A retired Northern California couple is speaking out after scammers allegedly drained nearly $18,000 from their checking account through a combination of counterfeit checks and unauthorized online payments, setting off a weeks-long battle to recover their money, according to ABC 7.

The couple first realized something was wrong after stopping at an ATM and noticing that their account balance was far lower than expected. A review of their bank records uncovered three checks they say they never wrote, along with 17 electronic transactions they did not authorize. The fake checks totaled more than $6,500, while the online payments added another roughly $11,400 in losses.

According to the couple, many of the payments were directed to accounts with Verizon, Capital One, and Wells Fargo that had no connection to them.

The report says that they immediately reported the fraud to Chase and closed the compromised checking account. The bank quickly reimbursed the counterfeit checks, but the dispute over the electronic payments proved much more difficult. The couple says they were initially asked to provide documentation showing they did not own the recipient accounts, a process that became frustrating because the other financial institutions could not discuss accounts belonging to other customers.

After filing a report with the local sheriff's office, they were informed their fraud claim had been denied due to insufficient evidence.

The case eventually drew the attention of a local consumer advocacy news team, which contacted Chase on the couple's behalf. After reviewing the matter again, the bank reversed course and refunded the remaining disputed funds, stating that it was able to credit the full amount after receiving the appropriate documentation.

Although the exact source of the breach remains unclear, the couple believes the fraud may have originated after they ordered new checks from a third-party printing company that required them to mail in a voided check. They suspect someone obtained their account and routing numbers during that process and used the information to produce counterfeit checks and submit fraudulent bill payments. The incident highlights how easily criminals can exploit the banking information printed on a paper check if it falls into the wrong hands.