What Should You Do If You Receive a Fraudulent Check From a Scammer?
If you have received a fraudulent check from a scammer, here are important steps you should take to protect yourself and prevent further issues:
Contacting Your Bank
The immediate action is to contact your bank as soon as possible. Inform your bank that you suspect the check to be fraudulent, and request them to check the account details. They may also contact the sender's bank to confirm the legitimacy of the check. If your bank determines the account as closed or invalid, they will typically dispose of the check.
Contact the FTC and Law Enforcement
Affected by scams, you may also want to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through their fraud division. Additionally, you should file a police report if the scam involves more serious actions, such as identity theft or financial fraud. This is especially important if the check was sent to you through the mail, as it may involve mail fraud, a serious federal offense.
Inform the Website or Platform
If the scammer was initially contacted through a website or platform, it's crucial to report the incident to that website or platform. They may be able to take action against the scammer to prevent future occurrences.
State Attorney General’s Office
Reach out to your state attorney general’s office, which also has a fraud division. You can report the scam and request assistance from any involved agencies, including the post office if the check was sent through the mail. This proactive approach can help in identifying and apprehending the scammer.
Tactical Handling of the Check
Never cash or attempt to deposit a counterfeit check, as this could lead to serious legal issues for you. When you encounter a suspected counterfeit check, take it to your local post office immediately. The postal inspector will launch an investigation into who sent the check and conduct a thorough examination. The check was sent as part of a scam, and it must be treated as junk mail.
Personal Experience:
One individual had a very determined group of scammers, including an ex-soldier. The scammers used the ID and bank account scam, sending a check that turned out to be counterfeit. The bank clerk mentioned that they receive many such checks daily. The scammer's persistence was relentless, causing considerable stress. The check was so clearly fake that anyone could see it was not genuine and the bank clerk warned them about the thin paper and blurred ink.
While distraught, taking a picture of the clerk holding the check was a mistake as the clerk was trying to get the individual to call the police. The individual refused as they had no identifying information about the scammer. The situation was indeed humiliating, and the experience of the thin, blurred paper suggested the check was fake.
Fraudulent checks are worthless, and any attempt to deposit them will result in a bounced check. The best course of action is to tear up and discard the check immediately. Handle it with the same caution as junk mail delivered by the USPS. If you do come across a counterfeit check, promptly report it to relevant authorities and do not engage in any transactions that could compromise your financial security.