Horse Ass Scammer

[Sapphire Silk]

A good friend of mine is a vet. She and her husband recently bought a 14 acre farm, and have been upgrading the property to set up a boarding stable for horses, and training areas for competitive horsemen to practice. It's their dream home/business. They've put a ton of money into fixing up the 100 year old house, turn the barn into a stable for six horses, and fence the property and riding areas. They've been working on it for over six months, and are just starting to take horses as borders. The husband has one horse besides his own, and is trying to get his first real customer base going.

So he was very excited recently when a prospective customer contacted him wanting to put down a deposit on a stall. Customer said he was relocating to our area, and is supposed to mail in a check to hold the stall. Customer then emails the husband to explain he cut a check for too much, and asked if the husband could cash the check, apply the deposit, send the customer the excess, and keep $30 for his trouble.

My friend was uneasy about this and asked me what I thought. I warned her this was a classic scam, and her husband could get stuck for the total of the check ($2200!) if he cashes it. I told her the "customer" won't ever show up and they'll be stuck for the total of the check.

She wanted to know if the bank would help them report the scam. I told her unlikely, and suggested she contact the Attorney General's office, and in the meantime refuse all contact with the "customer," and to not cash the check if it ever arrives.

I think I've helped my friend avoid some major financial pain. I sure hope so.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Yup, is totally a scam. My mom deals with this particular scam ALL THE TIME at her work.

What she does is send them an e-mail/reply that basically says, "I've destroyed the check with the improper amount, please make out a new check for the proper amount, thank you."

Because honestly? There's really no way someone writes the incorrect amount on a check like that and then still sends it.

[Estil]

Back when me and my wife were going through some very hard times, we THOUGHT we received an annoynomus gift via snail mail of $1600 as two $800 US Post Office money orders. However, we thought it might perhaps be too good to be true so we made very sure our bank branch (which thankfully was right next door to us at the time) checked them over. Sure enough, THEY WERE FAKES!! And then when we returned home, it was only then that we got the email that had the classic scam the OP mentioned. Considering at that time and up until very recently we were half starving at the time, that was a mean thing! What a mean thing to do! Shame, shame, shame!! (as a popular TV star from back in the day would say; cookie goes to the first one who identifies him )

[Merriweather]

Back when me and my wife were going through some very hard times, we THOUGHT we received an annoynomus gift via snail mail of $1600 as two $800 US Post Office money orders. However, we thought it might perhaps be too good to be true so we made very sure our bank branch (which thankfully was right next door to us at the time) checked them over. Sure enough, THEY WERE FAKES!! And then when we returned home, it was only then that we got the email that had the classic scam the OP mentioned. Considering at that time and up until very recently we were half starving at the time, that was a mean thing! What a mean thing to do! Shame, shame, shame!! (as a popular TV star from back in the day would say; cookie goes to the first one who identifies him )

Wasn't that Gomer Pyle?

[Estil]

We have a wiener! *gives cookie*

[PepperElf]

Customer then emails the husband to explain he cut a check for too much, and asked if the husband could cash the check, apply the deposit, send the customer the excess, and keep $30 for his trouble.

yeah I think your friend dodged a bullet there.

course ... really if the check is "over" then you can just say "Oh that's fine. I haven't cashed it yet. Tell you what I'll mail it back to you instead and you can send me a new one."

bet they'll refuse of course but hey... if they really aren't scamming then they'd appreciate getting their check back etc.



or... if your friend really wants to get serious renters only, ask for a cashier's check?

[MadMike]

or... if your friend really wants to get serious renters only, ask for a cashier's check?

I'm pretty sure these scams involve fake cashier's checks. Not sure how that works, but that's what I've heard.

[Pixilated]

You're right, that is a classic scam and your friends would've been on the hook for the entire amount. Kudos for spotting it and I hope your neighbours listen! If they're just starting up a business, they really don't need this sort of thing.

[Racket_Man]

I'm pretty sure these scams involve fake cashier's checks. Not sure how that works, but that's what I've heard.

and there are the scam that use really really good looking international money orders (as in looking REAL authentic)

[KatherineB]

Shame, shame, shame!! (as a popular TV star from back in the day would say; cookie goes to the first one who identifies him )

I was going to say 'Derryn Hinch' (or Steve Vizard doing the piss-take), but figured a) non-Aussies would never have heard of him) - Derryn Hinch for anyone interested - and b) you did specify that they had to be popular...

[PepperElf]

I'm pretty sure these scams involve fake cashier's checks. Not sure how that works, but that's what I've heard.

never heard of people faking cashier's checks.
hmm. can a bank verify if a cashier's check is real/forged without trying to run it? cos IIRC if you run a bounced/fake check YOU have to pay fees on it, which is why businesses say they have a "processing fee" for bad checks - so they can pass the fines on to the check-writer.

now if a bank can actually verify a check *first* though... dunno though.


but i guess there's one last option - they can wire the friend the money. of course it also means that once it's sent they have no means to get it back etc.

[Ghel]

Yeah, that's a pretty common scam. Pepperelf, it's very difficult to find out if a cashier's check is good because most banks won't verify funds on checks any more, even their own cashier's checks.

Having the potential scammer wire funds isn't a good option, either, because you'd have to give them your account number, which means they have all the information they need to make bogus checks drawn on your account.

[siskaren]

Yeah, that's a pretty common scam. Pepperelf, it's very difficult to find out if a cashier's check is good because most banks won't verify funds on checks any more, even their own cashier's checks.

My experience is that most banks will at least verify cashier's checks even if they won't verify funds, at least for someone calling from another bank. You know, I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine.

[Seshat]

Forward this URL to your friend. It's the FBI's page on common frauds, includes the one mentioned, and covers what the FBI recommends doing in these situations - including how best to report the scammer.

FBI Fraud Page

Naturally, non-US citizens should take different action - Australians, for instance, should report to the Federal Police - but the info on Frauds themselves is excellent.
If you don't know who to report a fraud to, your local police is ALWAYS a good starting point.

[Geek King]

My experience is that most banks will at least verify cashier's checks even if they won't verify funds, at least for someone calling from another bank. You know, I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine.

Actually, that's not safe either. Some fraud cashier's checks are good enough to fool the bank itself, and it won't bounce until the wire transfer request goes through, which may be a couple of weeks. When it does fail, the bank will come after whoever cashed it to reclaim the funds they paid out, and will take them out of your account if you have enough to cover the amount, or empty your account of what funds you do have at that time.

Its a nasty little scam that can really leave you screwed when you think everything is fine.