Question about the "I-send-you-large-check, you-wire-me-the-change" scam

[Zee]

How does this work exactly. I read the threads here where others have asked that question about some guy wants to purchase something so he will send a cashiers check for like 5 grand. Then the person is supposed to cash the check, send out the package and wire the change back to him via western union or whatever.

The responses in the threads were "yeah go ahead, ask for the check, see if it clears.... if the check clears then you're good to go..." etc etc....

Does anyone have an update on their experience with this? I received one too recently and I'm still trying to figure out how it's a scam if the person sends a cashier's check and asks for a wired payment after the check clears....

The check doesnt clear? Isn't a cashier's check like money?

Thanks in advance

 

[Pokey007]

They usually ask for a little money on your end to "grease the wheels." They say that their money is tied up and that they need a little bit of money from you to untie it. Which of course, is the scam.

 

A few days after you wire the $$ back to the African people, your bank finds out that the cashier's check is a fake and they take all the money out of your account, or contact the feds to come after you if you've gotten it in cash.

That's what my impression is, at least.

 

[RossMAN]

The check does clear but it bounces back after the traditional 10 business day hold.

Even cashier's checks which are considered 'guaranteed funds' can bounce back.

Anyone who is guillable enough to fall for this deserves to be ripped off.

 

[MrYogi]

yes, the cashiers checks are fake and the banks find out after two week or so.

 

[alkemyst]

The cashiers check is like money just as money is like money unless it's proven to be counterfeit.

You take a 'fake' cashier's check or 'fake' cash that fools the bank, they honor the deposit.....a few days goes by and the issuing bank for the check calls and says that check is was never created by them (regardless if the account exists and you can verify a sufficient balance)....same with the bad cash, they will reverse the deposit.

The purpose of the wire is wires are always good, you get the money and run you are gone, they can't be cancelled or taken back.

Western Union says they are merely providing a service however, in some countries like Nigeria and the like almost 100% of WU transfers into the country are fraudulent....as a matter of fact many of those stations will not allow money to go out....

Your biggest question should be is why isn't a check or money order or CC payment good enough for them

Å

 

[Zee]

ah ok. I knew of course it was a scam so no worries about that, just curious of the workings of it. Thanks for the replies.


By the way, is money orders and such also all scammable? Or it's just cashier's check/company check/whatever-kind-of-check that applies to this...

I'm going to ask for the check and then hang it up as a poster/bookmark souvenier.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Lazee

I'm going to ask for the check and then hang it up as a poster/bookmark souvenier.

LOL That would definitely make an interesting souvenier.

 

[Double Trouble]

Be careful with that 'souvenir', don't try to deposit it, or you bank will charge you a fee when it bounces (or worse). People generally have come to believe that a cashier's check is 'good', when in fact it can be worthless just like any other check.....

 

[EagleKeeper]

If you suspect something, the bank can try to verify the check up front.

 

[ivol07]

This happened recently to a friend of mine and the check was not fake, it was stolen. He knew it was fraud but called the bank that was on the check and they let him know. So either way the check will get bounced.

 

[AlienCraft]

I listed some microphones on Craigslist and got an email from some guy wanting me to "help" him. Said he had a client here in the US that owed him money and he would "come by with cashiers check, I could ship him the microphone and change". I said......hmmmmmmmm let me think..NO! Not just no but NO FvCKIN WAY!
Bring a United States Green Postal Money order or cash or forget it.

Still waiting for my Nigerian Princess to email tho.......:Q

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: Lazee
By the way, is money orders and such also all scammable? Or it's just cashier's check/company check/whatever-kind-of-check that applies to this...

I'm going to ask for the check and then hang it up as a poster/bookmark souvenier.

Sure, checks and MOs can be stolen or forged, but people think cashiers' checks are safe, so the scammers exploit that weakness. If you're dealing with a small amount, say less than $100, checks or MOs would be OK IMO, but don't ship until they clear. One additional thing, when a check is in a large sum, say $10,000, it takes longer to clear. That's another reason why the scam works.

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
If you suspect something, the bank can try to verify the check up front.

Just to clarify EagleKeeper's post: Call the bank on the cashier's check and verify that the check is not fake or stolen.

 

[slag]

I wish the bank would hold some of the responsibility of cashing a fake cashiers check.

I mean, once you turn the check over to them, it should be their responsibility to either accept the check right there and the consequences if it turns out to be bad, or simply stop accepting cashiers checks in general. The bank holds some of the blame of accepting the fake check I tend to think.

Once you turn the check over to your bank and they examine it and say its good and give you money for it, the transaction for all practical purposes is done. If its good, then great. If it bounces, then all those fees you have paid up to now should help alleviate the cost of the check they erroneously took in without checking it out first (no pun intended)

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: Lazee

I'm going to ask for the check and then hang it up as a poster/bookmark souvenier.

LOL That would definitely make an interesting souvenier.

Indeed. Maybe I'll have the next "Prince ______" send one to my PO box

- M4H

 

[alkemyst]

I got scammed with a fake check once, but no change was asked.

I was selling a Mits 36" in the paper and got a ton of calls. This one guy said he was a jeweler in palm beach and needed the TV right away and none were in stock locally.....mine was new unopened box (changed my mind to Toshiba and this was a special order)

I told him cash only, he agreed.

