Spring Hill couple jailed after using driver’s license to cash fraudulent checks
SPRING HILL –
A Spring Hill couple was arrested Monday after authorities said the pair knowingly cashed two forged checks at a local check-cashing business.
Eric Berg, 49, and Stephanie Swartz, 37, are each charged with one count of fraud.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the incidents occurred on April 18 and 19 at the Super Star Discount Beverage, 10243 County Line Road.
On April 18, Berg went to the store to cash a payroll check for $297.33 from Calling America Telemarketing LLC in St. Petersburg.
Berg provided his Florida driver’s license as proof of identification to the clerk. Since the information on the license matched the check, the clerk cashed the check, the report states.
On April 19, Swartz went to the same store to cash a check for $277.41 also from Calling America Telemarketing LLC.
She also provided her driver’s license as identification, at which time she was given the cash.
After depositing the checks the business owners were notified the account number of the checks was fraudulent, the report states.
The clerk who cashed the check told investigators photocopies of the suspects’ driver’s licenses were made prior to cashing the checks.
Deputies confirmed the suspects’ identities using information from the photocopies, the report states.
On Monday deputies conducted a traffic stop on Berg’s vehicle where the couple was arrested.
During questioning, both suspects admitted to cashing the fraudulent checks.
They told investigators that they received the fraudulent checks through a “Mystery Shopper” business on the Internet, the report states.
According to authorities, Berg had been warned by Detective Irene Gray on April 4 that the “Mystery Shopper” business was a scam and not to participate in it.
