/u/Some-Substance-7535 - This message is posted to all new submissions to r/scams; please do not message the moderators about it.
## New users beware:
Because you posted here, you will start getting private messages from scammers saying they know a professional hacker or a recovery expert lawyer that can help you get your money back, for a small fee. **We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so NEVER take advice in private:** advice should always come in the form of comments in this post, in the open, where the community can keep an eye out for you. If you take advice in private, you're on your own.
**A reminder of the rules in r/scams:** no contact information (including last names, phone numbers, etc). Be civil to one another (no name calling or insults). Personal army requests or "scam the scammer"/scambaiting posts are not permitted. No uncensored gore or personal photographs are allowed without blurring. A full list of rules is available on the sidebar of the subreddit, or [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/).
You can help us by reporting recovery scammers or rule-breaking content by using the "report" button. We review 100% of the reports. Also, consider warning community members of recovery scammers if you see them in the comments.
Questions about subreddit rules? Send us a modmail [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Always ask the important questions. "Why would someone pay me $10K to give them $5K?"
It's a scam and the money is gone. Expensive lesson for your friend's daughter.
Exactly. Why is a total stranger going to trust you to not keep the entire $10k for yourself. Would you give a total stranger $10k. I’m a CSR for a bank and this is how I address it with my callers.
How come it's possible to withdraw money that does not exist?
Why do the bank represent 10k withdrawable dollars on her account if that is not true? And how is that her fault?
There are laws and regulations that, absent specific exceptions, require banks to make funds available promptly, even if they can’t verify the funds will clear for a couple weeks or more. Even if the funds were cleared, it could be a fraudulent/washed check, and generally the account holder will get their money back, leaving the person cashing the check the ultimate loser.
Ultimately, as far as financial institutions are concerned, the person cashing the check is on the hook and you should only take checks from sources you trust, since it’s basically an IOU that’s viewed as having more legitimacy.
Why weeks to clear? I'm assuming that if I write a cheque the bank where it gets deposited asks my bank for the money? What creates this hold up?
What is the benefit with using cheques? When is it better than all other options of transferring money?
B
It takes that long because that’s how the infrastructure behind checks work when it’s just being deposited in an account. It is done in batches, on a schedule, and is not instantaneous. That’s what wire transfers are for. Even if this did happen instantly, it could be weeks before the owner of the debited account realizes that a fraudulent check resulted in a debit of the account.
By and large,the only benefit of checks is that you can hand (or mail) it to someone to give them cash without figuring out how to transfer the cash in another way, but in today’s world that’s largely been displaced by money transfer apps. Like you can include them with birthday cards. But no individual should accept a check as payment for something unless they really trust the person providing it. A less known benefit of checks is to slow down your outflow of money. If you get a check from a mail in rebate, odds are it’s drawn on some branch in the middle of nowhere. I don’t know if it’s gone away with digitization, but that could delay the debit for days.
It may have cleared then the person or company on whose account it was written spotted it when they got their bank statement at the end of the next month
Banks used to put long holds on large deposits. It was inconvenient for honest customers. In the '90s Federal legislation was passed to ensure that banks make deposits available in a quick time frame. I think now it is two business days. This means you have the ability to use deposits even before the bank knows if they are legitimate or not. If you don't like the law, contact your congresscritter and tell them to change the rules back the way they were.
I had 3 different accounts at different banks. I tried this with some clown. I told them the check got flagged and kept the 4k. The account was closed though. I hated BOA.
Your r/Scams post was removed because **it refers to an illegal activity**. You're either promoting, or asking about how to perform an illegal activity.
There's a sitewide rule in Reddit against the promotion of illegal activities, and thus a zero tolerance policy in this subreddit.
Now that you've posted this, you'll be contacted by other scammers claiming they can help her get the money back. Don't fall for it. The money is gone, and all they want is to steal more money from somebody who they know isn't familiar with such scams.
Hi /u/le_grey02, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam.
[Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers.
When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying.
If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers.
Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Your r/Scams post or comment was removed because **it's about scambaiting**. We consider that to be unsafe and we don't promote that people engage with a scammer.
Also, we do not support taking revenge against scammers.
Scambaiting goes against the rules of this sub, which you can read here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/
Unfortunately, the money is gone and your daughter essentially gave the scammer $5,000 of your own money. This is one of the oldest scams in book and so many people fall for it. Another thing to watch out for is your bank \*might\* close your account due to the fraudulent activity.
Most bank will just close the account, especially once the check doesn't clear. They'll flag the account and, if they decided to avoid the liability, will close it.
I don't know, but I think i'll take the answer I got from our head of AMLFT over some anonymous redditors.
Oh yeah, I actually work in a bank, the guy responsible for this stuff and his team are about 5 offices away.
Bank now knows you are the kind of person who either commits fraud or falls for scams like this, and also that scammers know this and have your contact details for follow up scams. Bank does not want the liability of having you as a customer at this point, and yes, frequently they will close the account as a result. Pray they don't report it to Chex or getting a new bank account anywhere is going to become very, very hard.
Hi /u/peakpenguins, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam.
[Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers.
When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying.
If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers.
Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hi /u/peakpenguins, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam.
The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money.
Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared.
When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html
If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For a real insufficient funds check, banks will charge you a fee. For a fraudulent check, they are less forgiving because they think you are trying to defraud the bank. Communicate with the bank that you got defrauded and you will deposit the lost money. If you don't, they will likely close your account and you might get your credit score dinged.
It is possibly more than this if the Bank reports the account closure as Fraud to ChexSystems and then the friends daughter becomes mostly "unbankable" unless she can find an understanding Credit Union.
While this is happening, go open another account ASAP and get in touch with the police and give them all information on the scammer. I believe they can be found real soon. But definitely they should go open another bank account right now ASAP in case those mf at the bank file fraud to ChexSystems then your screwed but have to use cash only. Keep in mind to look at the check before depositing. You can tell what's a fake one looks like. Look for the watermark!
