The Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services has sent out an urgent advisory advising all managers, cashiers and staff of groceries, supermarkets and shops to be on high alert regarding fraudulent activities involving counterfeit cheques purportedly issued by the Ministry.

The counterfeit cheques are being presented for encashment using the following fictitious names and identification numbers: Anthony Ali — 19551010012; David John — 19560909129; Earnest Salandy — 19470617026; Eric James — 19560808029; John Charles — 19550719022; Martin Smith — 19570714181; Paul Fortune — 19551919036; Steve Thompson —• 195304003075 • 19501010128• 19551123145; Dhanbir Chan — 19550403026; Anthony Cox — 1955020807.

The Ministry urges all establishments to exercise extreme vigilance when examining cheques and identification cards presented. It said that particular attention should be paid to whether the apparent age of the individual presenting the cheque corresponds with the date of birth reflected on the identification card explaining that fraudsters often rely on discrepancies in appearance to carry out their schemes.