As of Friday, October 14, 2011
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Albany Herald
Albany Police Department Detective Schemika Foster warns the community Friday of a scam perpetrated by and Albany resident on other residents.
ALBANY, Ga. — If anyone says they'll pay off your $150 utility bill for $100 cash or less, it is a scam, Albany Police Department Detective Schemika Foster said.
Police would like the community's help in finding Jammie Bernardo Skinner, 37, in connection with a scheme he is allegedly running. The way the scam works is that Skinner will take cash from someone and then pay their utility bills by using the account of a 70-year-old victim.
"The victim is an Albany resident who has had his bank account information stolen," Foster said. "(Skinner) has been paying Water, Gas & Light bills with a stolen account."
The victim, whose name was withheld by police, found out that money was being stolen from his account from a teller at his bank. About six different residential utility bills were paid out of the victim's account, Foster added.
"If anyone advises that they are willing to pay bills for you in turn for you providing them cash, then we are asking our citizens to please be aware it's false. It's fraud. And it's generally not acceptable," Foster said.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS (8477) or investigations at (229) 431-3288. The Spanish-speaking APD-COP Tip Line is (229) 434-2677.
Crime stoppers is an anonymous tipline. People with information could become eligible for cash rewards.
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