IDs down to where Samra >> or Port Orange >> Port Orange branch right down the road over here." >> So, that's like what they do is they they hit the same they hit different branches all at the same time. That way it's not supposed to give the red flags, but if they don't do it in a timely manner, say like he was sitting there and not we were in here. >> Yeah. >> We were seeing that three more stores were getting checks that weren't up and coming across the counter. >> Okay. Because we just asked him like, "What what company do you work for?" He was just like, >> "I don't know the name of the company." I was like, "How do you company that you work for?" >> Electical company. Yeah. >> $7,200 check for a security system. >> Yeah. So he sent for security system. So [cough] figure all that out. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> No problem. >> Bank employees explain that something much bigger may be happening. Their fraud monitoring system shows that similar checks are being presented at multiple branches at the same time. The phone number connected to the account had been changed earlier that day and the person answering verification questions couldn't provide basic account details. Even more suspicious, the check signatures don't match the real account holder. >> So apparently >> spir him and some other people at the same time orange and new Samra was doing the same thing that they was doing trying to make it so they don't want to get a flag cuz you know on the system when you do at the same time you don't get a flag down. So I guess that they try to do but obviously they happen in different time frames. They trying to they was on the phone with somebody trying to verify it. He was getting aggressive over the phone. He didn't want to answer them the questions no more. And then he hung up. And then in the notes prior to like the other TD branches they were at, they just ran out when they couldn't, I guess, get the money out. Hold up. >> And then before that, I guess they made a deposit of $50 each, but that was back back in January, February. >> Trouble or something? >> Um, I figure out right now. >> I never done nothing wrong in my life. And I just helped my my family. He just told him, "Come here, get your check." And that's it. After that, I don't see anything. >> Oh my god. I can't believe this. I'm just a singer. I just do music. I just needed some money so I could help my mom. >> As the investigation continues inside the bank, Kelly becomes visibly nervous. He insists he has never been in trouble before and says he only came to verify if the check was legitimate. The 23-year-old claims he just needed money to help his mother and didn't realize he might be involved in something illegal. >> All right, Kelly, >> let's restart this. So I'm going to read you something, buddy. Okay. >> These are your rights. You have the right to silent. Anything you say may be sentence against you. Whenever I talk to an attorney, have him or her with you now at any time during question. Now for an attorney won't be appointed to represent you. If anytime you wish to stop talking or have attorney present, all question will be stopped to your request. Do you understand these rights? These rights in mind, you will want to talk to us. You want to talk? Huh? You want to talk? I've never done nothing bad. >> Question. Do you want to talk? Yes or no? >> Okay, let's restart this conversation. >> Where'd you get a check from? >> I don't mind asking if I want to get some money. >> Your friend? >> A friend of mine? I I don't really know his name. He never gave me his name. I just called him uh Cuba. >> So Cuba called you? >> Yeah. >> What? So, Cuba said, "Do you want to make some money?" >> If I wanted to make some money, >> yeah. >> Where did you meet Cuba? >> I met him at Orlando. >> Okay. Where did you meet him? Get the check today. >> Orlando. No. What time? >> Like by like 12 11:30. >> Today? >> Yeah. It was today. >> We're at >> um Orlando like close to Alfa. >> Elro. >> Yeah. Like you mean at business or something? >> No, we met at a fast food. >> What fast food verse from? >> It was a checkers. >> Checkers? >> Yeah. >> On trail. >> So, what did he ask you to do? >> He just said, "Um, just take this check, go to the bank, and say you want to cash it." >> How much did he say you could get it? >> Did you cash it? >> Um, I think it was like maybe one. probably. >> After being read his rights, Kelly explains that a man he only knows as Cuba contacted him about making money. They met earlier that day at a fast food restaurant in Orlando, where Cuba handed him the check and told him to cash it at the bank. Investigators now believe the operation involved multiple people trying to cash fraudulent checks at different locations simultaneously. >> You're from Brooklyn instead of the person I just spoke to who is definitely not from Brooklyn. Um so and I'm from and I'm from Brooklyn. So