Ames Police Department
Financial Crimes
Investigation Unit
The
Financial Crimes Unit
is part of the department's Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D.).
One of the
investigators assigned to this unit has received advanced training
as a handwriting analysis expert.
One of the goals of
the Financial Crimes Unit is to work with local merchants to
identify those who would perpetrate and pass bad/forged checks in
Ames and reduce the exposure and loss to merchants within Ames.
Unit members are also tasked with building a prosecutable case when
bad/forged checks are passed.
Insufficient
Fund/Account Closed Check Policy
The policy of the
Ames Police Department is to accept insufficient fund checks or
account closed checks for criminal investigation as follows:
- The amount of
the check must be in excess of $200.
- The check must
have been written in the City of Ames. It must have been written
within the past 60 days. It cannot be a government check,
two-party check, or a check for which a stop payment has been
issued. The only exception to these requirements would be if the
prosecuting attorney deems it a criminal theft rather than a
civil action. It must have been written personally by the owner
of the check.
- 3. The merchant
or person who accepted the check must have checked the
identification of the individual who was authoring the check and
have documented that it is in fact the owner of the check by
recording the driver's license number, and date of birth on the
back of the check.
The only exception would be if the person accepting the check
has personal knowledge of the author. This should be indicated
on the check and the person accepting the check must initial it.
- The person who
accepted the check must have also marked the check in some
manner so as to identify that they in fact accepted this check
and be available to testify in court to that process.
- In
accordance with Iowa Code 714.1(6), the check must have
been submitted to the bank twice and marked "NSF" as such. The
merchant or the person who accepted the check, upon return of
the check for the second time, must then send a ten-day letter
of payment demand by certified mail, restricted delivery, or
deliver the letter of demand by personal service. Documentation
of this procedure must be included with the original check.
It should be
emphasized that the Ames Police Department will investigate all
forgeries no matter what amount the check is written for.
In addition to
insufficient funds, account closed, and forged checks, unit members
are responsible for investigating identification thefts,
embezzlements, credit card theft, and computer frauds.
If you have
questions or comments, call the Police Desk
(515) 239-5133 or the
Administration Division
(515) 239-5130;
or e-mail us at:
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