EPCSO warns of check fraud

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is warning about a fraudulent check cashing scheme.

EPCSO and its bond and inmate trust section issue a yearly notice about the scam.

A number of incidents have been reported over the years in which fake checks are produced using the sheriff’s office commissary bank number.

Authorities said the public, check-cashing businesses and merchants can be directly affected if they cash the fake checks.

EPCSO has accounting controls in place to make sure the checks don’t clear, but individuals or merchants who are not aware could esuffer a financial loss.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office encourages those who receive a check from the Sheriff’s Office inmate trust account and are unsure of its authenticity to contact the Sheriff’s Office bond and inmate trust section at 915-546-2236 or 915-546-2249 and ask a cashier to verify the authenticity of the check.