Cashier's Check

[Chris Robson]

Hi Guys,

On Friday I had a cashier's check delivered to me via UPS overnight AM delivery, with no contact information, nor what the check was for. I do have some cars for sale, but the amount did not match either of the prices. I do not mean to sound vague, but on the off chance (ok on the very real chance) that I made a deal I do not remember, I want to keep the party anonymous. I have additional details I will provide to those who email me. If it turns out that a lot of Apexspeeder's are have this happen, we can take this to the authorities.

...It just seems strange that someone would send a large amount of money to someone and not follow up...

BTW... The check is not from the Australian Lottery

Chris Robson
swiftdb2@aol.com

[Stan Clayton]

The check is not from the Australian Lottery.

Yeah, that would mean it's fake. But if it's recycled oil money from Prince Kawabunga of Nigeria it's good. A prince wouldn't rip you off, would he?

Protip: this is one of the most scams on the internet. Don't ship your car to this unknown buyer, and don't send him real money to "balance the checks" since he "overpaid" what you were asking for the car.

[Rick Kirchner]

Under US law, isn't anything sent thru the mail unsolicited the property of the recipient? Of course, some no-neck dudes might show up to "collect", but as long as your bank holds the money until the check clears you're golden.

They can probably trace it or tell that it's fake too.

[Chris Robson]

...here's where it gets strange....

There is a name on the UPS envelope. I have never heard of the gentleman, but I can get a Facebook of someone who I do not recognize and 7 listings from the white pages, spanning the United States, none of which match any of the additional information. The bank check (complete with water mark and "thread fibers") is drawn from a Legitimate Credit Union in Illinois, the shipping address is listed as Alexandria, VA, the phone number is a cell number from Columbus, OH, ...But...

...The UPS tracking number states the parcel left from Sterling Heights, MI....


Chris

[D.T. Benner]

Maybe Santa made an early delivery? I would just deposit the money and wait to see if anyone calls to ask about that deal you forgot about?

[VehDyn]

Maybe I sent it. Now what were you selling again? I must have sent out 10 checks this week so I can't remember.

[RussMcB]

Maybe I sent it. Now what were you selling again? I must have sent out 10 checks this week so I can't remember.

Ken, you and I were both asking Chris if we could buy it, but I got my cashiers check to him first.

Chris, please send me the expensive item. Thank you.

jk.

[Charles Warner]

If you decide to deposit it, I would open up a separate bank account in a separate bank to run the transaction through. Keep your money and this money totally separate. These checks have a way of "clearing" only to prove false later on, often incurring penalties which are drawn from your funds.

[D.T. Benner]

Thats what I would do.

[Chris Robson]

...If I do anything with the check (besides hang it over my workbench) I will call the bank from which it was drawn. I would also then find the nearest location and "cash" it.

BTW, Ken your metric screwdriver set will go out on Monday along with my collection of "Whitworth" sockets to Russ....

Cheers,

Chris

[rickb99]

I will call the bank from which it was drawn. I would also then find the nearest location and "cash" it. Cheers, Chris

Take the check to YOUR BANK. They can contact the MGMT. of the bank it's drawn against and verify the funds are secure.

Deposit it? I WOULD NOT.

Not without knowing for SURE what exactly the person sending it 'thinks' they are buying and what YOU think you are selling.

Unless there's some notation on the check as to the property being sold, the SENDER could claim it's full payment for your house (or 2 race cars)!! And "your honor", you can see Chris agreed with the sale cause he cashed my check.

Once you determine what you're selling and for how much, then deposit it and wait for it to clear before shipping.

[cjahn]

I am an IT Officer at a bank. We have seen a substancial increase in Cashiers Check and Money Order fraud over the last few years....

This is why I only accept Wires or Paypal or Personal Check with a required duration of time for clearing...

For those who have not done wires in the past, it is an easy, simple process, with guaranteed results.

If you have any questions relating to banks and/or questionable money orders/cashiers checks, I can attempt aid you in finding the source and/or if the check is letgitimate by looking at the known fraud list and a number of bank sources....

Best wishes on your "Christmas Shopping"

Courtney "Corky" Jahn
National Exchange Bank and Trust

[Charles Warner]

For those who have not done wires in the past, it is an easy, simple process, with guaranteed results.

Corky,

True. However, check with your bank to see what their processing fees are. My bank charges $32 for an incomining or outgoing domestic wire transfer and over $50 for international. This does NOT include the exorbitant currency conversion fees they also want to charge.

IMO another example of banks trying to increase their (needed) revenues at the expense of proper service levels for proper fees. I.e. charging a fee to use a live teller.

[ChrisInAtlanta]

Chris -

Do not deposit the check. In reality, the worst that could happen is that it bounces, but that's still $35 out of your pocket. Much more if you actually spent any of it.

It is not for the "right" amount of money, so there is already a dispute. Do not strengthen the sender's position by cashing it.

Just hold it. Call the sender if you can, but don't spend hours and dollars trying to track him down. Send a letter - certified return receipt - to the sending address, asking for a telephone call. Make a modest good faith attempt. No particular rush here, either. If he doesn't contact you, you aren't out anything. Do not start looking at this check as an asset. No contact = fake check, frame it and put it in your shop.

It goes without saying, do not wire any money back, just return the check US mail if he wants.

Chris
Atlanta

[Chris Robson]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all of the great advise. As much as I could use the money, I would never cash a check without knowing who it came from and what they were purchasing. Hopefully I will get a nice frame for Christmas for the check

One would think, that the "scammer" would at least make contact, or include some additional information to entice me to deposit the money. No note, no mention of what the money is for, and all of the above contradicting info. All in all, very poorly executed con, though it does amazes me the length that someone would go to cheat another.

