By Town Crier Staff

Local authorities issued a fraud alert to Peninsula merchants last week following a recent increase in the number of counterfeit traveler’s checks reported being cashed throughout the Bay Area.

Los Altos Police Sgt. John Hughmanick said the traveler’s checks are being used by alleged customers who purchase items with the checks and receive cash change.

“The counterfeit checks are pretty obvious. It would be apparent. They are poor copies from a laser jet-type printer. They don’t have that crisp feel of money,” he said.

The checks being passed are copies of Thomas Cook checks in $100 denominations with a serial number of PF34886-101. They lack the hologram normally found on legitimate checks, police said.

Hughmanick said there have been no reports of the checks appearing in Los Altos, though there have been some reported cases in Palo Alto and Mountain View.

Hughmanick said area departments have a potential suspect.

For more information about traveler’s checks, call: Thomas Cook at (800) 223-7373; American Express at (800) 221-7283; Citicorp at (800) 645-6556; MasterCard at (800) 223-9920; and Visa at (800) 227-6811.