[Fredslist] A REAL SCAM STOPPED

[Howard Lipset]

The story is true.  The names have been left out.

 On Monday, a client deposits a cashier’s check and emails a copy to me.

In the email, I am told that the check is for too much money and that I
need to wire back a refund of $2,600.

 In the back of my mind, I recalled that there was a scam involving
counterfeit cashier’s checks and when you wire back the money, your deposit
bounces, but your wire is gone and you are out that money.    I told the
client that we had to wait before we could send the wire.  That something
did not smell right.

 And then I saw the wire information.  We were instructed to send the money
to a Greek Bank in the Ukraine.  That clinched it.

 I contacted our officer at our bank and had them call the Credit Union in
Ohio that purportedly issued the check.  Two hours later, we received an
email from our bank that the deposited check was a fraud.

 Thankfully, the deposit was for future services, so, except for the
expectation of future income, we suffered no loss.

 And then I asked our bank how long would I have had to wait before the
check was actually guaranteed to be good.  And I was shocked to learn, that
the issuing bank could assert claims for 1-3 years after the deposit.

 Lesson to be learned – What appears to be a guarantee may not be.


-- 
Howard Lipset
Progressive Management Inc
18 Longwood Road
Port Washington, NY 11050-1260
ofc 516 883 2962
fax 207 433 2771
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