[Chelsea4113]

I need help to make sure I'm not being scammed with this check?
I've been looking for a job and have given my name and email to several people. A guy named Jason Wood emailed me about being his PA. He said my name came up from his online agent, which may or may not be true. I said I would love to be his PA. He gave me a job description. And then 5 days later this guy calls me at band practice. I had no idea who it was but when he told me I was shocked. He told me he had fedex deliver a package to me. In the package was a $2450.50 dollar check. I was emailed directions on depositing the check and sending cash to pay one of his art suppliers in California via money-gram at walmart. But I'm not stupid I know something bad would happened if I did that though my account and the check wasn't for real. What exactly would happen if I did it and it wasn't real? How do I find out if it's for real? If I don't send the cash, and wait for verification, and the check is fraud what would happen? I REALLY NEED A JOB! But I really don't need to be scammed. If you need more info. I'll reply it to you but PLEASE HELP! I really need it, I don't have forever to decide to do this or not. Thank you!

[J_9]

Big time scam!! That check he sent you will bounce!

[N0help4u]

That is a scam. I just got the same thing from a woman [supposedly from Colorado]. She sent me a 2,100. Check from Roundup Ranch Camp for my 99.00 item I had for sale. She wanted me to take $300. And send her the rest through Fedex. I called Roundup Ranch Camp and they said they didn't know the woman and that somebody has been scamming money from their account.

[ScottGem]

Take this to the police immediately.

[N0help4u]

My police say they don't bother with Internet scams. Im mailing it to RoundUp Ranch so they can get their Bank and police involved

[Chelsea4113]

Yes, but what can I do? Where do I send this too. He's asking me to send it to a supplier in californa, do I just do send the 'fake' check or not? And what if it isn't fake? Would I get in trouble for sending someone else's check to California? Would I get in trouble of I keep it or threw it away? What would happen if I did do exactly what he says? What would happen if I waited for the check to be verified BEFORE I sent the cash and it turned out to be fake? What would happen if I waited for the check to be verified AFTER I sent the cash and it turned out to be fake?

[odinn7]

It's fake. It's a scam. There is no "what if"... this is a well known scam. Try thinking about all of this logically for a minute. Why didn't he send the money to this person? Why do you need a money gram from walmart? Did you actually interview with him before he "hired" you? It's a scam.

You don't do anything with the check except in the case of doing what Scott suggested and going to the police.

If you deposit the check it will clear... after you use the money as you were instructed, a few weeks later the check will be found to be no good. By then it will be too late. You will be out the money you sent with money gram, you will be out the money that you overdraft from your bank, and you will likely be facing charges for passing bad checks.

[Chelsea4113]

OK I'll go to the police. But I have one question: I know how this makes my life hell, but how does he gain anything from this? If I sent him the money wouldn't it just be bounced? And can the police actaully help?

[smearcase]

If you send the check anywhere you mail become a party to mail fraud.

[Wondergirl]

You are to send him cash. Even if it isn't that much, if he can con 100 people to do the same thing, he can make money with little effort..

[N0help4u]

You tear it up and block him. Whatever you do you do not do anything he tells you to

[odinn7]

ok I'll go to the police. But I have one question: I know how this makes my life hell, but how does he gain anything from this? if I sent him the money wouldn't it just be bounced? And can the police actaully help?

Actually, that is 3 questions, not just one.

You deposit his fake check.
You then go to walmart and get a money gram with your money and send that to the "art" guy.
The art guy is him or his friend and you just sent them real money from your account because you thought his check would cover it all.
Now he has real money.
You have a bad check.
You account goes bad when you overdraft because his check is no good.
You get in trouble for trying to pass a bad check.

Now do you see how he makes his money?
And you're not going to be able to find him because money grams and western union can be claimed by pretty much anyone from anywhere as long as they have the proper information.

The police might be able to help, maybe not. Will it hurt to ask them?

[Alty]

This scam is one of the most popular. As odinn said, think about it. If he needed to pay his art supplier why wouldn't he just send the art supplier the check? Why, because he's a scam artist. You deposit the check, you take out the cash (which you think will be covered by the check), you send it to him (there is no art supplier, it's the scammer that's getting the money), and by the time the check bounces, you're out the money, and he's got your cash. That's his business, and if even one person a month falls for it, he's making a very nice living, and you, the scammed, have no recourse, all the info he gave you is false.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...bSnzseIaJOV-OQ

There are tons of posts about this sort of thing online. Above is just one link. Google "check scams", and a brief description, and you'll get page after page of people that went through the same thing.

[Fr_Chuck]

I agree, the checks are often from stolen accounts, so they can take 3 to 5 weeks to show up as bad. Sometimes a little longer. They are often written on real accounts, but using fake or false checks.

So the check will clear the 3 or 4 day waiting period,

You send the money to them by money gram, or western union.

Then when the check bounces, the bank makes you pay all the money back, if you can not, they press criminal charges for bank check fraud and you are the guilty person.
** this is common and happens a lot.