how does this scam work?

[JustBecause]

I guarantee if you call the bank and tell them that you think you have a fraudulent check with their bank info on it they are going to want to look into it.

I have reported more than a dozen scam checks and its surprisingly hard to do. They really dont seem to care that much.

 

[JustBecause]

In future, ask for a cashier's check and/or money order. Do not take a personal check.

Those can be faked just the same.

 

[CascadeClone]

My wife works for a banking group, fraud really started to amp up last summer and has not dropped off.

Our biz works with customers all over the world, some in dodgy places. Totally agree the amount of fraud and scams (and especially cyber crime) has gone up EXPONENTIALLY in the past year or two. Its insane.

 

[Gorm]

Those are NOT the two words I would have chosen. But, to each his own.

Two other words do come to mind. However, one of them is auto-censored on this site.

 

[8bitnes]

I have reported more than a dozen scam checks and its surprisingly hard to do. They really dont seem to care that much.

Small business owner?

 

[isufbcurt]

when the check clears, it is clear, no? what is the point of having a check clear if it really sin't clear? is this a common misconception?

So I deposit checks a lot, especially via mobile app. I've had them clear but then a couple days later the person didn't have the funds so the deposit leaves my account. Luckily I have access to view a lot of my business clients bank accounts so I can then redeposit the check once they replenish the accounts.

 

[isufbcurt]

Not necessarily, there is so much check fraud now that many will not even assist other banks, let alone a stranger on the phone. How do they know that you are not a scammer phishing for info?

My experience with this is as follows:

You call the bank, ask them to verify if there are enough funds in account #_______ to cover a check you have and they simply answer Yes or No. No other details given. I had a guy a few years ago I sold race parts to and I called his bank twice a day to check and as soon as they gave me the Yes I re-deposited it.

 

[EvilBetty]

I think everyone is missing the big picture here.

Who in the hell has a 3000 lb welding table they are trying to get rid of quick?

I would be worried that the ad was the scam. LOL

can't blame you there. company is moving and instead of moving this giant table (that is too big for our needs) figured we'd sell it quick and dirty and use that money for a more appropriately sized table that could be shipped to us.

bought that table for a song 7 years ago. used it for 7 years and doubled our money. probably could have easily tripled it if we had more time to get rid of it.

5' x 10' x 5/8" thick. monster table. probably could have held the weight of rhode island on it.

 

[BCClone]

Call the bank that the check is written on to see if the funds are available.

Banks won’t do that now

 

[BCClone]

My experience with this is as follows:

You call the bank, ask them to verify if there are enough funds in account #_______ to cover a check you have and they simply answer Yes or No. No other details given. I had a guy a few years ago I sold race parts too and I called his bank twice a day to check and as soon as they gave me the Yes I re-deposited it.

I bought a tractor about 2 years ago and the bank wouldn’t give a yes or no. I had to call the bank to let them tell him it was okay. The dude was a nervous guy anyhow. I paid him a week before I picked it up. In the end the jackwagon had a sold me one with a bad front end. 15k to get it like it should be. Why I buy from dealerships.

 

[BCClone]

can't blame you there. company is moving and instead of moving this giant table (that is too big for our needs) figured we'd sell it quick and dirty and use that money for a more appropriately sized table that could be shipped to us.

bought that table for a song 7 years ago. used it for 7 years and doubled our money. probably could have easily tripled it if we had more time to get rid of it.

5' x 10' x 5/8" thick. monster table. probably could have held the weight of rhode island on it.

If you are taking that big of a haircut, I’m sure you have a torch, cut it into some basic pieces and weld it back up in the new place. You can cut it to size beforehand.

 

[ExCyment]

Don't worry, the FBI is fully dedicated and focused to cleaning up this kind of chicanery to give us North Americans consumer confidence.

I have a friend who just graduated from the FBI academy. His first assignment is in Indiana in the domestic terrorism unit. Probably infiltrating PTAs as we speak.

 

[BoomerClone]

facebook marketplace
giant welding table for sale. probably weighs 3000 lbs

There were red flags all over the place, but I dipped my toe in the water because I need this thing gone. they said "will you take a check as long as it clears before I send movers to pick it up?" I said sure. they send the check but it is for more than the price of the item and they say "oh sorry forgot to inform you, I didn't want to send 2 checks so you'll have to pay the movers out of the single check I sent you". It was a little over 1k more than the table price.

I said no, absolutely not. they deleted our correspondence. this is obviously a scam. but how does it work? If the check clears, I have their money and the welding table and they have nothing. If the check doesn't clear the deal is off, and I move on and no one wins.

I can’t believe you let it go past I’ll send a check. Lol.

 

[somecyguy]

There is a similar scam with job seekers as the target. They advertise remote jobs and when they "hire" the person, they claim they will pay the person's WFH equipment. I accepted a consulting position that tried this and they FedEx'd me a check for like $4500. I was already suspicious but I let it play out until I got the check. The check listed a different company's name and address which was a dead giveaway, but I took it to the bank and asked the teller to inspect it. She was 99% certain it was bogus. I blocked the guy and funny enough, another FedEx'd check showed up the next week. They probably wasted about $40 trying to reel me in.

 

[JustBecause]

Small business owner?

Yes. I get a lot of scammers trying to pull this. I make them send me the check every time to waste their time and money. I have a collection on my desk. I suspect they get a lot of people based on the questions I see in the industry facebook group.

 

[8bitnes]

facebook marketplace
giant welding table for sale. probably weighs 3000 lbs

There were red flags all over the place, but I dipped my toe in the water because I need this thing gone. they said "will you take a check as long as it clears before I send movers to pick it up?" I said sure. they send the check but it is for more than the price of the item and they say "oh sorry forgot to inform you, I didn't want to send 2 checks so you'll have to pay the movers out of the single check I sent you". It was a little over 1k more than the table price.

I said no, absolutely not. they deleted our correspondence. this is obviously a scam. but how does it work? If the check clears, I have their money and the welding table and they have nothing. If the check doesn't clear the deal is off, and I move on and no one wins.

Video describing the scam in more detail