Scammers send out bogus checks
By Tony Bartelme
Sophisticated scammers are sending bogus checks for $3,950 to people in the Charleston area and elsewhere across the country with the promise of thousands of dollars more.
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At first glance, the checks appear to be from WorkflowOne, a real company based in Dayton, Ohio. But they're fakes. "It's a scam," said Sharon Williamson, WorkflowOne's director of corporate communications.
What's different about this scam is the quality of the checks. "With today's copier technology, it's easy to make good copies," Williamson said.
Unfortunately, she said, if someone cashes the check, the bank could request that the money be returned once the fraud is discovered.
"It's the consumer who is hurt," she said, adding that the company has safeguards in place to make sure its bank accounts aren't affected. She said the company first heard about the scam two week ago from the Better Business Bureau and some employees.
A Charleston resident received the check and a letter dated "16 July, 2009," announcing "on behalf of The Grants Association, we are proud to announce that your grant in the amount of $50,500 has been approved." The letter says that to get the money, one needs only to send a $5,500 "commission fee."
Watchdog contacted the phone number on the letter, 1-514-690-0683, several times Tuesday. The person who answered seemed to have his or her voice altered electronically and hung up after being told a reporter was seeking information about the check.
Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
sardis12 (anonymous) says...
What kind of idiots fall for this nonsense?
I used to get e-mail all the time from some alleged foreign "barrister" looking for the heirs to a deceased client. I stood to inherit millions, but of course I had to send him a couple thousand first. And the spelling and grammar were ridiculously bad. I almost wanted to respond just to see what kind of story he'd give me.
Everyone should know by now that there is no such thing as free money. Well, unless you work for AIG or a bank too big to fail...
July 29, 2009 at 1:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/20...
Watchdog The Post and Courier's on-line center for investigative reporting.
"Are you ticked off by people who illegally use handicap placards? Want to know which restaurants are making you sick or which gas stations have bad pumps?"
P&C reporters extending social sensitivity and deference to officials involved in PUBLIC CORRUPTION is far more interesting. It is sooooo hard to get wrapped around the frenetic concerns of reporters who are not comfortable-doing their job-or who are allegedly fearful of being sued for-doing their job.
July 29, 2009 at 6:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
metallic (anonymous) says...
>>>Unfortunately, she said, if someone cashes the check, the bank could request that the money be returned once the fraud is discovered.<<<
The bank "COULD" request that the money be returned?
No, the bank will DEMAND that the money be returned, or you'll likely be facing criminal fraud charges!
July 29, 2009 at 6:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mb300sl (anonymous) says...
The only news here is that someone might be stupid enough to fall for this scam...
July 29, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lois_Lane (anonymous) says...
A bad check is a bad check. Whomever it is made out to, if they cash it, is bottomline responsible for it. I received a nice check the other day for over $3,500 - it sure looked legitimate, but then again unless you want to spend time behind bars, it looks better in the shredder. People need to use their brains.
July 29, 2009 at 8:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ironhorse (anonymous) says...
"The person who answered seemed to have his or her voice altered electronically"
So if I'm talking to Yoda and am told "check cash you must".....it's a scam?
July 29, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bigdaveyb (anonymous) says...
ROFL to ironhorse's comment :)
July 29, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tc1 (anonymous) says...
I have seen normaly intelligent people go bonkers at the chance of anything "FREE" and the ability to print perfect duplicates of about anything today is pretty cheap. That said I will send you $5000 if you will send me $500 first for shipping and handling.
If you fall for that there is no way to protect you from yourself no matter how well printed the material is. Some of these scams are amazingly tempting and good. But like the old Jamaican accent and lost money scam they ALWAYS come back to the Same Thing, You Give me some money First and then I will give You MORE money. The greed of the human animal just can't resist.
July 29, 2009 at 8:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammanofdi (anonymous) says...
Why can't they just trace the phone number? Is it that hard to do now?
July 29, 2009 at 8:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tc1 (anonymous) says...
"Why can't they just trace the phone number? Is it that hard to do now?"
They can but by the time all the
bureaucracies involved, including the Feds, get through bumping into each other and decide who has juristiction the bad guys are gone. And there are enough suckers out there to be gone with a lot of money, set up a new location and start all over.
I don't think the authorities even bother other then to make the info public like this article. I also don't think that is bad considering the man power they have and the violence out there that they have to deal with.
July 29, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
Gracias Ironhorse, needed that chuckle today.
July 29, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kidmaster6 (anonymous) says...
Greedy people and truly naive older people fall for this stuff. SHAME!
July 29, 2009 at 9:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
Abouit six years ago I was contacted by a "Doctor" sometufu or moregumbo or some such sounding name claiming to be a high ranking official in the Nigerian government who'd been made aware of a large estate exceeding $27 million that had no claimant.
For "only" $10 thousand I could, with the insider connections of this official, receive half of that estate and he would get the other half.
Being a government official prohibited him from taking advantage of this opportunity but with my comparatively "small" investment and his efforts to take care of all the administrative and legal details it was a guaranteed deal.
I had a number of sessions with the good doctor as I probed him for the possible existence of some other "estates" that were waiting for some lucky individual to capitalize on.
I informed him that money was not a real problem on my end as long as I could realize a substantial gain. He loved that and assured me that once this deal was completed he had many others that he was looking into.
This went on for a couple of weeks then I was no longer able to contact him.
I was devastated! I wanted my half of that $27 million. I search everyday hoping to be afforded another chance to strike it rich.
If I'm lucky and receive my $3950 from The Grants Association maybe I'll hold it till another good friend in Nigeria contacts me then I can use that $3950 to acquire maybe only $5 million but then, "half a loaf is better than none"!
July 29, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
Posted by Kidmaster6 on July 29, 2009 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Greedy people and truly naive older people fall for this stuff. SHAME!
==========================================
That's me,!The scammers took my life savings and I'm penniless I really need help. Please send this aging gentleman some money so I can buy a wholesome meal. Serious replies only please!
July 29, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
counterpoint (anonymous) says...
So I shouldn't have cashed the check?
July 29, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cidgrad89 (anonymous) says...
Somebody sends me a check, I'm cashing it. If the bank determines it's fradulent, just give them the money back. Why would you go to jail for that?
July 29, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dessy1 (anonymous) says...
waits for ed mcmahon to show up with my check so i can punch him :s
July 29, 2009 at 1:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tc1 (anonymous) says...
cidgrad89,
you won't If you pay ALL of it back including any portion you sent to someplace in Africa or elsewhere. :)
counterpoint,
if you're serious see cidgrad89 @ 12:43 and this response.
July 29, 2009 at 2:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MindBath (anonymous) says...
cidgrad, they didn't explain the scam well in the article. They say something like you are going to get $50,000.00 from some bogus entity, but you must pay $3,000.00 to release the funds. And here's a cashier's check for $3,500.00, put it in your bank, send us a check for $3,000.00 and keep the $500.
The $3500 check is bogus and you are out the $3000 on the check you wrote.
July 29, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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