taken from the bank account of Mark and Joyce Henderson

A Massachusetts couple say their bank initially refused to reimburse them for nearly $40,000 stolen through an apparent check fraud scheme, arguing they reported the fraud too late. After months of appeals and an NBC10 Boston Responds investigation, the bank reversed course and returned the full amount.

Mark Henderson of Foxboro discovered the fraud in October after reviewing his Santander Bank statements.

"How can you cash a check that doesn't have my name or signature on it?" he asked. "Not once, but eight times?"

According to bank records reviewed by NBC10 Boston Responds, eight checks — each for $4,880 — were withdrawn from Henderson's account, totaling $39,040. Each check was made out to a different individual and cashed at banks across the country, including in Hawaii, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Virginia.

All of the checks, dated August and September 2025, listed the same printed name and a Virginia address.

"I said, 'That's not my name, that's not even me,' so right away, I called the branch," Henderson said.

Bank initially denied claim, citing 30 day rule

In a letter denying Henderson's fraud claim, a Santander representative cited the bank's Personal Deposit Account Agreement policy, stating customers must notify the bank within 30 days of receiving their statement if there are unauthorized items or errors.

Henderson contacted the bank approximately one week too late.

"This has weighed very heavily," said Joyce Henderson, Mark's wife. "It is not just the amount of money, or that someone took the money, but it's what's left of his family."

The money in the account came from the sale of Mark Henderson's family home after his father passed away.

"It was devastating," Mark Henderson said. "To cut me off like that and just say, 'Well, tough luck' — it's not right."

Partial credit, continued appeals

In November, Santander issued the couple a $9,700 credit, one quarter of the amount lost, while continuing to deny the fraud claim.

For months, the Hendersons appealed the decision, eventually turning to NBC10 Boston Responds for help.

"All I want them to do is make it right — do the right thing," Henderson said.

NBC10 Boston Responds' findings

As part of its investigation, NBC10 Boston Responds searched online for the name printed on the fraudulent checks and found a woman with the same name who was convicted in a 2020 bank fraud case in Virginia.

Reporters compared signatures on the Henderson checks with signatures on court documents from that case and found similarities.

After NBC10 Boston Responds contacted Santander with its findings, the bank reimbursed the full $39,040 to the Hendersons' account.

"I'm glad. Happy. That was No. 1. Relieved," Henderson said in a follow-up interview. "What Channel 10 did, as far as their investigation and what they presented to Santander, was very instrumental in them changing their mind."

"I think Channel 10 did more than the bank did," Joyce Henderson added.

What Santander says

A Santander spokesperson told NBC10 Boston Responds the company could not comment on the specific claim or whether it is investigating further, citing customer privacy policies.

Through court records, NBC10 Boston Responds confirmed the name and address on the checks match the listed home address of a woman in Virginia. Attempts to contact her were unsuccessful.

NBC10 Boston Responds also contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office that prosecuted the prior fraud case. The office declined to comment.

Henderson reported the fraud to Foxboro police. After NBC10 Boston Responds shared its findings, the police department assigned a detective to investigate the case.

Despite the reimbursement, it remains unclear how Henderson's account number appeared on the checks cashed across the country.

"At Santander, we believe it is important for customers to remain vigilant, which includes promptly reviewing monthly statements," a company representative said in a written statement. "Being in-the-know is the best defense against fraudsters. To help, we provide customers with information about different types of scams, how to protect personal information, and how to identify and report fraud. Our resource center is available here."

Need help?

If you have a consumer complaint and need help, you can contact NBC10 Boston Responds by filling out the form on our website.