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Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 05:59 PM

I met a woman at a casino who asked me to cash a check for her. I had seen her there before as she is a regular. She reasured me that all will be fine as she has over 30,000 in her savings which she said is linked to her checking(she even showed me the statement) When I asked her why she couldn't cash her checks or withdraw money she said her husband would know she was gambling again but if she wrote it to me he wouldn't know because he wouldn't be checking the bank records. So I agreed to this as she would give me 100 dollars for cashing the check for her. I was so stupid and nieve I even believed when she told me the bank would not cash it if I didn't have the funds so I cashed a total of 8 checks for her in one weeks period totalling 15,000 dollars. I talked to the bank and found out I am responsible for paying this back which I did by borrowing the money from my family. I filed a police report but the police were hesitant to take the report telling me this is a civil matter. I then called and cancelled the report because when I contacted the woman who wrote me the bad checks she said if the police contact her she would lie and say I stole her checks. I was scared to death so when I called to cancel the police man said his supervisor said to file it anyhow. So now the report is in the fraud division with the detectives and I am so scared that when they question her they will believe her. This woman is a compulsive gambler and liar. I've gotten a lot of evidence such as her calling me to tell me she would repay me this money and she said the same thing to my mom. Also one day when she was at my house in that week she asked my ex husband to get money from the bank for her and she would write him a check. The problem is she only went into the bank with me once. I have all the dates and times of all the times I cashed the checks for her. She was always in her car waiting. I am very scared that I will be accused of a crime just based on her lying and saying I stole her checks. If anyone has any advice to offer besides telling me how stupid I was (believe me I know) I wish every day I could go back in time and tell this woman to get lost when she approached me but I cant. If anyone has any advice or knows the law please help.
Any advice would be appreciated. I am so scared I am going to be charged with something. I wish she could pay for what she's done but she has gotten off scott free. I am suffering so much because of this. Constantly worried.
Thank you.

Izannah · Apr 27, 2008, 06:15 PM

If she's as bad (of a gambler) and as good (she conned you big time) as you say she is, then chances are you are not her first nor will you be her last victim.

I think it's good that the police filed that anyway, better for you to err and still have done your civic duty. Her threats of lying and saying you stole her checks are just to intimidate you into doing exactly what you did, run to the cops and say "oh, nevermind...silly me!"

If you could recognize her as a regular in the casino, just imagine how many times she's been videotaped or at least seen on surveillance cameras. Not to mention she would be known to the casino staff and other patrons. As I said above, chances are she has scammed someone else there and either the story hasn't circulated yet or they were too embarrassed to say anything about it.

Stay honest with the cops, I'd even alert the security staff at the casino... they'd be interested in someone else trying to cash in on money that should go to "their" tills. In the long run, she'll either disappear and this is a lesson very harshly learned, or they will catch her and be able to prosecute her. If she wrote out the checks, that's easy enough to prove in court... you should be okay.

N0help4u · Apr 27, 2008, 06:35 PM

I agree she most likely has scammed others. You should tell the casino. Most likely they will check it out and ban her.

oneguyinohio · Apr 27, 2008, 06:49 PM

If she signed the checks, and you saw her write and sign them, then she is the one who committed the fraud. Hopefully, they were really her checks. You may need to prosecute her and her husband to try to get a judgement against them so hopefully you can somehow get a lien against any assets they might have... I see you as a victim, and she is the one who wrote the bad checks, you did not stiff the bank so you won't be charged with that, but you may have to follow through to get charges filed against the woman for passing bad checks to you. I have known a number of people who served jail time for passing bad checks... I think she might get nailed for that, but since you have borrowed money to make sure that the checks were good on your account, you should not face any charges.

Find out how to have the police charge her with passing bad checks. You might not get any money back, but hopefully she will do some time. Don't let her intimidate you, as long as you didn't sign her name on any of the checks.

Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 06:54 PM

Also the detective I spoke to was not the friendliest guy in the world when I called he said you need to just wait for us to call you it may be a month and it may be a year. I said but this is so stressfull, I'm a single mom and this woman has ruined my life. He said we hear that a lot you're a single mom. So now I don't want to call but am dying to know what if anything is being done and am constantly scared. She wrote and signed every check and did it in front of me. I just want this behind me. Does anyone know how long an investigation like this could take and how long they have to follow up? I live in California.

Izannah · Apr 27, 2008, 07:04 PM

Unfortunately it could take weeks, months and even years. It will just depend on how quickly they can build a case against her.

You did the right thing, you reported it, you cleared your part in it with the bank... until the police contact you to get more information or to identify her, you're done. You need to relax and not fret about it, it's not doing you or your child any good. Just learn from it, be much wiser in the future and cooperate with law enforcement. I would follow up, as oneguy suggested, with pursuing bad check charges against her if possible.

Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 07:11 PM

I appreciate your helping me I just wish I wasn't so scared. You said it could take years? How many years? The woman who did this also told her bank I stole her checks and the woman at her bank who I talked to said she is not filing charges. Why on earth would she say I stole her check book when she wrote the checks to me. That is the part that has me so scared. If the police believe her I am charged with a felony. But I have copies of her checks and in court I am sure they can prove it is her handwriting and also I have all the dates and times the checks were cashed and hopefully the detectives will look at the surveilance tapes. She went into the bank with me once or twice. I'm just so scared. She has not gone to the police and said I stole her checks cause she knows she would then get discovered but she told her bank so her account would not be charged. This is so scary.

