Clackamas County Sheriff's Office seeks suspects in Happy Valley bank fraud; suspects linked to multi-state spree; video, photos available
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NOTE TO MEDIA: The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and Wells Fargo are providing surveillance video of the suspect van in this bank-fraud case, as well as photos of male and female suspects in the case. This footage is available via the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office FTP site, and can also be downloaded here; contact the Public Information Office for details.
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HAPPY VALLEY -- On Friday, Nov. 14, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office responded to a case of bank fraud in Happy Valley that is tied to a much larger, multi-state fraud and identity-theft ring. The Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in identifying the suspect van and a male and female suspects. Surveillance video and suspect photos are available to media outlets.FRAUD INTERRUPTED AT WELLS FARGO
On Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 at about 10:10 a.m., at the Wells Fargo bank located at 9350 S.E. 82nd in Happy Valley, an unidentified woman attempted to fraudulently remove money from a woman's checking account.
The suspect had the victim's name, date of birth, address, account number and Social Security Number.
At 10:12 a.m., a Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy responded to the fraud in progress. On the way to the Wells Fargo bank, the deputy was told the suspect entered a white Chrysler mini-van driven by a male and fled the scene.
Deputies did an area check for the van, but were unsuccessful in locating it.
Deputies responded to the Wells Fargo bank and interviewed witnesses. The teller reported that the suspect was trying to withdraw $6,000 from the account, saying she had the account number, but not her account card. The teller began the transaction, but when the suspect was asked to enter a PIN number, she got it wrong three times. The suspect also said she was trying to get away from an abusive husband in Colorado, and needed money for her daughter's wedding. As the teller asked the suspect questions to confirm the account was hers, the suspect got some information incorrect.
When the teller went to talk to the manager, the suspect offered to go out to the van to get the PIN number. Although the teller told the suspect to remain inside the bank, the suspect left the branch and got into the van anyway -- with the male driver driving it south on S.E. 82nd Avenue.
The suspect left behind a forged Colorado ID while fleeing the scene, allowing deputies and the bank to contact the victim. The victim, a California woman, had never lived in Colorado; the suspect was using the victim's name and Social Security Number in attempt to withdraw money from the victim's account. Investigators and bank employees found that $2,500 had been withdrawn from the same account earlier in the day -- and that the previous day, a suspicious $5,000 check had been deposited in the account.LINKED TO MULTI-STATE FRAUD EFFORT
Deputies learned from Wells Fargo investigators that these suspects are tied to a multi-state identity-theft and bank-fraud effort -- a crime ring allegedly operating in Washington, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. This long-term investigation is ongoing.
SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONS AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE; INTERVIEW OPPORTUINITY WITH VICTIM
The Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in locating the suspect and suspect vehicle:
• Wells Fargo also provides photos of a MALE SUSPECT from a similar bank-fraud incident in Kent, WA. He may or may not be the same male driving the van from today's incident. He is described as a tall, slender African-American male with short graying hair, wearing black clothes, estimated to be in his 50s.