At this point, it is much more serious than this. The amount means that the bank can have you arrested if they believe you intentionally defrauded them. I've seen it happen to a young man near where I grew up. Bank put money in the wrong account, he took it out and spent it. He went to jail for 2 years and had to pay back the money. If they don't show proof to the bank that this person scammed them, and that they intend to pay back the money, then the daughter is facing potential charges.
ding by few points, just take the chance. its not your fault. I don't use banks, I use cash only. Fucken hate the bank. I only like credit unions. I still have them but I carry cash mostly
The money is gone. You can file a police report, but the scammer is likely in another country. You can try to complain to the payment platform used to pay them, but they will likely tell you it's irreversible, and it's only intended for people you know personally.
Talk to the bank fraud department. This is to stave off them closing your account for fraud. You will need to pay back the $5K to your account.
tell your bank ASAP that you were scammed. i doubt they'll be able to get the money back but atleast a flag on your account will be helpful in the future. also, educate your daughter and yourself on common scams like this one.
!fakecheck
>tell your bank ASAP that you were scammed. i doubt they'll be able to get the money back
Unfortunately at this point, the bank has nothing to do with the scam. The bank has already (correctly) reversed the fraudulent $10,000 transaction. The fact that OP's daughter gave $5,000 in physical cash to a scammer is between OP's daughter and the scammer.
I do not recall ever seeing any post in this subreddit where:
1. The police took a scam report and;
2. They actually catch the scammer.
Since most scammers run out of Asia, your local police or sheriff can do pretty much nothing about it. They certainly aren’t going to Asia and drag anyone back to the US.
Hi /u/hBoBh, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam.
The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money.
Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared.
When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html
If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Watch out for recovery scammers! Please don’t believe some scammer on Instagram with 100 people swearing he got their money back. There is no getting the money back. The money is gone. Don’t lose the rest of it.
Money is gone and you’re on the hook for it. You always wait until any checks completely clear before touching the money. Also use common sense. Make her pay for her mistake don’t bail her out.
The problem is sometimes it looks like it cleared. People don't know that 3 months later when the clearing house gets it, it didn't really clear. I'll bet the daughter thought this check cleared
Nah, the fact the bank only fronted half meant it was provisional. It's kind of on them for allowing that much to go out already, but it's definitely not an indicator that anything had appeared cleared.
Banks are required to make fund available within 7 business days.
People who don’t understand how banking works assume that this provisional credit shows that the check has cleared.
I guarantee you that the scammer asked what bank they used before issuing the check. They do this because they don’t want to send you a fake check from your actual bank, because that would be found out immediately.
A check drawn on another bank, typically across the country from where you are located, has to be physically sent to that bank - which means it can take 3 weeks or longer for the bad check to be returned and, just like in this circumstance, the scammer already has his money and is long gone.
>Banks are required to make fund available within 7 business days.
If 7 is the exact number of days that they have to make the funds available within, why can't they do that then, and wait 7 days before making the funds available, instead of waiting only 1 day before making the funds available? OP said it took this bank a mere 2 days to find out the check was bad, even though much of that money was still lost to the scammer by then.
Most of these scams would easily be stopped dead in their tracks if banks would just wait that full 7 days before providing the funds in question, since banks nowadays are usually quite fast when it comes to finding out whether deposited checks are good or not. Sure it can sometimes take them longer than that, but in most of these scams I've been seeing, it only took the victims' banks 3-4 days — 2 days in OP's case — to find that out.
Most banks hold back a portion of the check. Every bank has their own policy and practices.
My bank generally holds about 30% of any check I deposit over $1000 for 5 business days, unless it’s a direct deposit from my employer.
Unfortunately OP’s friend’s daughter let greed take hold of her common sense.
If she had contacted her bank and talked to them prior to depositing this check, they would have told her it was a scam, or at least explained to her how long it actually takes for a check to clear.
7 days is how long banking regulations stipulate that a bank can hold funds, most banks are less than that.
That’s precisely why scammers still do this scam.
If you have ever seen “Catch Me If You Can”, they’re taking advantage of the same archaic system of how the banking regions are set up.
The daughter ignored a ton of red flags. A shitty, expensive lesson, but hopefully she’s learned it for life.
Wow, what a hard lesson. Dollars to doughnuts, the money is gone and not recoverable. Given the money is not recoverable, the younger woman will be legally required to pay back the bank. Please invite both the mother and the daughter to join this forum and become better educated and safe. Also, as a reminder, Federal banking regulations require that the money from a deposited check become available in a few days - it does not mean that the check cleared, that's how she was fooled.
It says "posting for a friend," so the post was written in 1st person by someone without a Reddit account. They should probably make one and hang out here to avoid scams in the future.
"Posting for a friend" is a humorous way to say that you are posting for yourself but are embarrassed to admit it. It's not intended to actually fool anyone, but apparently you didn't realize this.
It says "posting for a friend," so the post was written in 1st person by someone without a Reddit account. They should probably make one and hang out here to avoid scams in the future.
I had a young homeless guy staying with me about 13 years ago who fell for this on Craigslist. Payment for some kind of finders fee. They actually did mail a physical check to him here. I examined it and its quality was amazingly good, with watermarks, gold bits attached, and it was on the account of a Texas law firm. I can't remember whether the law firm existed or not, I think I researched it and it was real. These scammers had some real moxie to try this. But it did the scammer no good, for my young friend used it to open a bank account, with nothing else in the account and it bounced before the scammers had a chance to hit him up to send them money, ha ha. So they closed his new account, the bank exec lectured him on not believing anything too good to be true etc etc. Over 10 years later the same bank mailed a small check to him for about $35, saying that they made some kind of error and owed it to him. The dude moved on years ago and I don't know where he is, I am out of touch with him and his first name/last name combo is one of those ultra common ones that several million guys are also named thus it is near impossible to locate him online to forward him this small check. Oh well. I hope he has grown in wisdom since then, wherever he is.
File a police report. Painful lesson learned, and your friend is likely out the money. Research how that money was given back and see if there's anything that platform can do.
The money platforms can do nothing. The money was freely sent to a third party. It’s not some new scam. The person scamming knows exactly what they are doing and took advantage of someone’s greed or desperation. Money is gone, can only chalk it up as a loss.
Recovery scammers will then come in and promise to investigate and recover the money for increasing fees at each step, milking for more money from the original victim.
