Beware of strangers bearing gifts: Police

Two people were tricked into fraudulently cashing what they thought were welfare cheques for a stranger on Sept. 22, said Greater Sudbury Police Service.

A 14-year-old was approached by a stranger at about 3:30 p.m. near the bus depot on Cedar Street. The stranger asked the youth to cash a welfare cheque using his own bank card. They went to the bank and deposited the cheque in an envelope and withdrew money from the ATM.

There was no cheque in the envelope.

Later in the evening, at 8:30 p.m. in downtown Sudbury, a 20-year-old man was approached by a man and asked to cash a welfare cheque. He refused.

He was approached again near Durham Street at 10 p.m. by the same man and offered money from the cheque to cash it. They attended an ATM. The envelope deposited was empty.

The suspect is described by both victims as a male in his mid-20s with blond shaved hair. He was wearing blue jeans.

The public is reminded they are in jeopardy when they agree to cash a cheque for someone else without verifying the validity of the cheque. Cheques they cash must be endorsed by the person to whom they are written.

Do not allow anyone access to your PIN number or use of the bank machine (ATM) while your account is open. Do not allow anyone to give you an envelope to deposit without seeing yourself what the contents are as you are responsible to the bank for these transactions with your account.

Police would like to hear from anyone else who may have been duped by this man or anyone with information as to his identity.