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  Geebo 9:07 am on January 2, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cashier's checks, check scam ( 80 ), Facebook Marketplace ( 64 ), fake check ( 49 ), Jeep, Scams ( 1,406 ), used car ( 35 )   

  Scammed and Stranded: A $25K Jeep Gone 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The story of a man in Trussville, Alabama, who lost his Jeep Wrangler to a scam highlights a troubling trend in online marketplaces, the increasing vulnerability of sellers to fraud and the limited recourse available to victims. Selling a vehicle, especially one as valuable as a $25,000 Jeep, should not become a gateway to financial devastation. Yet, for this individual, the transaction ended in loss, frustration, and an uphill battle to reclaim justice.

  The ordeal began with what seemed like a routine transaction. The seller advertised his vehicle on Facebook Marketplace, and a buyer expressed interest. They met in a public area with surveillance cameras in an effort to ensure safety during the exchange. The buyer handed over a cashier’s check, a seemingly secure method of payment. However, days later, the check was discovered to be fraudulent, leaving the seller without his vehicle or the promised payment.

  The situation quickly spiraled into a complex and disheartening battle. While law enforcement identified a suspect and issued a warrant, the seller’s attempts to recover his losses through insurance were met with denial. His policy explicitly excluded coverage for losses stemming from fraudulent sales agreements, a clause that left him stranded financially. Despite being a long-time customer, his frustration with the insurance company’s decision underscores the broader issue, victims of scams often find themselves without meaningful support from institutions they’ve relied upon.

  Adding insult to injury, the seller remains responsible for the remaining payments on a vehicle he no longer possesses. The Jeep is still legally his, yet it is out of reach, lost in the hands of a criminal. This situation is not unique to this case. It illustrates the stark reality faced by many scam victims, the legal and financial systems are ill-equipped or unwilling to offer timely restitution or support, leaving individuals to bear the burden of their losses.

  Law enforcement officials have offered advice to help prevent similar scams, such as verifying buyer credentials and payment methods. These precautions, while valuable, place the onus of fraud prevention squarely on the shoulders of individuals. For those who are already victims, this advice comes too late, highlighting the need for systemic changes to address the growing sophistication of online scams.

  The seller’s decision to pursue a civil suit against his insurer reflects his determination to seek justice, but it also shines a light on the lengthy and uncertain path many victims face when attempting to recover losses. For those who lack the resources or knowledge to navigate such processes, the outcome can be even more devastating.

  This story serves as a grim reminder of the risks involved in high-value online sales and the lack of safeguards for those who fall prey to fraud. Without robust protections and a more victim-centered approach from insurers and banks, scam victims will continue to find themselves in a precarious position, navigating a system that often leaves them with little recourse.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 29, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cashier's checks, check cashing ( 2 ), check scam ( 80 ), check washing ( 17 ), fake check ( 49 ), Scams ( 1,406 )   

  Scam Round Up: A trio of tricky check scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Checks have always been prone to a number of scams. Even before most people switched to electronic banking, there was always a way to manipulate checks to someone’s advantage. Now, that most consumers use debit cards and get paid through direct deposit, it’s not surprising there are people who are unaware of how checks can be used in a scam. Here are three check scams from recent news reports you should be aware of.

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  Of course, there’s the fake check scam. This is where scammers will send you a check for any number of reasons. They want you to deposit the check into your own bank account and send some of the money back before your bank finds out the check is fake. While the fake check scam is mostly seen with job scams and online selling scams, it can affect businesses as well.

  For example, a home supply store in Ohio recently received a cashier’s check that was supposed to cover supplies for a home renovation. The check was written for $5000 more than the store was asking. The person who sent the check also included instructions that the difference should be sent to the home’s previous owner for some reason. Thankfully, the store owner felt like he was being scammed and contacted the police.

  If someone you don’t know personally sends you a check and wants you to send part of the money back to them or to a third party, that is almost assuredly a scam.

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  Another check scam that has become more common lately is the check washing scam. This is when checks are stolen from outgoing mail that are usually designed to pay bills. The checks are then soaked in a chemical solution that removes the handwritten portion of the check. This allows the scammers to rewrite the check to themselves and cash the check without the account holder’s knowledge.

  If you pay your bills by check, the best way to protect yourself is to take any outgoing mail that contains checks and drop them off inside the post office. Mail has even been known to be stolen from the mailboxes that are outside the post office. There are also pens you can order that are resistant to check washing.

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  Lastly, the NYPD is warning residents of Staten Island about a different type of fake check scam. One precinct there has received numerous complaints about scammers approaching people on the street asking for help cashing a check. The victim is asked if they could deposit the check at their ATM while withdrawing money for the scammer. Again, the bank won’t find out for a few days that the check is fraudulent, and the victim is responsible for paying that money back to the bank.

  It is recommended if you come into contact with someone asking you to help them cash a check to call 911.

   
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  Geebo 8:14 am on August 20, 2019 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cashier's checks, check scam ( 80 ), Scams ( 1,406 )   

  Here’s why the phony check scam works 

  

  Probably, the most common scam we’ve discussed is the phony check scam. It seems like it’s at the heart of almost every other online scam. At the heart of the scam is, of course, the phony check. Scammers will send you a [phony check for any number of reasons but the hook is always the same. They’ll send you a check for more money than you were asking for or were expecting. They’ll instruct you to deposit the check and then send them the difference. By the time the bank discovers that the check is a fake, you’re responsible for the entire amount of the check while the scammers disappear with your money.

  It all seems rather unfair. You’re the victim of a scam after all. So why does this particualr scam lend itself so well to scammers? According to Vox, it all has to do with the way cashier’s checks are handled by banks. Legitimate cashier’s checks are just as good as cash where your bank is concerned. The person or entity who is issuing the cashier’s check pays the bank the full amount for that check to be issued. So when a bank receives a cashier’s check as a deposit they’re operating under the assumption that the check is legitimate and the funds should be immediately available.

  The bank only usually discovers that the check is fake after it’s been deposited and returns as a fraudulent check. Unfortunately, the only person the bank can hold responsible is the person who deposited the check which in this case is the scam victim. While many people realize that the checks they receive are fake, there are enough people who fall for this scam that they keep the scammers in business. Billions of dollars in fraudulent checks are attempted to be cashed each year. However, you can protect yourself by avoiding these situations. If a deal feels like it’s wrong, it probably is.