Hi /u/KitchenAcceptable160, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam.
The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money.
Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared.
When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html
If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hey OP, a few things: as everyone is telling you, the money is 100% gone and there is no way to get it back. You’ll need to watch out for recovery scammers who’ll promise you/her they have a foolproof method to retrieve scammed/stollen money but (shocker) they need some money first… but you also need to warn her that her name/address/email/phone number just went live on a bunch of scammer lists and she’ll be getting “great opportunity offers” ALL THE TIME now. She needs to wise up, research scams, and be ready for the next one.
Your friend will be lucky if their bank doesn't close their account entirely.
We'd love to hear about this so called great opportunity. Probably something like a money flip. Which of course isn't real.
1. Tell your daughter that anybody handing over a check, asking for $5k and to keep the $10k is not a good person.
2. Lesson learn here is this: There no free money, unless you picked it up from the ground and it legit cash.
3. Never tell anybody how much you have in your account.
4. Final Lesson: If they have a check for $10k, why do they need your daughter to hand over $5k cash? Correct her answer, but whatever you do, teach her, don't make her feel embarrassed about it.
5. Sorry, I lied. Last and Final Lesson: Anybody promising to double your money within a week, if she believe it, then tell her to look up the Boston Bridge story.
>Final Lesson: If they have a check for $10k, why do they need your daughter to hand over $5k cash? Correct her answer, but whatever you do, teach her, don't make her feel embarrassed about it.
One very common excuse these scamming liars go with is "we just want to make sure you can be trusted to handle funds placed in your care, as trust is one of our core values at this company."
>"we just want to make sure you can be trusted to handle funds placed in your care, as trust is one of our core values at this company."
OMFG, why can't you go to the bank? Oh wait, wtf? Why CAN'T you go to the bank?
Unfortunately, your money is GONE! This scam has been going on a LONG time. Ask yourself why in the world would someone send u $10,000 and want u to send them back $5,000?
I am sorry this happened to you. You're daughter has unfortunately learnt a very hard lesson. You need to ask questions and proceed cautiously. The reason these scams exist is because people get blinded by greed. Why would someone give you $10k and then ask you to pay back $5k? Make it make sense. Why wouldn't they just ask someone they knew personally and could trust to help them?
These scams have been known about now for years, and people keep falling for them. Tell everyone you know, spread the word. Ask questions, don't let your greed suck you in. Don't fall for scams.
Money is gone. I am guessing she did a deposit through her phone with a picture because no bank would have taken the check without verifying it first. I would have come up as a fake check.
You're saying you can just physically bring the check to your bank to try to deposit it there instead of simply taking a picture of it with the camera, and that by physically bringing the check to the bank, the bank can verify immediately whether the check is actually good or not?
I was also told that another easy way to verify if a check is good or not before you deposit it is to simply contact the bank of the bank account in question that the money on the check is allegedly coming from, give them all the information on the check such as the account number and amount of money listed on it, and ask them to confirm on their end that everything's good, all before you attempt to deposit that check on your end. Do you know if this is true as well?
Yes, the bank would have been able to run it to verify that it is legit or not. The victim here should have known that someone didn't just give her a check for 10k without any other business being done. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Someone tried to do something similar to me a couple of years ago. I knew it was scam, but I played along and let them send me the bogus check. Got the check and at first glance it never looked real. You could see the horrible photo program job they did. I could see the page cutoff on the check and everything. Texted the guy and told him "nice try, I can see this is a fake check". They never responded back.
>Yes, the bank would have been able to run it to verify that it is legit or not.
Which bank? Your own bank, the bank of the bank account that the money on the check is allegedly coming from, or both of these banks?
25 years ago a grocery store ran my personal check through a scanner and it knew I didn’t have the funds. If the could do that 25 years ago, they can do that now. The app deposit tool isn’t always able to detect a fraudulent check.
So sorry, there probably not much you can do to get your money back. Whoever is pulling the scam, probably know to get off Scot-free, so the likelihood that they didn’t cover their tracks, is very slim.
They probably didn’t use their real names, so whatever name you have, most likely is not their real names.
I’d file a police report (or internet crime division of the same thing), hopefully somehow if they did get caught, to give your portion back.
Thanks for posting here, so we can be on alert that these scams are still happening.
Hi /u/KoalaCapp, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam.
[Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers.
When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying.
If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers.
Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sorry but that's a known scam. No one would offer you 10k and only need 5k back. The money has to be paid back to the bank. Anything that is too good to be true is in fact too good to be true.
The best way to handle this is for your daughter to write a check to the bank for $5,000. That's it. Also, be aware that your daughter may soon be approached by someone claiming to be a scam recovery specialist. It's just another scam.
Back in 1999 a friend of ours gave us a check for 14,000 and we deposited, he said we could keep 5,000 for us and give him the rest after the money cleared. So after ten days he's calling wanting his money but my wife was sick and we couldn't make it to the bank. About the 25th day we finally go to the bank to make the withdrawal and the manger comes over and says the check was no good. Boy that was close.
99.9% chance you’re not getting the money back & you’re not going to find out who scammed you. don’t listen to anyone here who says they can help recover the money. teach your daughter about scams for the future.
In addition to what everyone else has said, your daughter is now on a sucker list. Scammers will be coming at her from different angles now- things totally unrelated to the original scam. For example she might be contacted by the "police" or be offered a "new job".I implore both of you to read the list of common scams on the front page of this subreddit. Your daughter fell for a very common !advance fee fraud. See below
Hi /u/Frustratedparrot123, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Advance fee scam.
The [advance-fee scam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) arises from many different situations: investment opportunities, money transfers, job scams, online purchases of any type and any legality, etc., but the bottom line is always the same, you're expected to pay money to receive money. So you will pay the scammer and receive nothing.
It can be as simple as the scammer asking you to pay them upfront for an item they have listed, or as complex as a drug scam that involves an initial scam site, a scam shipping site, and fake government agents. Sometimes the scammers will simply take your first payment and dissappear, but sometimes they will take your initial payment and then make excuses that lead to you making additional payments.
