Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Craigslist Scam Cashiers Check - Beware
Craigslist Scam Cashiers Check - Beware

Don't accept cashier checks on Craigslist. This is because Cashier’s checks are not great for people who don’t know each other at all, like two strangers on Craigslist. That’s because there’s always a possibility that they are fake. Usually, the scammer gives the victim a check for more than they asked for and then asks them to pay the extra money to an apparent third party or wire the balance back to them.

How the Craigslist Scam Cashiers Check Works

You receive an email or text from someone you have never met offering to buy your item, pay for your services in advance, or rent your apartment. The person offers a fake cashier's check for your sale item as a deposit for an apartment or for your services. The value of the cashier's check often far exceeds the amount you have listed. But, the scammer claims to "trust" you and ask you to wire the balance via a money transfer service.

When your bank attempts to clear the check and realizes it is fake, they will hold you responsible and may get you in legal trouble. And, if you had wired the money as instructed by the scammers, you may never get that money back.

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