Fr_Chuck · Apr 27, 2008, 07:14 PM

Well of course the police will think you were a fool to do this and maybe even not beelive you at first, **** so what, tell them to take the donut out of their hand and write the... report.
You had money stolen from you, and you will never see it if you don't do something, the worst thing you did was to call and cancell the first report.

So you have to do two things, hire an attoreny and sue her in civil court, and go and file a police report on her fraud.

And you have to stop talking to her at all, if she calls and says anything except I have your cash, don't talk to her.

N0help4u · Apr 27, 2008, 07:16 PM

Her not going to the police should be in your favor because it would make your story more reputable because who on earth is going to claim their checkbook was stolen (and the whole situation) and not report it?

oneguyinohio · Apr 27, 2008, 07:17 PM

Perhaps your bank could help you learn about the process of pressing charges against her for passing the bad checks to you? They might know more about the California laws?? Find out what business might do if such a thing happens to them? I am sure it happens a lot!

I found the link below that mentions some California laws that might help you. You might have to file criminal charges for the checks and not just a report about the fraud?? Also sounds like you might have a civil case against her, and I do not know if all of the checks would be counted separately or lumped together??

*Bad Check Writer's Beware*

Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 07:18 PM

I haven't talked to her for a couple of weeks. She called and said she was getting money from her 401 k and would call when she had it. She never called again and I have not called her because an attorney advised I don't. Also the report has been filed and is with the detectives in the fraud division. I am waiting to hear from someone now. I can not afford to hire an attorney so what can I do. My mom and grandma have already paid back the 15,000 to the bank. We have tried to find an attorney that will take the case on a contingency basis but no luck.

oneguyinohio · Apr 27, 2008, 07:28 PM

County Of Marin: District Attorney - California's Bad Check Law

I would also contact the district attorney for your area about filing criminal charges against the woman for passing bad checks.

Izannah · Apr 27, 2008, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Stephnick99

I haven't talked to her for a couple of weeks. She called and said she was getting money from her 401 k and would call when she had it. She never called again and I have not called her because an attorney advised I don't.

DO NOT listen to anything this woman tells you ever again! Of course she's going to tell you that she's getting money from her 401k and will call and pay you right back... she's also going to sprout wings and poop sunshine! Don't talk to her, don't answer the phone if she calls (hang up if you do), don't call her. Any association you have with her can be turned around by her to use against you.

You are probably not going to find an attorney to take this case on contingency because the likelihood of a payout from this scumbag is zero to zilch. Just find out about the bad check laws in California and pursue it that way, it's about all you can do.

Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 08:06 PM

I agree and I will never have any contact with her again. My mom and I were stupid to think we could get the money back by calling her and letting her know what she has done to me is a nightmare. My concern is even if I do contact the DA on this don't I look bad because I accepted 100 dollars for every check I cashed for her. That looks bad for me. I just don't want to get into any trouble. I hate the waiting. How long do they have to follow up on this? Thanks again for helping.

Fr_Chuck · Apr 27, 2008, 08:14 PM

No, this is how con men and women work they work off our greed, and our wanting to take advantage of something, this is how all of those spam emails telling you about that 1 million dollars, they are all shady, and you think you are going to pull something.

So you were going to get 100 dollars, it merely shows you should have know it was crooked and know it was a scam, but not a reason

OK, you can just give up on the money if you are rich enough if you don't want to do something, you can make excuses all day why not.

Stephnick99 · Apr 27, 2008, 08:17 PM

I do not want to give up I am just scared because this woman said if I do anything she will say I stole her checks. I am reacting by fear. God I didn't know how good my life was until this nightmare began. And to think I used to sweat the small stuff.

Izannah · Apr 27, 2008, 08:42 PM

She already said you stole the checks... the woman at her bank told you that and that she wasn't filing charges... If she is the "innocent victim" in this then why wouldn't she report it and have you in prison? Because she's the criminal in this and she knows it. She's just trying to cover her butt, which won't do any good, she's an idiot (a conniving con-woman, but an idiot, none-the-less).

Think back to the time she went into the bank with you to cash the check. Did the teller ask her for identification since it was her check? Did she endorse the check in front of the teller? Chances are she was caught on camera, but depending on how long ago that was and how long the bank stores any tapes/pictures... it may or may not be there. Somewhere along the line, there is proof that she wrote the checks, either by handwriting or by witness.

Just stick with the truth of the matter because those are the facts that cannot change and in all likelihood can be proven in one way or another. You didn't write the checks, that can be proven... she would have to prove not only that you wrote them, but had access to them to steal them. Also you have a witness to her making the offer to commit fraud, your ex. If they had anything to arrest you, they would. It's pretty clear that you are the victim here, especially since you took the responsibility to repay the money to the bank. Your actions of stepping up and repaying speak much louder than her words of check theft.

Let the system work if it can, you may never hear from this woman or anything about any charges from this again. If that's the case, you'll be doing all this worrying for a very long time...