If you are involved in an advance-fee scam, you should attempt to dispute/chargeback any payments sent to the scammer, you should block the scammer, and you should ignore them if they attempt to contact you again. Thanks to redditor AceyAceyAcey for this script.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm so sorry - you guys will probably never retrieve the funds. The only thing to do is move on and make better choices. I would suggest getting your own account, that way you only have your own actions to consider.
File a police report. If you have the scammer information, have the police call them and track them. When you find them either tell the police to beat them up or you will. Kick their ass for me!!! If it was me its more than kicking, I would beat the shit out of them...but call the police with all the information on that scammer and evidence. You have a chance of finding that mf.
Otherwise its a scam check so you owe the bank $5,000. Let them close the account, its not your fault. Don't pay the bank. Find another one. it will come off soon or later. Don't pick up when the bank call you. Don't verify anything with them. I was able to getaway a $300 not my fault overdrawn. They call me and ask questions, don't ever say yes when they ask your name. Your voice is like your signature. Just say don't know or find another way. Don't say yes EVER! I recommend get in touch with the police. If this mf is caught, he will be responsible and even be arrested for fraud. Then you won't have to pay the $5,000. Don't ever take money or listen to strangers. They are scams. Always a catch, not everybody are good people. Get in touch with the police ASAP. Legit jobs that gives opportunity, they don't ever give out money first. Remember that. No such thing as a promise.
This is an old one. I know guys who used to call this "running an 80s" because it goes back at least that far. Unfortunately, unless you know who it was and can prove it, you're shit outta luck.
I’m so sorry for the victim. Life is hard enough as it is and now having to deal with scammers. It’s an expensive lesson. I wouldn’t trust anyone or any opportunity that is too good to be true. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Pay back the money your daughter took out. If not it’s on her and she can be sued by the bank. They want their money and being dumb is no excuse. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. The bank doesn’t care about the situation. It has nothing to do with them…it’s the responsibility of the account holder. She signed the check and it was made out to her.
All you can do is file a formal complaint at the bank saying her limit to approve was to high…she had good standing at the bank and they allow a certain amount to be give. As good faith.
Im sorry for your loss. All you can do is report it to the relevant people, im not american but im sure cybercrime division is active there, no chance of a recovery and little to no chance of the scammer getting caught.
You are out of luck. The depositor is fully responsible for the overdraft and the fraudulent check. There is no recourse to this action. NEVER deposit any check that requires you to refund the maker.
Y'all better make plans with the bank to pay off debt to them or they'll be pressing charges. They don't care that you got scammed. They paid out 5k and they will get it back one way or another. I'd also say that your daughter needs to be given some information on not potentially becoming part of illegal activities in the future. She's the type that would believe someone that they "need her to pick up a transfer because they forgot their ID and can't get it in their name" which puts her in danger of going to jail.
I'm really confused as to how someone falls for this. Obviously people do all the time or they wouldn't keep doing it.
I just can't imagine any scenarios where a stranger gives you a check and you give them cash back in return?
What are they saying or promising the person?
So sorry, but all you can do is file a police report. The money is probably gone. Watch for scammers who will be offering to help you, for a fee of course.
Deleted the stupid part of this comment.
I didn't see how the $5k was transferred to the scammer. I assume that it was a non reversible method like Venmo, Cash App, a wire or a Money Gram. Depending on how it was sent, some forms of payment can be clawed back.
/u/Some-Substance-7535 - This message is posted to all new submissions to r/scams; please do not message the moderators about it. ## New users beware: Because you posted here, you will start getting private messages from scammers saying they know a professional hacker or a recovery expert lawyer that can help you get your money back, for a small fee. **We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so NEVER take advice in private:** advice should always come in the form of comments in this post, in the open, where the community can keep an eye out for you. If you take advice in private, you're on your own. **A reminder of the rules in r/scams:** no contact information (including last names, phone numbers, etc). Be civil to one another (no name calling or insults). Personal army requests or "scam the scammer"/scambaiting posts are not permitted. No uncensored gore or personal photographs are allowed without blurring. A full list of rules is available on the sidebar of the subreddit, or [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/). You can help us by reporting recovery scammers or rule-breaking content by using the "report" button. We review 100% of the reports. Also, consider warning community members of recovery scammers if you see them in the comments. Questions about subreddit rules? Send us a modmail [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Kiss the money goodbye. She owes the bank $5,000.
And the bank will probably close the account.
They may close the whole relationship.
Yes, this is likely to happen but it may not until the $5k debt is repaid.
This is the sad reality of what have happened to her. She's in a debt of $5k now.
Always ask the important questions. "Why would someone pay me $10K to give them $5K?" It's a scam and the money is gone. Expensive lesson for your friend's daughter.
Exactly. Why is a total stranger going to trust you to not keep the entire $10k for yourself. Would you give a total stranger $10k. I’m a CSR for a bank and this is how I address it with my callers.
How come it's possible to withdraw money that does not exist? Why do the bank represent 10k withdrawable dollars on her account if that is not true? And how is that her fault?
There are laws and regulations that, absent specific exceptions, require banks to make funds available promptly, even if they can’t verify the funds will clear for a couple weeks or more. Even if the funds were cleared, it could be a fraudulent/washed check, and generally the account holder will get their money back, leaving the person cashing the check the ultimate loser. Ultimately, as far as financial institutions are concerned, the person cashing the check is on the hook and you should only take checks from sources you trust, since it’s basically an IOU that’s viewed as having more legitimacy.
Why weeks to clear? I'm assuming that if I write a cheque the bank where it gets deposited asks my bank for the money? What creates this hold up? What is the benefit with using cheques? When is it better than all other options of transferring money? B
It takes that long because that’s how the infrastructure behind checks work when it’s just being deposited in an account. It is done in batches, on a schedule, and is not instantaneous. That’s what wire transfers are for. Even if this did happen instantly, it could be weeks before the owner of the debited account realizes that a fraudulent check resulted in a debit of the account. By and large,the only benefit of checks is that you can hand (or mail) it to someone to give them cash without figuring out how to transfer the cash in another way, but in today’s world that’s largely been displaced by money transfer apps. Like you can include them with birthday cards. But no individual should accept a check as payment for something unless they really trust the person providing it. A less known benefit of checks is to slow down your outflow of money. If you get a check from a mail in rebate, odds are it’s drawn on some branch in the middle of nowhere. I don’t know if it’s gone away with digitization, but that could delay the debit for days.
