Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Numerous locations across the United States have received checks purported to be from Frisbie Construction.

The problem is that Frisbie Construction, 7793 East Kansas Highway 4, didn’t send the checks.

Those who received the checks were told to send a text a number confirming they had received the checks, according toSaline County Sheriff’s Captain Jim Hughes.

The number was not a Salina phone number or a Frisbie Construction phone number.

Persons who texted then received a text back asking which check it was and for what amount, according to Hughes and it was not clear how the check forgers actually made money off the scam.

Frisbie Construction officials told Salina Post that so far, counterfeit Frisbie checks had been received in 19 states and the District of Columbia between Sept. 9 and Monday.

Twenty-eight checks totaling $99,956.40 were actually presented to recipients’ banks, however, Frisbie Construction’s bank, UMB, declined payment on the checks, according to Frisbie Construction officials.

Additionally, Frisbie Construction received 49 phone calls during that period from people wondering why they were receiving the checks.

In fact, the first phone call the company received was the first notification that anything was amiss and allowed Frisbie Construction to notify UMB about the situation before any checks were presented for payment, thus allowing the company to avoid losing any money, the company told Salina Post. The checks associated with those 49 phone calls totaled $176,928.53, Frisbie Construction officials told Salina Post.

The company said that some of the checks looked more professional than others, but all had the same clear signature. Additionally, checks were all different colors, the company noted.

Hughes said that some sort of data breach is suspected, but officials have yet to determine where that breach happened.