Forged Craigslist scam checks

If the check was mailed to you, contact your local Postal Inspectors office. Using the U.S. Mail to commit fraud is a serious Federal offense, and they don't care if whoever sent it is in another state.

Len

Oh, so the check may be stolen, that would explain it.

It's very common for criminals to get their hands on checks with valid signatures, bleach out the "pay to" and "amount" sections and write in other names and amounts.

Newer check producing technology combats this.

I believe that the Brooklyn address means nothing at all. All he wants is the Western Union transfer number to get money, he could be in Nigeria or anywhere else.

While that is true in theory, it doesn't work out in practice, bank clearing procedures are going digital, the front and back of the check is scanned, then the check is destroyed. Just a digital image is being transferred between financial institutions.

One of my clients was printing checks on an inkjet printer with water soluble ink. I warned them that this was dangerous and that they should use a laser or impact printer for checks. They wouldn't listen. One rainy day I managed to drop my mail in the gutter. It included a check from them. When I opened the envelope I found that the check was blank except for the signatures. I took this in and showed it to their CEO and reminded her that there was well over a million dollars in that account. She ordered a laser printer right then and there.

Hmmm, it's worked for years in practice. Visit any prison to ask how it's done.

That would fall under the newer technology I mentioned that combats it.

Evidence was destroyed, the scanning will not pick up the techniques used bt a good check forger.

What the heck is your point?

Check with your bank and see if they will do an immediate electronic transfer of funds from the other bank of that check. They may charge a fee but it would tell you right away if the check is bogus. I have done that in the past to insure that the check was legit. The banking rules in each state are different and in some states you can even stop a certified check or bank check but better have a good reason.

John

He mailed it to you?! He didn't use FedEx?? That means you can call meanest law enforcement officers in the Federal Government! The United States of America Postal Inspectors. I've never invoked them but I have used the US Mail on occasion so that I would have that option. Postal inspectors take mail fraud seriously.

Bob S

Nope - that's a scam.

so, next step, make up a WU transfer number

No, he Fedexed it. It was sloppy wording on my part.

Do you have a sample MTCN?

Do the local cops after international crooks? Not likely.

AFAIK You buy the blank checks, and use a special cartridge that is magnetic for the account number. I'm not sure if a laser printer will work.

You can also try to cash a check more than once, provided there is no fee for you to pay if it won't clear that can be worthwhile to try. Some banks will even hold the check for you and clear it if enough money is deposited to the account.

Guaranteed scam, the poor slob is Brooklyn is being paid to redirect packages elsewhere, probably overseas; odds are he'll end up getting burned too. Such scammers are even using very convincing (but fake) Postal Money Orders so their victims think there's no way it could be a scam, but it is.

I'd take this to the police fraud squad, or if the Postal Service is involved to the Postal Inspector. At least they can have the cops in Brooklyn alert the re-shipper he is unwittingly being used in a criminal enterprise.