Long Beach teen arrested in money order scam

Posted

Nassau County police arrested a Long Beach teen on Thursday for his alleged role in a month-long money order scheme.

According to police, Long Beach resident Jermaine Hankins, 18, and several others purchased multiple money orders from the U.S. Post Office between Oct. 1 and Nov. 3 for low dollar amounts and would alter the money orders for a much higher amount.

Police said Hankins would deposit the money orders into bank accounts of the individuals also involved in the scam and withdraw the funds from various ATM’s. Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Capital One Bank sustained a total of more than $3,200 in financial losses, police said.

After an investigation, Hankins was arrested at his home without incident.

The other suspects have not yet been apprehended and police said the investigation is ongoing.

Hankins was charged with third-degree grand larceny and seven counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.