Telephone Scam Series: Fake Cashier Checks

Fake Cashier Check Scams

 These scams can occur  when you are trying to sell something. The scammer may send you a fake check for more than the amount you asked for; and they might give you a more or less credible reason for overpaying. They will then ask you to deposit the check and wire back a portion of the money. Their check is no good, so you don’t get any money. You also lose any money you send them. You have to pay for the bounced check. And you lose whatever you tried to sell. All around, this is a very bad deal for you, and an excellent one for the criminal!

Another example might not involve an overpayment. The victim could be someone trying to sell a car, and they need to ship it to a buyer in another state. The “buyer” pays for the car, plus shipping, with a cashier’s check or money order; but, by the time the seller realizes the check is no good, the criminal has shipped the car overseas and can longer be located. The seller has to pay for the bounced check, and the criminal gets away with the car, which can be sold or scrapped.

Be careful when selling anything online or through other types of advertisements, because a potential buyer might try to get away with something. Many news stories also warn about buyers who physically attack sellers who agree to meet them somewhere. This has happened more often than you would think. But long-distance buyers can still hurt you financially,  so do not wire money to strangers.

READERS, what do you think?

1.    Have you or anyone you know ever advertised anything for sale? Did potential buyers try to get away with anything they shouldn’t?

2.    How do you think you could sell something without being victimized by criminals?

Reference:

Sassi, H. (2014). Be on the Lookout for These Common Telephone Scams. Better Business Bureau: Consumer News and Opinion blog. Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://www.bbb.org/blog/2014/02/be-on-the-lookout-for-these-common-telephone-scams/.