Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money

Scammers are sending out fake checks(cheques) to potential victims, asking them to cash or deposit the checks to do some form of transactions with the money, or send the money to them. The scammers are pretending to be from the National Survey Service, National Shopping Service, employment agencies, Walmart and other organisations.

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Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money

Here are some of the names and telephones being used by the scammers:

  • Jake Thomas - 628-222-2086
  • Chris Morgan - 813-320-6913
  • John Baker - 941-825-0488

Recipients of similar checks or cheques are asked not to cash or deposit them, do any form of transactions with the money, or send the money. Or else, they will have to pay back the money that was spent and sent, and the cost of processing the fake check when it bounces. Or, may even get arrested for taking part in a scam or fraudulent activity they were unaware of.

Remember, your bank may learn, after you withdraw or wire the money from your account, that the check you were given was fraudulent. At this time the check will be returned to the bank unpaid and the full amount of the check will be deducted from your account. Because bank customers are generally responsible for the checks they deposit, the victims of these scams are left to repay the bank the money they withdrew against the bad check.

The scam usually works because under federal law, banks make the funds you deposit available quickly – usually within one to five days, depending on the type of check. But just because you can withdraw the money doesn't mean the check is good, even if it's a cashier's check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to be returned.

Persons who have been tricked by the check scam are asked to contact their banks immediately for help, before the banks discover the scam first and think they are involved.

If you are a victim, or was contacted by the scammers, please leave the names and telephone numbers they are using in the comment section below.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 24)

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March 18, 2020 at 4:14 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Kathleen Mason HR and Peter Spencer CTO were names and titles impersonating working for Temenos Mississauga. They offered me a job saying training will be $20/hour and after that $35/hour for a customer service role. They also gave me a cheque for $2850 telling me to buy Steam, Amazon and iTunes gift cards and said they will provide me with a Mac, as it is a work from home position. I called Temenos directly and asked about the position and the people who reached out to me and they mentioned no one by those names work here.

They message through gmail accounts and google hangouts.

Delete

January 22, 2020 at 1:29 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States

Oleg Cheine impersonates HRM wanting to hire someone for work at home data entry for CannaSOS LLC. They sent me a bogus cashiers check for 2950 and it bounced a week later. He demanded I buy amazon and apple gift cards. I spent 2000 dollars of the money in gift cards and then he wanted me to send 670 dollars by western union to the “vendor “ for office equipment. I am now stuck with an overdrawn account for 2250.

He uses messages through Google.

I also got a phone call from this number from Washington DC. 2025737668

Delete

January 26, 2021 at 1:31 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Deschutes, Redmond, Oregon, United States

Hey do you have any more information on the scam regarding Oleg? What email or contact information did you have with him?

Delete

May 20, 2019 at 2:13 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Walmart Scam for $2800 from phone #815-701-9657. Telling you to buy Walmart cards in the amount of $400 and to buy 3 from two different Walmart stores. It is a scam and these theives need to be jailed. They are using copies of Coamerica checks that are not perfect and they have no account # for the person sending them. Signed by Callie LaRu

Delete

September 6, 2019 at 8:40 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Urbandale, Iowa, United States

Got one too. Exactly the same thing you got. Report them to the Federal Trade Commission your states attorney general and the United States Postal Service. That's what I did.

Delete

May 13, 2019 at 4:52 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Check scam. Requesting to cash a cashiers check and go to walmart to buy gift cards.

Name listed is John Simpson

Phone 585-318-7464

Email Surveyjobs99@gmail.com

Delete

September 20, 2018 at 9:55 AM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: San Antonio, Texas, United States

281-603-4978

929-274-7266

Buyer claimed to be a "Brandon Allen"

We were selling a sofa on Craigslist for $550 - buyer contacted me through Craigslist and offered $450. I provided him my phone number so that we could coordinate payment/pickup. I received a text from the buyer who said they would send a check, and after the check cleared the bank, they would arrange for the sofa pickup.

Shortly after our initial exchange, I received a text from a new number (the 929 one) from the buyer, who claimed that they were "having issue with their other phone".

The buyer sent me a tracking number for the check although it never appeared to leave the USPS facility. I started getting suspicious, so I googled both phone numbers and found some highly suspect info, including a listing of the 281 number on this site. I received his check yesterday, which was printed for $1850 with some random person's name as the issuer. From the feedback I've seen here, this is 100% fraudulent. Don't accept checks for Craigslist purchases, folks!

Delete

September 18, 2018 at 10:16 AM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Dr. Martin Kelly

John Powell

Both numbers were the same (628)222-2047

Delete

August 21, 2018 at 6:36 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

628-222-2405

and

802-884-3015

Scam - They are pretending to buy something on Craigslist and then are asking you to send someone else money to get the item shipped/moved

Delete

July 12, 2018 at 3:48 PM by
Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money
an anonymous user from: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

628-222-2324

281-603-4978

These are both check scams. Friend of mine was selling an item on Craigslist and both of these numbers wanted to send him a check for FAR more than the items listed price saying to keep the change (well over $1k) for shipping. Ridiculous.

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Check Scams - Do Not Cash or Deposit Checks from Strangers to do Transactions or Send Money