What looked like a dream shopping spree quickly turned into a forgery investigation after bank officials discovered that a document claiming nearly $700,000 in available funds was completely fake.
Police were called after a bank manager learned that a man and woman had allegedly been using a forged “proof of account” letter to make major purchases, including multiple vehicles and a home purchase that was supposed to close later this month.
According to the report, the document claimed the woman had $692,678.93 sitting in a U.S. Bank account. There was just one problem.
The account wasn’t real.
Neither was the document.
And according to bank officials, the signature of the bank manager listed on the paperwork wasn’t real either.
The investigation began after a former bank employee contacted a local bank manager with concerns about a suspicious proof-of-funds document that had been circulating among businesses involved in several high-dollar transactions.
Investigators say the paperwork had reportedly been used to purchase a 2026 Chevrolet Traverse, a truck valued at approximately $96,000, and a 2020 Tesla from dealerships in the Tri-State area.
The couple was also reportedly preparing to close on a home purchase in South Point later this month.
The alleged scheme began to unravel when people involved in the real estate transaction started asking questions about a wire transfer that never arrived.
According to the report, a realtor contacted the bank after a title company had not received expected funds. That’s when bank officials reportedly took one look at the paperwork and immediately knew something wasn’t right.
The bank manager told police the institution doesn’t even use the type of letterhead that appeared on the document.
She also reportedly told investigators that her signature had been forged.
To prove it, the bank provided officers with examples of authentic proof-of-account documents and official bank stationery for comparison.
The differences were obvious enough that police opened a forgery investigation.
The report indicates that the fake document listed nearly $700,000 in available funds and contained account information that bank officials say was fraudulent.
Now investigators are working to determine how the document was created, where it was used, and whether additional businesses may have been affected.
Police are also seeking copies of checks and purchase documents used in the vehicle transactions, although bank officials advised that certain records would require a subpoena before they can be released.
The investigation remains active.
Why This Matters
Proof-of-funds letters play a major role in large purchases.
Car dealerships, mortgage companies, title agencies and sellers often rely on these documents to verify that a buyer actually has the money they claim to have.
When forged financial documents enter the picture, businesses can end up delivering vehicles, approving deals or preparing property transfers based on money that doesn’t actually exist.
Fortunately, in this case, bank officials appear to have caught the problem before even more transactions could be completed.
Scam Watch: How to Spot Fake Proof-of-Funds Documents
Financial experts say forged bank letters are becoming more common in real estate, vehicle sales and private transactions.
Warning signs include:
• Documents that arrive as screenshots or low-quality scans
• Unusual formatting or letterhead
• Missing contact information
• Pressure to complete a transaction quickly
• Claims of large account balances that cannot be independently verified
• Signatures that cannot be confirmed by the institution
Experts recommend always contacting the financial institution directly using publicly listed phone numbers rather than numbers provided on the document itself.
As this case demonstrates, a piece of paper can claim almost anything.
The real question is whether the money behind it actually exists.