Call Kurtis: Blind and deaf Modesto senior loses life savings to check-washing scheme
MODESTO - A blind and deaf 87-year-old Modesto senior lost her life savings and blames her bank for it.
It was time to call Kurtis to investigate.
The second we heard of from Adele Kaplan's son, we were on a mission to get her money back.
"She's hysterical. She doesn't know what to do," son Marc told us.
He says his 87-year-old mother, who is hard of hearing and has limited sight, wrote a check out to someone who did work for her. That check ended up altered in a scam practice called check-washing. Someone used chemicals to change the payee and the dollar amount.
Bank of America caught one washed check that someone tried to cash in Florida for $113,500, but then let another through days later for the same exact amount.
The bank denied the family's fraud claim stating, "The handwriting on the item you claimed as forgery is consistent with the sample of the signature in our file."
"Well, of course they do (match). Criminals are supposed to try to get away with the crime. What do you want them to do? Sign Mickey Mouse? It makes no sense," Marc said.
Yet, the bank stood by its investigation and Marc says the bank cut him out of the communication because his name is not on the account.
"I don't understand the security protocols. The horse has already left the barn. It makes no sense. None of this makes any sense," he said.
We reached out to Bank of America on how it allowed a second check to go through so quickly after catching the first one for the same exact amount. It couldn't tell us, but says that after receiving additional information, "We reviewed the matter and have followed up with the client regarding a resolution... We are working directly with the bank that accepted the deposit of the washed check."
And just like that, Adele's life savings reappeared in her account. Marc sent us a video of his mom screaming with excitement after getting the news. He said this followed weeks of her being upset and unable to sleep.
"I contacted you as a last resort. I didn't know where else to go."
The bank says check-washing is often tied to checks stolen from the mail. The American Bankers Association has devoted a website to advice on protecting yourself from check washing: https://www.aba.com/advocacy/community-programs/consumer-resources/protect-your-money/check-theft-and-check-washing
Experts suggest using bold black ink and say don't leave blank spaces on the payee or amount lines.
If you have an elderly parent who struggles to communicate, consider getting your name on the account too, so you can help navigate problems.
Bank of America says in this case, it'll now work the criminal aspect of this to see if they can catch the fraudster.