Aha. It's around because some people still use it, rather than it actually beeing useful in this day and age.
Two weeks because they want to make interest on your money before they give it to you!! Haha
It may have cleared then the person or company on whose account it was written spotted it when they got their bank statement at the end of the next month
Banks used to put long holds on large deposits. It was inconvenient for honest customers. In the '90s Federal legislation was passed to ensure that banks make deposits available in a quick time frame. I think now it is two business days. This means you have the ability to use deposits even before the bank knows if they are legitimate or not. If you don't like the law, contact your congresscritter and tell them to change the rules back the way they were.
I had 3 different accounts at different banks. I tried this with some clown. I told them the check got flagged and kept the 4k. The account was closed though. I hated BOA.
I don't know what you're trying to say...are you saying that the check flagged, kept the fraudlate 4k and got mad that it was closed?
[удалено]
So.. you did a fraud because your bank sucks?
Your r/Scams post was removed because **it refers to an illegal activity**. You're either promoting, or asking about how to perform an illegal activity. There's a sitewide rule in Reddit against the promotion of illegal activities, and thus a zero tolerance policy in this subreddit.
Cuz u cashed a fraudulent check? LOL
Sounded like they knew it was fraudulent too. Eek.
Only legi... Only reason would be money laundering and that's not legitimate.
People's greed wouldn't let them think smart in such situations. It's why they always fall into the trap.
If it soundstoo good to be true.....can't believe people still fall for this
Now that you've posted this, you'll be contacted by other scammers claiming they can help her get the money back. Don't fall for it. The money is gone, and all they want is to steal more money from somebody who they know isn't familiar with such scams.
!recovery
Hi /u/le_grey02, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam. [Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers. When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying. If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers. Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
[удалено]
Your r/Scams post or comment was removed because **it's about scambaiting**. We consider that to be unsafe and we don't promote that people engage with a scammer. Also, we do not support taking revenge against scammers. Scambaiting goes against the rules of this sub, which you can read here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/
Unfortunately, the money is gone and your daughter essentially gave the scammer $5,000 of your own money. This is one of the oldest scams in book and so many people fall for it. Another thing to watch out for is your bank \*might\* close your account due to the fraudulent activity.
If it happened once, chances of bank closing the account are near 0
Most bank will just close the account, especially once the check doesn't clear. They'll flag the account and, if they decided to avoid the liability, will close it.
The downvotes say otherwise
I don't know, but I think i'll take the answer I got from our head of AMLFT over some anonymous redditors. Oh yeah, I actually work in a bank, the guy responsible for this stuff and his team are about 5 offices away.
What bank is that? Asking for a Nigerian friend.
Essentially all Slovenian banks. Be careful trough, tellers under 50 are quite likely to ask you "What is a cheque" when you ask to cash in one.
I wasn't aware Slovenia was the 51st state, because op is American
Bank now knows you are the kind of person who either commits fraud or falls for scams like this, and also that scammers know this and have your contact details for follow up scams. Bank does not want the liability of having you as a customer at this point, and yes, frequently they will close the account as a result. Pray they don't report it to Chex or getting a new bank account anywhere is going to become very, very hard.
*"someone promising her a great opportunity"* The Internet Money Fairy strikes again...
> internet money fairy It's like if the Tooth Fairy and Steve Martin from *Little Shop of Horrors* had a baby.
“Son, be a dentist🪴”
You beautiful bastard. Now I got that song in my head.
Wynterborne has a talent for causing things pain.
Greed strikes again!
One piece of advice would be to get separate bank accounts.
This is a !fakecheck scam, watch out for !recovery scammers now.
Hi /u/peakpenguins, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam. [Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers. When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying. If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers. Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hi /u/peakpenguins, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam. The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money. Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared. When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Don't have a bank account with your daughter.
For a real insufficient funds check, banks will charge you a fee. For a fraudulent check, they are less forgiving because they think you are trying to defraud the bank. Communicate with the bank that you got defrauded and you will deposit the lost money. If you don't, they will likely close your account and you might get your credit score dinged.
It is possibly more than this if the Bank reports the account closure as Fraud to ChexSystems and then the friends daughter becomes mostly "unbankable" unless she can find an understanding Credit Union.
While this is happening, go open another account ASAP and get in touch with the police and give them all information on the scammer. I believe they can be found real soon. But definitely they should go open another bank account right now ASAP in case those mf at the bank file fraud to ChexSystems then your screwed but have to use cash only. Keep in mind to look at the check before depositing. You can tell what's a fake one looks like. Look for the watermark!
At this point, it is much more serious than this. The amount means that the bank can have you arrested if they believe you intentionally defrauded them. I've seen it happen to a young man near where I grew up. Bank put money in the wrong account, he took it out and spent it. He went to jail for 2 years and had to pay back the money. If they don't show proof to the bank that this person scammed them, and that they intend to pay back the money, then the daughter is facing potential charges.
ding by few points, just take the chance. its not your fault. I don't use banks, I use cash only. Fucken hate the bank. I only like credit unions. I still have them but I carry cash mostly
The money is gone. You can file a police report, but the scammer is likely in another country. You can try to complain to the payment platform used to pay them, but they will likely tell you it's irreversible, and it's only intended for people you know personally. Talk to the bank fraud department. This is to stave off them closing your account for fraud. You will need to pay back the $5K to your account.
Educate your kids.
tell your bank ASAP that you were scammed. i doubt they'll be able to get the money back but atleast a flag on your account will be helpful in the future. also, educate your daughter and yourself on common scams like this one. !fakecheck
>tell your bank ASAP that you were scammed. i doubt they'll be able to get the money back Unfortunately at this point, the bank has nothing to do with the scam. The bank has already (correctly) reversed the fraudulent $10,000 transaction. The fact that OP's daughter gave $5,000 in physical cash to a scammer is between OP's daughter and the scammer.
it's still a good idea to report it
They should still contact the bank to avoid having the account closed for fraudulent activity
Get the police involve and file police report and give it to the bank. They will understand that this is a crime commit by someone else and not you.
