If you decide to take the leap into E-Commerce and Re-selling online via marketplaces. You need to be aware of the mass amount of scammers out there. The Internet is a wonderful place where all sorts of great business can be done, but as with anything, there are always people looking to take advantage.
I wanted to focus on one I see most often, and that’s any sort of BS surrounding cashier checks or money orders.
The majority of Fake Check Scams work the same, the Fraudster tries getting you to cash or deposit a check, usually for more than you are owed, and tell you some story about why you can’t keep all the money and you’ll now need to send the rest to this random name and address.
The fake checks can look very convincing and trick banks, for a little while, then in a few days or weeks you will be on the hook for the amount.
There are variations of check scams of course, like fake winnings where the fraudster will ask you to wire them funds back to cover taxes and fees lol. If you are selling things online, the overpayment scam is the one you will see most often though.
As always, be careful and only use trusted 3rd party sites and payment gateways! You can reach out to me if you have any questions, be safe out there and make that money mane!
What to Do If You Are Scammed
If you think you’ve been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it immediately to any of the following agencies:
- The Federal Trade Commission at FTC Complaint Assistant (www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov).
- The U.S. Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov (if you received the check in the mail).
- Your state or local consumer protection agencies. Visit NAAG (www.naag.org) for a list of state Attorneys General.
- For possible online crimes involving counterfeit checks and money orders, file an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) (a joint project of the FBI and National White Collar Crime Center).
In addition to notifying the bank whose name is on the check, you can notify the website or online service where you encountered the scammer (for example, the online auction website or job posting website), so they can block them from utilizing their services in the future.
For more help or information, go to FDIC.gov or call the FDIC toll-free at 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342). Please send your story ideas or comments to consumeraffairs3@fdic.gov
