Police said three people were arrested and a fourth person was summonsed after a woman allegedly tried to deposit a fraudulent $35,000 check in Somerset, Massachusetts. A bank teller contacted the purported issuer and learned the check was fraudulent; the three defendants pleaded not guilty and are presumed innocent.

Somerset police reported that three people were arrested and a fourth was summonsed following an alleged attempt to deposit a $35,000 fraudulent check at a Citizens Bank branch on Route 6. According to the report, a woman attempted to deposit the check, and a bank teller contacted the purported issuer to verify it. The issuer said the check was fraudulent, prompting the matter to be reported to police. The arrests followed the bank’s verification and police response. The three defendants pleaded not guilty and are presumed innocent. The report does not establish that the defendants were convicted, and its account of the alleged scheme should be understood as an allegation. The case highlights the role bank employees can play in detecting suspicious deposits: independently checking with an issuer can help identify a counterfeit check before funds are released. Consumers and businesses should verify unexpected checks through trusted contact information rather than relying only on details printed on the check. Source: South Coast 360, citing the Somerset Police Department.