He pulls up in a beater type car using an excuse it's only for errands (??? still a palm beacher should own a pickup for such things), plus he had some thug looking kid with him....I was about 190lb at that time pure muscle and active in martial arts, so I sort of just chuckled about that, but it was clear something was up.

He wants to see the box open and I asked if he had the money (I should have asked to seen it, but my wife sort of intervened and said 'of course he has the money'....he said yes). Open the box the guy seemed happy.

'Jeweler' presents me a business check with his company's name on it and on decent paper stock....I told him hey, no checks, I said cash only and you agreed...he mentioned to me he left home without the cash so he filled out the check in the car....again my wife intervenes (the main guy looked like a little nerd and did have a few large rings on) and said the check should be fine...

I noticed it was for a local bank I used to and they have 24 hour verification...so I said I would just make sure the check was good and be right back.

Sure enough the check was bad, my wife had helped them load the tv as he said he needs to get back to his 'shop'....

Luckily home owners covered it for me. The set was about $2000 at the time.

Å

 

[selene]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I got scammed with a fake check once, but no change was asked.

Sure enough the check was bad, my wife had helped them load the tv as he said he needs to get back to his 'shop'....
Å

Did she learn a good lesson ?

 

[TubStain]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I got scammed with a fake check once, but no change was asked.

I was selling a Mits 36" in the paper and got a ton of calls. This one guy said he was a jeweler in palm beach and needed the TV right away and none were in stock locally.....mine was new unopened box (changed my mind to Toshiba and this was a special order)

I told him cash only, he agreed.

He pulls up in a beater type car using an excuse it's only for errands (??? still a palm beacher should own a pickup for such things), plus he had some thug looking kid with him....I was about 190lb at that time pure muscle and active in martial arts, so I sort of just chuckled about that, but it was clear something was up.

He wants to see the box open and I asked if he had the money (I should have asked to seen it, but my wife sort of intervened and said 'of course he has the money'....he said yes). Open the box the guy seemed happy.

'Jeweler' presents me a business check with his company's name on it and on decent paper stock....I told him hey, no checks, I said cash only and you agreed...he mentioned to me he left home without the cash so he filled out the check in the car....again my wife intervenes (the main guy looked like a little nerd and did have a few large rings on) and said the check should be fine...

I noticed it was for a local bank I used to and they have 24 hour verification...so I said I would just make sure the check was good and be right back.

Sure enough the check was bad, my wife had helped them load the tv as he said he needs to get back to his 'shop'....

Luckily home owners covered it for me. The set was about $2000 at the time.

Å

Next time, keep the wife in the kitchen.


j/k



or am I?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I got scammed with a fake check once, but no change was asked.

I was selling a Mits 36" in the paper and got a ton of calls. This one guy said he was a jeweler in palm beach and needed the TV right away and none were in stock locally.....mine was new unopened box (changed my mind to Toshiba and this was a special order)

I told him cash only, he agreed.

He pulls up in a beater type car using an excuse it's only for errands (??? still a palm beacher should own a pickup for such things), plus he had some thug looking kid with him....I was about 190lb at that time pure muscle and active in martial arts, so I sort of just chuckled about that, but it was clear something was up.

He wants to see the box open and I asked if he had the money (I should have asked to seen it, but my wife sort of intervened and said 'of course he has the money'....he said yes). Open the box the guy seemed happy.

'Jeweler' presents me a business check with his company's name on it and on decent paper stock....I told him hey, no checks, I said cash only and you agreed...he mentioned to me he left home without the cash so he filled out the check in the car....again my wife intervenes (the main guy looked like a little nerd and did have a few large rings on) and said the check should be fine...

I noticed it was for a local bank I used to and they have 24 hour verification...so I said I would just make sure the check was good and be right back.

Sure enough the check was bad, my wife had helped them load the tv as he said he needs to get back to his 'shop'....

Luckily home owners covered it for me. The set was about $2000 at the time.

Å

Did you make your wife pay the deductible?

 

[alkemyst]

Luckily the Mits - the deductable left enough for the Toshiba

This was after she broke her neck and logic just went out the window with her.

We divorced due to repetitive things like this and worst.

Å

 

[tk149]

You can check the 9-digit routing number on the check here. That will at least give you an idea if the bank actually exists.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: slag
I wish the bank would hold some of the responsibility of cashing a fake cashiers check.

I mean, once you turn the check over to them, it should be their responsibility to either accept the check right there and the consequences if it turns out to be bad, or simply stop accepting cashiers checks in general. The bank holds some of the blame of accepting the fake check I tend to think.

Once you turn the check over to your bank and they examine it and say its good and give you money for it, the transaction for all practical purposes is done. If its good, then great. If it bounces, then all those fees you have paid up to now should help alleviate the cost of the check they erroneously took in without checking it out first (no pun intended)

By that logic, ALL checks should have a 5 day waiting period before the funds become available. Do you really want to wait 5 days after cashing your paycheck before your money is available?

Currently, there is no way to verify if a check (Cashier's or otherwise) is good and will stay good. I can call a bank up and ask if Check #??? drawn on account # ??? is valid, and the most they can tell me is that:
1. There is no Stop payment CURRENTLY on the check
2. The funds are available in that account RIGHT NOW.

It takes up to two business days for a check to get from my bank to the other bank, and in that time, Points 1 & 2 could have changed. If so, the check is no longer valid.

I'm not sure about the Federal Regulations, but I think it's just a courtesy that the bank gives you immediate (or next day) funds availability for the check.