Suggestions for handling a scammer needed

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
The past week or two my daughter-in-law has been pursuing a job opportunity that either contacted her via email from a craiglist response or a job listing site. They even used a reputable third party site to follow up on her references.

After a week and a couple emails (from a gmail address), they "hired" her, and friday she received from fedex a cashiers check ($3k) to deposit and to forward all but $750 (her "pay") to another party once it clears her account.

At this point we know its a scam.

With that in mind, what is the best way to handle it, do nothing or alert someone (who?)


Cliffs:
Daughter-in-law gets "hired" via email
receives $3k cashiers check in mail: (told to deposit it, keep 25%, send 75% to 3rd party)
what to do with this scammer?
 

KLin

Lifer
Feb 29, 2000
30,427
745
126
What can you do? Keep stringing him along I guess just for the hell of it.
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
Originally posted by: KLin
What can you do? Keep stringing him along I guess just for the hell of it.

I wish there would be a way to get the person in more trouble than that.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
"As this is a new account, my bank requires me to put $20 in cash into the account before they'll recognize me & accept any checks from me. Would you be able to send $20? I don't have any relatives I can borrow that money from. As soon as I receive the $20, I will be able to forward on the $2250 to xxxx. Also, of course I would return the $20. Should I forward that to xxx also? Or should I send the $20 back to you?"
 

DayLaPaul

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
2,072
0
76
Did your daughter give them any confidential information when they "hired" her? If so, you need to watch out for identity theft.

As for the cashier's check, what bank is it? Is it made out to you daughter? There's a high likelihood that it is a forgery or somehow stolen. I'd be very wary of cashing it.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,280
14,702
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Originally posted by: jjsole
Originally posted by: BoomerD

This and the US Post Office as well. If the thing is a scam, (and we ALL believe it is) then it also constituted mail fraud...a FEDERAL offense, and usually, the US Postal Inspectors don't fuck around or play nice...

Unfortunately they sent the check fedex.

Then it sounds like her only choices would be to contact the Illinois Atty. General's office for advice and file a complain, OR, send the check back with the appropriate explanation about her concerns. This definitely sounds like a scam...no doubt about that. If the law won't help, just return the check and walk away.
 

gevorg

Diamond Member
Nov 3, 2004
5,070
1
0
Do NOT cash the check, you might end up in a money laundering operation (criminal offense). This can backfire at you even if you don't know who/where/what is really going on.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,863
31,354
146
Originally posted by: gevorg
Do NOT cash the check, you might end up in a money laundering operation (criminal offense). This can backfire at you even if you don't know who/where/what is really going on.

totally sounds like laundering to me.

absolutely do not do anything with this check. Could also be involved in ID theft, and they're asking your DIL to deposit this cashier's check direct from some unwitting person's account.
 

illusion88

Lifer
Oct 2, 2001
13,164
3
81
Originally posted by: DrPizza
"As this is a new account, my bank requires me to put $20 in cash into the account before they'll recognize me & accept any checks from me. Would you be able to send $20? I don't have any relatives I can borrow that money from. As soon as I receive the $20, I will be able to forward on the $2250 to xxxx. Also, of course I would return the $20. Should I forward that to xxx also? Or should I send the $20 back to you?"

This.
 

dawp

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
11,347
2,710
136
Originally posted by: illusion88
Originally posted by: DrPizza
"As this is a new account, my bank requires me to put $20 in cash into the account before they'll recognize me & accept any checks from me. Would you be able to send $20? I don't have any relatives I can borrow that money from. As soon as I receive the $20, I will be able to forward on the $2250 to xxxx. Also, of course I would return the $20. Should I forward that to xxx also? Or should I send the $20 back to you?"

This.


I'd go higher than $20. They would be willing to possibly lose $20 for a a potential payoff of $2250. make it $200 and cash only.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: gevorg
Do NOT cash the check, you might end up in a money laundering operation (criminal offense). This can backfire at you even if you don't know who/where/what is really going on.

totally sounds like laundering to me.

absolutely do not do anything with this check. Could also be involved in ID theft, and they're asking your DIL to deposit this cashier's check direct from some unwitting person's account.

more likely the check bounces, and u get screwed double. i doubt its laundering. the standard scam is common because its effective.
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: gevorg
Do NOT cash the check, you might end up in a money laundering operation (criminal offense). This can backfire at you even if you don't know who/where/what is really going on.

totally sounds like laundering to me.

absolutely do not do anything with this check. Could also be involved in ID theft, and they're asking your DIL to deposit this cashier's check direct from some unwitting person's account.

more likely the check bounces, and u get screwed double. i doubt its laundering. the standard scam is common because its effective.

Thanks for your tips. What is the standard scam? I know of people who are used to receive merchandise ordered from hijacked credit cards and are asked to forward the merchandise to the thieves...this is a bit different tho.

I could see how this could probably go in a few different directions...trying to get the person to eventually use their own money after the checks bounce, or trying to get them to cash bogus cashiers checks (or even real cashiers checks that were paid for with a hijacked account etc.)
 

SN4p

Senior member
Jan 20, 2005
662
0
0
They send you a fake cashiers check, expect you to cash it and send along the money. Then you get nailed for cashing a fake check and they have 2 grand.

It is always good to fuck with these people. Send them a... present.
 

Old Hippie

Diamond Member
Oct 8, 2005
6,361
1
0
Originally posted by: SN4p
They send you a fake cashiers check, expect you to cash it and send along the money. Then you get nailed for cashing a fake check and they have 2 grand.

Yep, and you're on the hook for the whole 3K plus the NSF fees.

What a deal!
 

bobross419

Golden Member
Oct 25, 2007
1,981
1
0
My fiancee got involved in one of these things. They dumped 3k directly into her account. As soon as we saw it we notified the bank, they froze the account and contacted the FBI of all people. My fiance spent an hour talking to some FBI guy on the phone letting him know what happened. A year later the money was still sitting in her frozen account so we asked the bank if we could have it. Their fraud department spent a week deciding then unfroze the account and let her keep all the money.

She did change all her cards and everything and opened a new account as soon as possible.
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
Originally posted by: bobross419
My fiancee got involved in one of these things. They dumped 3k directly into her account. As soon as we saw it we notified the bank, they froze the account and contacted the FBI of all people. My fiance spent an hour talking to some FBI guy on the phone letting him know what happened. A year later the money was still sitting in her frozen account so we asked the bank if we could have it. Their fraud department spent a week deciding then unfroze the account and let her keep all the money.

She did change all her cards and everything and opened a new account as soon as possible.

Nice!