The scam goes something like this: You respond to a job post on craigslist. The “employer” decides to advance you some wages, and sends you a check. But since the check is for more than what you’re going to be paid, he asks you to deposit the check in your bank account, and send him another check for the difference.
To someone who’s out of job, the prospect of a paycheck is enticing. But if you don’t recognize the flaws in this scenario, you should. This is just a variation on the Nigerian 419 Scam.
What happens next is that the “employer’s” check comes back a counterfeit or as having insufficient funds in the account. In the meantime, the check you sent has already been cashed. You are going to get dinged for the overdraft, and maybe worse. You could be on the hook for writing a bad check as well.
Colorado’s 9 News has a story on how people in Colorado are getting taken by this ruse. One guy was taken for almost $10,000, even though his bank, Wells Fargo, told him that the fake check had cleared. After he heard that, he wired the money out. How he’s on the hook is beyond me. Wells Fargo told him the check had cleared. What else does he need to know? And it appears Wells Fargo wired the money out of his account. Just like a cashier’s check, why would Wells Fargo wire money that wasn’t in the account?
This guy’s story notwithstanding, be careful. If it sounds too good to be true it is. I have yet to find an example of a get rich quick scheme where that isn’t the case. If you know of one, leave a comment and tell me the story.
Mon, Mar 1, 2010
Consumer Protection, Employment and Labor Law, Legal News, Workplace