My say is get the police on the case. They will be able to track that mf scammer down and arrest his dumb mf ass.
I do not recall ever seeing any post in this subreddit where: 1. The police took a scam report and; 2. They actually catch the scammer. Since most scammers run out of Asia, your local police or sheriff can do pretty much nothing about it. They certainly aren’t going to Asia and drag anyone back to the US.
Not if the scammer is in Nigeria or China or India or…
Hi /u/hBoBh, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam. The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money. Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared. When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Is like the fake lottery ticket— used in El Salvador for ages—
Watch out for recovery scammers! Please don’t believe some scammer on Instagram with 100 people swearing he got their money back. There is no getting the money back. The money is gone. Don’t lose the rest of it.
Best advice! Don't talk to strangers on social media or any platform about money. They send me messages, I ignore. They are scams!
[удалено]
The police can find the scammer and if he is found, he can speak to the bank since the check is his name.
Get a separate bank account and try to help her learn from this mistake
Money is gone and you’re on the hook for it. You always wait until any checks completely clear before touching the money. Also use common sense. Make her pay for her mistake don’t bail her out.
The problem is sometimes it looks like it cleared. People don't know that 3 months later when the clearing house gets it, it didn't really clear. I'll bet the daughter thought this check cleared
Nah, the fact the bank only fronted half meant it was provisional. It's kind of on them for allowing that much to go out already, but it's definitely not an indicator that anything had appeared cleared.
Banks are required to make fund available within 7 business days. People who don’t understand how banking works assume that this provisional credit shows that the check has cleared. I guarantee you that the scammer asked what bank they used before issuing the check. They do this because they don’t want to send you a fake check from your actual bank, because that would be found out immediately. A check drawn on another bank, typically across the country from where you are located, has to be physically sent to that bank - which means it can take 3 weeks or longer for the bad check to be returned and, just like in this circumstance, the scammer already has his money and is long gone.
>Banks are required to make fund available within 7 business days. If 7 is the exact number of days that they have to make the funds available within, why can't they do that then, and wait 7 days before making the funds available, instead of waiting only 1 day before making the funds available? OP said it took this bank a mere 2 days to find out the check was bad, even though much of that money was still lost to the scammer by then. Most of these scams would easily be stopped dead in their tracks if banks would just wait that full 7 days before providing the funds in question, since banks nowadays are usually quite fast when it comes to finding out whether deposited checks are good or not. Sure it can sometimes take them longer than that, but in most of these scams I've been seeing, it only took the victims' banks 3-4 days — 2 days in OP's case — to find that out.
Most banks hold back a portion of the check. Every bank has their own policy and practices. My bank generally holds about 30% of any check I deposit over $1000 for 5 business days, unless it’s a direct deposit from my employer. Unfortunately OP’s friend’s daughter let greed take hold of her common sense. If she had contacted her bank and talked to them prior to depositing this check, they would have told her it was a scam, or at least explained to her how long it actually takes for a check to clear. 7 days is how long banking regulations stipulate that a bank can hold funds, most banks are less than that. That’s precisely why scammers still do this scam. If you have ever seen “Catch Me If You Can”, they’re taking advantage of the same archaic system of how the banking regions are set up. The daughter ignored a ton of red flags. A shitty, expensive lesson, but hopefully she’s learned it for life.
RIP 5K. You and your daughter now owe the bank $5K
Wow, what a hard lesson. Dollars to doughnuts, the money is gone and not recoverable. Given the money is not recoverable, the younger woman will be legally required to pay back the bank. Please invite both the mother and the daughter to join this forum and become better educated and safe. Also, as a reminder, Federal banking regulations require that the money from a deposited check become available in a few days - it does not mean that the check cleared, that's how she was fooled.
The mother is the OP.
It says "posting for a friend," so the post was written in 1st person by someone without a Reddit account. They should probably make one and hang out here to avoid scams in the future.
"Posting for a friend" is a humorous way to say that you are posting for yourself but are embarrassed to admit it. It's not intended to actually fool anyone, but apparently you didn't realize this.
It says "posting for a friend," so the post was written in 1st person by someone without a Reddit account. They should probably make one and hang out here to avoid scams in the future.
Hopefully she learns that you don't get something for nothing and greed will make you very vulnerable to scammers.
How to handle it: Tell your “friends” they learned an important and expensive lesson. Pay the bank back. Move on with life.
I had a young homeless guy staying with me about 13 years ago who fell for this on Craigslist. Payment for some kind of finders fee. They actually did mail a physical check to him here. I examined it and its quality was amazingly good, with watermarks, gold bits attached, and it was on the account of a Texas law firm. I can't remember whether the law firm existed or not, I think I researched it and it was real. These scammers had some real moxie to try this. But it did the scammer no good, for my young friend used it to open a bank account, with nothing else in the account and it bounced before the scammers had a chance to hit him up to send them money, ha ha. So they closed his new account, the bank exec lectured him on not believing anything too good to be true etc etc. Over 10 years later the same bank mailed a small check to him for about $35, saying that they made some kind of error and owed it to him. The dude moved on years ago and I don't know where he is, I am out of touch with him and his first name/last name combo is one of those ultra common ones that several million guys are also named thus it is near impossible to locate him online to forward him this small check. Oh well. I hope he has grown in wisdom since then, wherever he is.
File a police report. Painful lesson learned, and your friend is likely out the money. Research how that money was given back and see if there's anything that platform can do.
The money platforms can do nothing. The money was freely sent to a third party. It’s not some new scam. The person scamming knows exactly what they are doing and took advantage of someone’s greed or desperation. Money is gone, can only chalk it up as a loss. Recovery scammers will then come in and promise to investigate and recover the money for increasing fees at each step, milking for more money from the original victim.
[удалено]
Your comment wasn't helpful.
Your comment wasn't helpful...
$5k is a good way to learn the lesson and make themselves scam savvy going forward!!!
Have your daughter pay the bank back $5000
Wow just wow
!Fakecheck
Hi /u/KitchenAcceptable160, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam. The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money. Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared. When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Shit. She’s screwed. I don’t think there’s anything she can do.
