Florida woman arrested in bank scam

MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A woman who had been pulling off a scheme nationwide was nabbed in Connecticut.

Countless customers enter the Milford Bank of America on Boston Post Road everyday, but tellers noticed something familiar when 41-year-old Shannon Truax walked in. She looked just like the woman wanted for pulling off check cashing schemes nationwide.

"They received that bulletin ahead of time, had photographs, had some basic information on what she was doing, intentions and her methods and they soaked up that information and they were able to make that call, which was key," said Officer Jeffrey Nielsen.

Police say she had a Connecticut drivers license belonging to a bank customer and was trying to withdraw $7,000.

Instead she ended up in custody, and she's now the subject of a Secret Service and Federal Task Force Investigation.

Detectives discovered she was holding other licenses, likely ripped off from parked cars.

Police tell News 8 the best way to protect yourself from this kind of scheme is to not leave anything that identifies you in your car.

"Items are being taken from vehicles or other areas and they are using the IDs to go in and try and extract money from people's bank accounts," Nielsen said.

Truax, who is unemployed and divorced is from Bonita Springs, Florida.

She was charged larceny, criminal impersonation, and criminal attempt to commit larceny. She was held on a $50,000 bond. She is now in custody in Connecticut, but she will likely face charges in other states.

While she has been caught, police say she wasn't working alone.