Huntsville, AL- Six people are accused of taking part in a check kiting scheme....a crime, police say, is rapidly becoming a trend.
"It's based on someone stealing someone's checkbook or checks out of the checkbook then giving it to an accomplice, writing a check to an accomplice. The accomplice depositing those checks into their own account and within 24-48 hours cashing those checks," said HPD Public Information Officer Harry Hobbs.
Redstone Federal Credit Union is doing its part to combat the problem.
"We did notice a spike recently. And we have taken some action and worked with law enforcement," said Jonathan Kirby, Asst VP of Risk Management at RFCU.
For the past two years, Redstone Federal Credit Union has used a computer system that helps crack down on crooks.
"The software allows us also to pick up on these spikes. When we notice spikes and fraud alerts, then we can take action to further tweak the software to be a little more sensitive. By adjusting the sensitivity, we're able to pick up on the activity quicker," said Kirby.
Of course, you can help catch thieves by keeping a close eye on your account's activity and reporting anything that looks suspicious.
If you think you have been a victim of a check kiting scam, call Huntsville Police at 256-722-7100 or your local bank or credit union.