I know >> um but yeah, they went in somehow and changed their their phone number. So we were calling to verify the checks when I was asking questions. They weren't able to answer a lot of the questions. So we threw up a red flag. We got the cops on it immediately for you. >> Thank you so much. Like crazy. >> Yeah, that's this is what it's about. But they have one of the guys here. He didn't get any money out of your account. And uh we're going to put a little block on the account for a minute just to make sure no other checks come out. Have you had any like checks stolen or any books or anything like that missing that you could think of? >> No, not that I'm aware of. No, I I've hardly used the account. But um what did I want? The other girl said that that they were going to now post that account and give us a whole new account number and all of that. Yeah, if they start closing how many other states >> Yeah, if they started if Moren started that process already for that's that's the process. I was going to check on that. But if she started, yeah, we have to close the account number down and everything because we just don't want to we don't want to make your account open to anybody else getting in there and now that we know that they had access. Um, you know, we just got to make sure you guys are protected and your money safe. >> Okay. Thank you so much. My husband's going to go to the branch sort of to let them out here in New York. >> Okay. Perfect. Perfect. Yeah. And if you guys need anything else, um, this is my direct line that I just called you on. My name is Vincent Monik. I'm the store manager here. Um, any other questions, just let us know. We'll take care of it for you. >> Oh my god. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> All right. You're welcome. >> Bye now. >> All right. Bye. >> Yeah, that's definitely who we spoke to earlier. >> Yeah, she's >> and she's definitely from Brooklyn. >> Yeah, you can hear. >> The other one sounded like family member his brother. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Cool. Well, that makes me feel good. We solved some crime today. >> Yeah, right here. >> Nice job, Courtney. You got it. [laughter] That's crazy. >> It's been so much lately though. It's been crazy. It's just one thing after another. I was actually out out with some guy um the other day. He works in >> Flaggler County. He's a Flaggler County Sheriff and he's part he runs the um bank crime department, I guess, or whatever. Yeah, the fraud department. And he was telling me how many like he's so backed up with cases right now that he can't even work them all because there's so much fraud going on. >> And I was just sitting I was telling him I work, you know, he was like, "Oh, you work at a bank?" He's like, "Great." He's like just the person I want to talk to my weekend. I'm like, you know, I'm like, I'm sure you talked to me enough during the week. But he was just saying he's like, it's just one after another after another. And they're getting so good at getting into their online banking and changing the phone numbers and then seeing their accounts. And then when we asked him token questions like, "Hey, he was able to give me the last four transactions." >> Mhm. That's crazy. >> That means they they got into the account, were able to pull the account up, see the transaction, see the signers, >> which is they never been able to do that before. >> What is that? What is it called? The sign What is that? >> Uh signers. So like people who are like So if it's like me and you on your account, so like I'll be a signer, you be a signer. So, I always ask how many signers so they can say 1, two, three, or four. And if they get it wrong, then we know that's right there. Then you're off. Sorry. >> Dang, that's crazy. >> We do that and we're always like, "Tell us about your last five transactions." And the guy was able to tell us them. So, I was really surprised on that. The only thing he wasn't able to answer was the email address. >> Okay. >> And that's cuz they block half out on >> Yeah. It's like the put X's on it [clears throat] the whole thing. >> That's crazy. >> Yeah. But these are the real customers. We were able to pull their signature card from when they first opened the account. Mhm. >> That's how we're able to get their old numbers. >> We should call Joanne just for CIA to say, you know, >> I will we'll wait till it's all done and then we'll call. >> So, how do you think they got all the information from? So, obviously like the internet should be like online shopping. >> I'm guessing online shopping or they they tapped into their online banking. Um they could have hacked it. They could have been >> so many ways. Yeah. Identity theft. Yeah. There's so many different ways for me to get in. >> That's crazy. >> Scary. >> Makes me worry. I'm going to start put I'm changing my password. I might change. >> Yeah. This makes me paranoid. >> I