Bank Caught Forged Check Scam, Pennsylvania County Not Out Money

State police say a bank got wise before a western Pennsylvania county lost any money from $53,000 worth of forged government checks cashed at eastern Pennsylvania Wal-Mart stores.

State police in Indiana, Pa. have yet to charge anyone in the scam involving 27 checks cashed between April 10 and 17 at stores in the Wilkes-Barre and Mount Pocono areas.

Police say the checks are drawn on Indiana County Clerk of Courts accounts that contain restitution paid by criminal defendants. Police believe someone obtained the routing number of the accounts and other information to forge the checks. The county courts are located about 45 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Wal-Mart cashes government and payroll checks up to $5,000. Police tell the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that S&T Bank closed the accounts before the checks cleared because the bank suspected fraud.