WA woman uses fake passport in bank scam

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EVERETT, Wash. - Everett Police say the same woman wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the King County Sheriff’s Office, Cle Elum PD and Centralia PD for stealing tens of thousands of dollars from victims' bank accounts by using a fake U.S. passport has struck again.

Detectives say she went to a credit union in Everett and presented a fake U.S. passport for the account owner. The photo on the passport matched the woman in the surveillance photos but had the victim's info on it. She was able to withdraw $10,500 in cash from the victim’s account.

Police are asking for your help to identify her.

This latest case comes after a woman from Woodinville says the suspect used a fake passport ID, went into a bank, and withdrew $8,000 from her account.

"It’s violating and it’s frustrating and disgusting and I’m afraid, they have my address, they know my name," the victim said.

She has a hunch about why she was targeted.

"There was a mailbox in front of the Stanwood post office and this group broke into the mailbox, like a United States Post Office mailbox," the victim said.

She believes the suspect stole one of her checks and used the info to create the fake ID.

On May 1, Stanwood Police posted this warning on their Facebook page: "There have recently been thefts locally from the blue USPS mailboxes using stolen USPS universal keys. The safest practice to drop off your mail is to physically go into the post office
and drop your mail inside the building."

On April 26, another victim dropped off a check in a blue USPS mailbox in Stanwood. The check never arrived.

On May 20, the same suspect went into a credit union in West Seattle where the stolen check was written from and withdrew $3,000 from the victim's account using a fake passport ID. The credit union has replaced the victim's money.

The suspect was wearing a sweatshirt with colorful mushrooms on it. She is also wanted for stealing thousands of dollars from victims in Centralia, Kittitas, Chelan and Benton County. In each theft, the woman is seen wearing an earpod. Investigators believe she is communicating with a second suspect waiting outside the bank.

"I don’t understand how people can be so, so evil," she said. "I hope they go to jail; I hope they get arrested, what they’re doing is wrong, it's criminal, it’s a federal crime to break into a mailbox and it’s a federal crime to steal someone’s identity."

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000. If you know her name, text the info through the P3Tips App or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). It is anonymous.