Fayetteville police are on the lookout for a well-dressed suspect who is using a bogus identification to raid a police officer’s bank account.
On Tuesday, a middle-aged white male in suit and tie entered a SunTrust Bank in Fayetteville just before 2 p.m. and presented a withdrawal slip for $4,700.
The Florida driver’s license he presented matched information on the account so the transaction was completed.
The account, however, actually belonged to a Florida law enforcement officer. The suspect, believed to be 45 to 50 years old, has been able to withdraw money from the officer’s account at other bank branches in metro Atlanta, according to Fayetteville Detective Mike Whitlow.
The detective said the use of withdrawal slips is a “a different twist” on a well-known fraud. Thieves usually try to cash counterfeit checks, Whitlow said.
To get the bank to approve the withdrawal, the suspect places his photo on a doctored driver’s license that has identifying information matching a victim’s bank account. Accounts at banks other than SunTrust also have been targeted, he said.
Whitlow doesn't think the Florida officer was targeted on purpose.
"It just happened to be his turn," the detective said.
Fayetteville police have released a photo of the suspect and are urging the public to contact the department with information on his whereabouts. Call 770-461-4441.
"It’s only a matter of time before we catch him,” Whitlow said.
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