FOUNTAIN — An active duty soldier is in custody on suspicion of advertising on social media for assistance to help cash checks.
22-year-old Christian Johnson is being charged with money laundering, forgery, criminal impersonation, issuing false financial statements, fraud and bait advertising. Fountain police were able to make the arrest with the help of U.S. Army C.I.D. Officers.
According police, individuals would be paid a certain amount and the rest of the money was given to Johnson in cash. The checks were fraudulent and did not clear with the bank causing the person to owe or lose money.
Several of those transactions happened in Fountain and Colorado Springs.
Anyone with information, or is a witness to this investigation, is asked to call the El Paso County Sheriff's Office Communication Center at (719) 390-5555 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers TIp Line at (719) 634 STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
November is Colorado Consumer Protection Month. The state's growing population increased the number of opportunities that can lead to victimization and financial exploitation of Coloradans.
College students have become a popular target. The Federal Trade Commission says last year 43% of people under the age of 30 fell victim to fraud. Compare that to the 70-plus age group where we found only 15% of the elder population lost money in scams.
The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado produces an annual report to alert everyone of scams that are out there.
Employment scams trick people into believing they are hired, then the fraudsters send a big check and ask the victim to send back money for supplies, or other equipment they’ll need for the job only to find out the check will bounce. The money the victim sent goes into the pockets of the fraudsters. It’s gone and so are the scammers.
Helpful links:
Stop Fraud Colorado
You are also encouraged to file a report with the BBB as a part of its Scam Tracker. click here.
Young people falling for scams more often than their grandparents