work too hard and still just take $7,500 out. >> Yeah, that's crazy. >> And the fact he sat here the whole time while I was like postponing, I was so confused by that. I was like, why are you why haven't you ran yet? >> Yeah, most of them usually run even if we held on to the ID. That's why I was like, >> it's probably his first time doing something like this. Probably somebody sent him. He's only 23. >> Yeah, that's what I figured. >> I was talking to him and I'm listening to what he's saying. He's like jumpy. He can't like He was asking like the the alarm system couldn't explain the freaking business that he worked for. Yeah. >> And he was like, "My friend, like what's your friend's name?" He was like, "I don't know my friend's name." I was like, "Bro." >> Bank employees later explain how scammers often gain access to real bank accounts by hacking online banking or stealing personal information. Once inside, they change phone numbers and attempt to cash large checks before the real account holder notices. In this case, the bank's security systems and quick communication between branches stopped the scheme before any money could be taken. >> Can you translate this one? Can I get >> I've never been in trouble my whole life. It's all good. >> I'm 23. >> You say, "Brother, do I deposit that?" Right. >> He said, "Don't sign today. Cherokee >> bro something about Wells Fargo >> about Wells probably Wells Fargo Hit that one. >> Scander. >> I've been checking the dust this morning. So he's talking about open another account, something another account with Calvin something with direct deposit and you guys need to open another account right now. >> Yeah, cuz he he said if I wanted to do some some direct deposit and I said no cuz I don't trust no direct deposits cuz most of the direct deposits they they fraud some stuff like that. So I was like I I think I lo my car. >> Who's Kelvin? >> Kelvin is a friend a friend of >> Where's he at right now? He's at Orlando. >> So, what happened with Wells Fargo? He wants another open account with Wells Fargo. >> Yeah, cuz he said if I wanted to do something deposit on my bank account and I said like I was like, "Nah, cuz I feel like that's kind of tricky." >> What pictures does he have? >> Who Who's beeping? >> Huh? beeping war zone. >> Oh, that's that's that's a war zone game of the game. >> Just text. >> How long you know Cuba for? [snorts] >> Not not more than two weeks or three weeks. >> Yeah. And had you had you met him on Instagram? Like he hit you up or you hit him up or what? >> No, he he he hit me up. Just open up another account. I'm just talking about what time is a check to it be open. I haven't ate nothing. That's why I came I came to >> Yeah. Just ask information about something about social and stuff like that. So we call her [ __ ] night. >> I didn't hear who we call. >> Huh? Are you talking to me? >> Yeah. We just contact I mean the only thing we do for build. What? >> That's all that is. >> Yeah. >> I mean that's what you have. >> I'm going to get arrested right now. Uh, probably find the right statue. Um, there's a teller affidavit that you have to do sometimes, but I don't know until they get it. They get the money >> and leave with it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You might they contact us before they they got flag. >> Like I said, I know there is a teller affidavit. I just don't know when we use it. >> I've never done it, but I think you might be right. I [snorts] did it for one time. >> Yeah. And I think you're right. You know what? I think that's if we get a call and it's like, "Hey, somebody's cashing checks under my money." >> Hey, so he tried to do a check. Him and a group of people try to do a check, multiple checks at once for $7,200. Basically, the system and alerted them. So, they contacted us immediately and then other groups contacted their local um He's one of those. Is it just the 831? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He just cash basically systeming 8319 bills, checks, etc. It doesn't doesn't save the system. >> Yeah, he's I mean, yeah, I've already talked to him about everything. We're post Miranda. He's much. So, >> yeah, it's broad as hell. I just get the PD. Do you want to talk to the detectives? >> Do you want to talk to our our detectives when you get to the PD? >> Best listen. This is how this works. You're going to go right now just for trying to catch a fraud check. All right. But if you talk to her, can't make any promises. If you talk to her X, Y, and Z, this might be bigger than just you. You feel me? >> [crying] >> suicidal. >> You want to see the door on me? The window. What Kelly thought was an easy way to make money quickly turned into a criminal investigation. Thanks to alert bank employees and a fast police response, the fraud was stopped before any money was lost. It's a reminder that quick money schemes can lead to serious consequences.