Former Steelers player Mel Blount falls victim to counterfeit check scheme

PITTSBURGH — A former Steeler found himself inadvertently caught up in a counterfeit check scheme.

Someone has been using the Mel Blount Youth Home of Pennsylvania on fake checks.

Henrietta Hughes became suspicious when her teenage daughter recently received a check at their home outside Atlanta.

"Had my daughter been expecting some money I would have known about it," she said "I just opened the mail because I always like to know what she's getting in the mail."

Inside was a check for nearly $2,000 that was supposedly from the Mel Blount Youth Home of Pennsylvania in Claysville.

Hughes had never heard of the charity so she took the check to the bank and learned it was a fake.

If her daughter had tried to cash it, police say the crooks would have wiped out her bank account.

"It's scary, it's very scary," said Hughes.

The Mel Blount Youth Home told us they were, "Not aware of any checks issued under our name, nor did we have any knowledge of these transactions."

They are cooperating with police and so is Hughes.

"Definitely I'm glad that she didn't get the mail that day," she said.

Police in Atlanta said they have received reports of bogus checks but so far, this is the only one that involves the Mel Blount Youth Home.

WPXI