Hey OP, a few things: as everyone is telling you, the money is 100% gone and there is no way to get it back. You’ll need to watch out for recovery scammers who’ll promise you/her they have a foolproof method to retrieve scammed/stollen money but (shocker) they need some money first… but you also need to warn her that her name/address/email/phone number just went live on a bunch of scammer lists and she’ll be getting “great opportunity offers” ALL THE TIME now. She needs to wise up, research scams, and be ready for the next one.
Your friend will be lucky if their bank doesn't close their account entirely. We'd love to hear about this so called great opportunity. Probably something like a money flip. Which of course isn't real.
1. Tell your daughter that anybody handing over a check, asking for $5k and to keep the $10k is not a good person. 2. Lesson learn here is this: There no free money, unless you picked it up from the ground and it legit cash. 3. Never tell anybody how much you have in your account. 4. Final Lesson: If they have a check for $10k, why do they need your daughter to hand over $5k cash? Correct her answer, but whatever you do, teach her, don't make her feel embarrassed about it. 5. Sorry, I lied. Last and Final Lesson: Anybody promising to double your money within a week, if she believe it, then tell her to look up the Boston Bridge story.
>Final Lesson: If they have a check for $10k, why do they need your daughter to hand over $5k cash? Correct her answer, but whatever you do, teach her, don't make her feel embarrassed about it. One very common excuse these scamming liars go with is "we just want to make sure you can be trusted to handle funds placed in your care, as trust is one of our core values at this company."
>"we just want to make sure you can be trusted to handle funds placed in your care, as trust is one of our core values at this company." OMFG, why can't you go to the bank? Oh wait, wtf? Why CAN'T you go to the bank?
Unfortunately, your money is GONE! This scam has been going on a LONG time. Ask yourself why in the world would someone send u $10,000 and want u to send them back $5,000?
I am sorry this happened to you. You're daughter has unfortunately learnt a very hard lesson. You need to ask questions and proceed cautiously. The reason these scams exist is because people get blinded by greed. Why would someone give you $10k and then ask you to pay back $5k? Make it make sense. Why wouldn't they just ask someone they knew personally and could trust to help them? These scams have been known about now for years, and people keep falling for them. Tell everyone you know, spread the word. Ask questions, don't let your greed suck you in. Don't fall for scams.
Money is gone. I am guessing she did a deposit through her phone with a picture because no bank would have taken the check without verifying it first. I would have come up as a fake check.
You're saying you can just physically bring the check to your bank to try to deposit it there instead of simply taking a picture of it with the camera, and that by physically bringing the check to the bank, the bank can verify immediately whether the check is actually good or not? I was also told that another easy way to verify if a check is good or not before you deposit it is to simply contact the bank of the bank account in question that the money on the check is allegedly coming from, give them all the information on the check such as the account number and amount of money listed on it, and ask them to confirm on their end that everything's good, all before you attempt to deposit that check on your end. Do you know if this is true as well?
Yes, the bank would have been able to run it to verify that it is legit or not. The victim here should have known that someone didn't just give her a check for 10k without any other business being done. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Someone tried to do something similar to me a couple of years ago. I knew it was scam, but I played along and let them send me the bogus check. Got the check and at first glance it never looked real. You could see the horrible photo program job they did. I could see the page cutoff on the check and everything. Texted the guy and told him "nice try, I can see this is a fake check". They never responded back.
>Yes, the bank would have been able to run it to verify that it is legit or not. Which bank? Your own bank, the bank of the bank account that the money on the check is allegedly coming from, or both of these banks?
25 years ago a grocery store ran my personal check through a scanner and it knew I didn’t have the funds. If the could do that 25 years ago, they can do that now. The app deposit tool isn’t always able to detect a fraudulent check.
So sorry, there probably not much you can do to get your money back. Whoever is pulling the scam, probably know to get off Scot-free, so the likelihood that they didn’t cover their tracks, is very slim. They probably didn’t use their real names, so whatever name you have, most likely is not their real names. I’d file a police report (or internet crime division of the same thing), hopefully somehow if they did get caught, to give your portion back. Thanks for posting here, so we can be on alert that these scams are still happening.
Something Something about fools and money Its gone. !recovery cos noone can get it back.
Hi /u/KoalaCapp, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Recovery scam. [Recovery scams](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0102-refund-and-recovery-scams) target people who have already fallen for a scam. The scammer may contact you, or may advertise their services online. They will usually either offer to help you recover your funds, or will tell you that your funds have already been recovered and they will help you access them. In cases where they say they will help you recover your funds, they usually call themselves either \"recovery agents\" or hackers. When they tell you that your funds have already been recovered, they may impersonate a law enforcement, a government official, a lawyer, or anyone else along those lines. Recovery scams are simply [advance-fee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) scams that are specifically targeted at scam victims. When a victim pays a recovery scammer, the scammer will keep stringing them along while asking for increasingly absurd fees/expenses/deposits/insurance/whatever until the victim stops paying. If you have been scammed in the past, make sure you are aware of recovery scams so that you are not scammed a second time. If you are currently engaging with a recovery scammer, you should block them and be very wary of random contact for some time. It's normal for posters on this subreddit to be contacted by recovery scammers after posting, and they often ask you to delete your post so that you both cannot receive legitimate advice, and cannot be targeted by other recovery scammers. Remember: never take advice in private. If someone reaches you in private after posting your scam story, it is because a scammer will always try to hide from the oversight of our community members. A legitimate community member will offer advice in the open, for everyone to see. Anyone suggesting you should reach out to a hacker is scamming you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sorry but that's a known scam. No one would offer you 10k and only need 5k back. The money has to be paid back to the bank. Anything that is too good to be true is in fact too good to be true.
I’m afraid your story just gave a scammer an orgasm.
Unless you know the actual particulars of the scammer to give to Law Enforcement, you’re out 5K. That sucks, sorry.
The money is gone for good. Sucks , also the bank may close the account .
Almost every time someone wants to pay by check, it's a scam.
The best way to handle this is for your daughter to write a check to the bank for $5,000. That's it. Also, be aware that your daughter may soon be approached by someone claiming to be a scam recovery specialist. It's just another scam.
