WILLMAR -- Willmar police are investigating the passing of payroll checks that appear to have been issued by Best Buy, but are fraudulent. Between 15 and 20 checks totaling about $10,000 have been cashed at Willmar businesses since Nov. 24.
Willmar Police Officer Marilee Dorn said the forgeries were apparently produced on a computer. The checks resemble payroll checks, have the Best Buy logo on them and are fairly good.
"People are cashing them and the checks are returned totally invalid,'' Dorn said. "We think they are using falsified IDs. The checks will have the name and address of the payee -- the person it's paid to -- but it will be a fake address. There were streets on these checks that don't even exist in Willmar, and that's going to be the key for anybody who gets one.''
The suspects are described as Hispanic-Latino males who say they're working for Best Buy and are helping the store get started here.
"They look like laborers. It makes sense to people as they're cashing the check,'' said Dorn.
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The crime is considered a felony-level offense.
Dorn said similar forgeries are occurring in other parts of the state. She said the department issued a statewide crime alert fax on Friday and has already received calls from other agencies.
Dorn didn't know if checks passed in other cities have the Best Buy logo or logos of other companies.
"But it seems like a fairly organized group effort that's happening,'' she said.
Dorn urges businesses where the checks are presented to thoroughly check identifications and addresses.
