NEWTOWN, Ohio (AP) — The police chief of an Ohio village says he was immediately wary of a fake check sent to him through the mail, and warns others to be aware of the scam.

Newtown Police Chief Tom Synan says the “check” for more than $1,800 came through priority mail. He wasn’t expecting money. WKRC-TV reports Synan used the internet to find out the payer was a fake, but the bank is real.

Synan says he called the bank and alerted them to the scam, but that there wasn’t much else he could do other than not cashing the check. He says cashing it could have exposed his routing numbers.

The police chief in the village just east of Cincinnati recommends using the internet to check out those claiming to send money.

Information from: WKRC-TV, http://www.wkrc.com