ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A five-month investigation led to charges for nine people in what Buncombe County detectives call one of the county's largest fraud rings.
Detectives say ringleaders Angela Queen and Wesley McCrary were arrested in Marion on June 4. The two, along with seven others, are accused of targeting mailboxes in some of Buncombe County's most vulnerable neighborhoods after Hurricane Helene, including Swannanoa.
A five-month investigation led to serious charges for nine people tied up in one of Buncombe County's largest fraud rings.
According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the operation involved checks, IDs, and debit cards that were stolen from the mail. In some instances, those checks were washed, retyped on a typewriter, or stamped with one of the suspect’s names and cashed at area banks and businesses.
When the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Queen and McCrary, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office recovered a large amount of stolen mail, checks and credit cards.
"Identity theft and fraud can have serious financial consequences for members of our community and may go unnoticed for a long time," said Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office District 1 Captain Dustan Auldredge. "We encourage everyone to avoid leaving mail unattended for extended periods. If you are away or out of town, please find alternative methods to collect your mail. Additionally, we recommend checking your credit reports and financial records regularly for any suspicious transactions. I appreciate the hard work of our investigators, who dedicated significant time to investigating these crimes.”
STORY COURTESY OF WLOS-TV-13