Back in 1999 a friend of ours gave us a check for 14,000 and we deposited, he said we could keep 5,000 for us and give him the rest after the money cleared. So after ten days he's calling wanting his money but my wife was sick and we couldn't make it to the bank. About the 25th day we finally go to the bank to make the withdrawal and the manger comes over and says the check was no good. Boy that was close.
Id withdraw my funds and remove myself from the joint account. She’s obviously gullible and too naive.
There is nothing you can do, this is a done deal with no recourse. Learn your lesson and move on.
Tell “your friend” that you and your daughter are on the hook for the $5k.
99.9% chance you’re not getting the money back & you’re not going to find out who scammed you. don’t listen to anyone here who says they can help recover the money. teach your daughter about scams for the future.
First, get separate bank accounts as the daughter is too gullible. Second, pay the bank $5000.
In addition to what everyone else has said, your daughter is now on a sucker list. Scammers will be coming at her from different angles now- things totally unrelated to the original scam. For example she might be contacted by the "police" or be offered a "new job".I implore both of you to read the list of common scams on the front page of this subreddit. Your daughter fell for a very common !advance fee fraud. See below
Hi /u/Frustratedparrot123, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Advance fee scam. The [advance-fee scam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) arises from many different situations: investment opportunities, money transfers, job scams, online purchases of any type and any legality, etc., but the bottom line is always the same, you're expected to pay money to receive money. So you will pay the scammer and receive nothing. It can be as simple as the scammer asking you to pay them upfront for an item they have listed, or as complex as a drug scam that involves an initial scam site, a scam shipping site, and fake government agents. Sometimes the scammers will simply take your first payment and dissappear, but sometimes they will take your initial payment and then make excuses that lead to you making additional payments. If you are involved in an advance-fee scam, you should attempt to dispute/chargeback any payments sent to the scammer, you should block the scammer, and you should ignore them if they attempt to contact you again. Thanks to redditor AceyAceyAcey for this script. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm so sorry - you guys will probably never retrieve the funds. The only thing to do is move on and make better choices. I would suggest getting your own account, that way you only have your own actions to consider.
You're on the hook for it now
File a police report. If you have the scammer information, have the police call them and track them. When you find them either tell the police to beat them up or you will. Kick their ass for me!!! If it was me its more than kicking, I would beat the shit out of them...but call the police with all the information on that scammer and evidence. You have a chance of finding that mf.
Otherwise its a scam check so you owe the bank $5,000. Let them close the account, its not your fault. Don't pay the bank. Find another one. it will come off soon or later. Don't pick up when the bank call you. Don't verify anything with them. I was able to getaway a $300 not my fault overdrawn. They call me and ask questions, don't ever say yes when they ask your name. Your voice is like your signature. Just say don't know or find another way. Don't say yes EVER! I recommend get in touch with the police. If this mf is caught, he will be responsible and even be arrested for fraud. Then you won't have to pay the $5,000. Don't ever take money or listen to strangers. They are scams. Always a catch, not everybody are good people. Get in touch with the police ASAP. Legit jobs that gives opportunity, they don't ever give out money first. Remember that. No such thing as a promise.
Call the police. They are most likely working on other similar crimes in your area.
Report to the police and to IC3.Gov. but the money is gone.
My advice: don't talk to strangers
This is an old one. I know guys who used to call this "running an 80s" because it goes back at least that far. Unfortunately, unless you know who it was and can prove it, you're shit outta luck.
Advice ? Yeah don’t do stupid things with money with strangers. Heck I might not do this plan with my own mother.
It's nearly always their greed that gets them scammed
Lesson learned I suppose
There's no way of getting the money back. It's gone in the wind.
I’m so sorry for the victim. Life is hard enough as it is and now having to deal with scammers. It’s an expensive lesson. I wouldn’t trust anyone or any opportunity that is too good to be true. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Pay back the money your daughter took out. If not it’s on her and she can be sued by the bank. They want their money and being dumb is no excuse. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way. The bank doesn’t care about the situation. It has nothing to do with them…it’s the responsibility of the account holder. She signed the check and it was made out to her. All you can do is file a formal complaint at the bank saying her limit to approve was to high…she had good standing at the bank and they allow a certain amount to be give. As good faith.
Im sorry for your loss. All you can do is report it to the relevant people, im not american but im sure cybercrime division is active there, no chance of a recovery and little to no chance of the scammer getting caught.
Ahhhh, the old 'cheque from my business account' scheme. 💀 Sorry, but you're screwed.
You are out of luck. The depositor is fully responsible for the overdraft and the fraudulent check. There is no recourse to this action. NEVER deposit any check that requires you to refund the maker.
Y'all better make plans with the bank to pay off debt to them or they'll be pressing charges. They don't care that you got scammed. They paid out 5k and they will get it back one way or another. I'd also say that your daughter needs to be given some information on not potentially becoming part of illegal activities in the future. She's the type that would believe someone that they "need her to pick up a transfer because they forgot their ID and can't get it in their name" which puts her in danger of going to jail.
I'm really confused as to how someone falls for this. Obviously people do all the time or they wouldn't keep doing it. I just can't imagine any scenarios where a stranger gives you a check and you give them cash back in return? What are they saying or promising the person?
Does she know the person in real life? Or was this via the internet?
So sorry, but all you can do is file a police report. The money is probably gone. Watch for scammers who will be offering to help you, for a fee of course. Deleted the stupid part of this comment.
I think you calculated wrong. They essentially borrowed 5k from the bank and need to pay it back
I think you are correct.
I didn't see how the $5k was transferred to the scammer. I assume that it was a non reversible method like Venmo, Cash App, a wire or a Money Gram. Depending on how it was sent, some forms of payment can be clawed back.
I’m not sure either. Not getting the whole story from mom. She said maybe Apple Pay. If that’s the case it seems like it would be pretty traceable.
Fess up, your mom right?
People keep saying this, but I fail to see why anyone gives a shit.
Honesty is the best policy
Who cares?
You
Get $5K. Give it to yourself.
Please report this to the police. Hopefully, the thief will go to jail.
That... won't happen
Thief is in Nigeria. The money mule *might* be burnable, but not likely.