That is why I love this forum and it's members. I have never been disappointed with either advise, or purchases.

[Xpit]

Chris,
Do not deposit that check. Not because of the $ 35 cost because you can be charged with Bank Fraud and possession of a counterfit check if it`s fake . Talk to somebody in law enforcement whom you know.
We had this scam tried on us a few years back. Actually it was to buy some parts I had on this board.Some guy from South Africa of course. Wanted to send more $$ than the total cost including shipping......Ding ding ding.. Hello. We figured out it was a scam very quickly and tried to get this scammer to send it just as a keepsake and conversation piece.
I told this to a friend who is a Law Enforcement Officer. I told him we wanted to get the check to hang in the shop. He then told me if I caught you with that check I would have to slap the cuffs on you and take you for a ride downtown. He told me if we did get it to look at it then burn it.
If the check is legit the guy can cut you another one.

[Lotus7]

If you decide to deposit it, I would open up a separate bank account in a separate bank to run the transaction through. Keep your money and this money totally separate. These checks have a way of "clearing" only to prove false later on, often incurring penalties which are drawn from your funds.

ABSOLUTELY !!

check's can 'bounce' months after you cash them.......

[ChrisInAtlanta]

ABSOLUTELY !!

check's can 'bounce' months after you cash them.......

Eh, almost always within two weeks for domestic cashiers/similar checks, but up to two months or more for international checks.

Chris
Atlanta

[lawyerbob]

Have you contacted the "legitimate credit union" in Illinois? One of my clients recently got a "winning check" from the "publisher's clearing house" and it was a cashier's check drawn on a CU in IL. The CU said there had been a rash of them lately. We've never been contacted by the sender and we still haven't figured out the scam. But the check was bogus from the get go and was turned over the the authorities here.

Contact your state consumer protection agency.

[tombu-mi]

Eh, almost always within two weeks for domestic cashiers/similar checks, but up to two months or more for international checks.

Chris
Atlanta

Years ago I sold a relatively expensive item on EBay. I took a domestic out-of-state check as payment, took it to my bank, and they told me to wait two weeks for the check to clear. After two weeks, I went back to my bank. They told me that the check had not been returned. I shipped the item. THREE months later the check bounced. I tried multiple ways to retrieve my money/item, including suing the banks. Spent $200 on legal fees. Nothing. (It still pains me to think of it). I only use Pay Pal now.

[Daryl DeArman]

IMO another example of banks trying to increase their (needed) revenues at the expense of proper service levels for proper fees. I.e. charging a fee to use a live teller.

If I may borrow one of your lines "you get what you pay for"

I believe there are a number of banks that do not charge fees to deal with a teller. I find the fees, or lack thereof, at my banks very reasonable.

Back on topic. I wouldn't cash a check, good or not, if I didn't know why I received it. If it is legit eventually somebody will come forward and say "hey, I sent you a check for _____ on ______, did you get it? It hasn't cleared my bank, and I haven't received my stuff" Good on you for posting it on here, just in case that was the case.

[kea]

tombu-mi,
Find another bank to do your business with.
Keith

[tombu-mi]

I did right away. They didn't care.

[D.T. Benner]

This is off topic but could help someone else who gets a "Rubber" check.
I did some auto repair work for someone who paid cash. next time he came back he said he didn't have cash (after the work was done) and wanted to pay with a check. He was a good BS artist and the check was on a bank with a local branch. It was a Sunday so I could not varify the funds. Deposited the check on Monday in my bank and it bounced. Called his phone many times got only the answering machine.
Called his Bank and found the account had "insufficient funds" and the local branch was closed and the nearest one was 40 miles away in San Francisco.
Over the next week I kept calling and identifying myself as a merchant and giving the bank an amount a dollar less each time. Turns out the perp was keeping his account just a few dollars less than my check!
I drove to San Francisco and went to his bank,walked in and made a deposit $1 more than the difference between his balance and the amount of my check. I went accross the street and had a Slurpie then went back and CASHED my check!
Funny,he never called to complain?

[Daryl DeArman]

I drove to San Francisco and went to his bank,walked in and made a deposit $1 more than the difference between his balance and the amount of my check. I went accross the street and had a Slurpie then went back and CASHED my check!
Funny,he never called to complain?

Sweet!!!

[Paul LeCain]

I sold an engine for $6,000 to a racer I'd known ('known' as in seen him at the track for years).

The check bounced a couple weeks later. After calling him a couple of times with no response, I called the fraud division of the Attorney General's office of his home state (different from mine).

The very nice people there told me that I should write him a letter saying I had talked to the AG's office, that they would help me pursue this, and if they found in my favor he'd be liable for treble damages.

Worked very well. He sent me $3500 immediately, and $2500 two weeks later.

[JHaydon]

This is off topic but could help someone else who gets a "Rubber" check.

That reminds me of a tactic of credit card scammers. They'll start off by placing a couple of small orders to gain the vendors' trust and build a "history" (figuring that even if the vendor sees that something isn't quite right, the vendor will likely think a $10 or $15 hit isn't that big a deal). Then they come back and place a really big order within a week or two. Of course the vendor recognizes that the customer has dealt with them in the past, and it's probably too soon for any red flags to have gone up on the credit card.

There are so many others too. Man, we could write a book. Unfortunately, we're still learning new techniques almost every week.