Bad checks used for precious metals purchases

Birmingham police are investigating a man using bad checks to purchase coins and/or precious metals at several locations in Oakland County, including a local coin shop.

Police said the owner of John Frank Rare Coins, located at 800 S. Adams Road, received two checks that were returned for insufficient funds. The checks were given to him by a man with an ID identifying himself as Jason Chouki Faraj. The checks were written on an account from JP Morgan Chase Bank.

Police said two other people in Ferndale and Brighton were also given bad checks from the man. Online accounts of similar incidents indicate checks by the same man were used in February to purchase two silver bars from an undisclosed store.

Birmingham police are investigating.