Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Presto! ATM machine at Publix in Liberty Park.
Fraud cases in the city of Vestavia Hills have gotten the attention not just of the city’s Police Department, but the U.S. Secret Service.
Vestavia Hills police Capt. Johnny Evans said there was a recent case involving the placement of a laptop inside an ATM at the Publix in Liberty Park. The suspects broke into the ATM and placed the laptop inside in an effort to steal personal information. The group behind the attempts has struck multiple locations across the country and has stolen roughly $11 million, Evans said.
Fraud, classified by Evans as “receiving benefits through deception,” is on the rise in Vestavia Hills, according to 2021 crime statistics.
Notable cases include unemployment fraud, stolen checks and identity theft, Evans said. Recently, officers arrested someone trying to break into a mail deposit box outside the Cahaba Heights post office, finding a handgun and an AR-15 with an altered serial number. The suspect had a key from the post office, had stolen 48 checks and likely had hit other communities including Brook Highland, Evans told the City Council at the council’s annual strategic planning session.
Evans said the department is seeing a lot of “washed” checks, which is where thieves steal checks and clean them off and write new amounts on them, stealing the money for themselves.
Scams are a large problem as well, targeting the elderly and others via email, promising large amounts of money in exchange for personal information or a smaller amount of money.
Evans said in many cases, banks will reverse fraudulent charges, and if the police are notified almost immediately after money is sent out, there’s a chance they can get it back. However, in many cases, the perpetrators are overseas, outside of U.S. jurisdiction.
People have lost five figures or more in these scams, Evans said. “They feast off the goodness of people.”
Evans said if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.
