The incident occurred at Citizen's Bank on Egypt Road.
Lower Providence Township Police have charged a man with felony counts of forgery and access device fraud and numerous misdemeanor offenses after he attempted to open multiple bank accounts using fraudulent driver’s licenses.
Ming Qing Lin, 50, who has no fixed address, was also charged with misdemeanor counts of identity theft, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime, securing execution of documents by deception, and theft by unlawful taking, per court records.
Lin remains at Montgomery County jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail, set at a July 20 arraignment by Magisterial District Judge Maurice H. Saylor.
Police were called to Citizens Bank at 2668 Egypt Road in Lower Providence Township on July 20 at 2:27 p.m. for a report of an individual attempting to open a bank account in someone else’s name, per the affidavit.
Upon arrival at the bank, police asked for Lin’s identification, and handed over a New York driver’s license issued to a name that was not his own, but matched a bank customer’s name, according to the complaint. Bank management told authorities Lin needed assistance in withdrawing $1,200 from the member’s Citizen’s Bank account, police said.
Lin, police said, could not answer proper security questions pertaining to the account. When Lin was denied the $1,200 withdrawal, he then requested to withdraw $800, which was also denied, police said.
Lin then asked to open a business account, but was again denied because he could not answer proper security questions, police said.
Police said the height on the New York driver’s license listed the owner as 5 feet 4 inches tall, but Lin was much taller than that. Police said Lin was asked to stand, and he was more than 5 feet 11 inches tall.
Lin was asked to give his full name and home address as written on the driver’s license, but spelled his name incorrectly and could only provide an address of “1960 Brooklyn, New York,” police said.
Police took Lin into custody for attempting to illegally withdraw money from someone else’s account, according to the complaint. A search of Lin’s wallet uncovered five different New York driver’s licenses, all issued to different people, as well as three credit cards which were not his own, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 11:45 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar, according to court documents.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
