Article Contributed on: 3/8/2007 4:41:36 PM
The District Attorney's Fraud Assistance Line is receiving a growing number of calls from victims of counterfeit check scams.
In one version of this scam victims are trying to sell an item on the Internet. The victim is contacted by someone who wants to buy what the victim is selling.
When payment is received, the check is for more than the purchase price. The perpetrator tells the victim to deposit or cash the check, keep what he/she is entitled to, and wire the balance to an overseas contact.
In another version, victims are offered part-time employment. Their job is to receive checks from the U.S. customers of a foreign company. The victim is instructed to deposit the checks in his/her bank account, keep a portion of each check as commission, and wire the balance to the overseas "company."
The District Attorney wants you to know that these are scams. The checks are counterfeits of checks from real companies or financial institutions. If you take them to the bank for verification, you may be told that the funds are available for use.
But in a few weeks the bank will contact you, tell you the checks are counterfeit, and demand you return all of the money. You are responsible for returning the funds, and any money you wired to another party is lost.
If you receive a check from an unknown source with instructions to wire some or all to another party, DO NOT CASH OR DEPOSIT THE CHECK, AND DO NOT WIRE ANY FUNDS TO ANYONE WHO SENDS YOU ONE OF THESE CHECKS.
There is no money to be gained, but a lot of money can be lost - YOURS!
Need help? Call the Fraud Assistance Line at 720-874-8547.