Indy woman warning others after receiving fake check in the mail
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis woman is warning others after receiving a fake check in the mail for an online transaction.
The woman, who asked not to be identified told 24-Hour News 8 she was using a mobile app to sell something online and almost got scammed out of thousands of dollars from an interested buyer.
She said she was trying to sell a used dryer for $900 on OfferUp when she received a message for an offer.
She said the buyer told her he lives out of state and would send the check in the mail.
“He said, oh I didn’t know why it didn’t come, but it should be there today and go ahead and proceed to the bank,” she said, “That was the other red flag, who says proceed in a personal conversation?”
She received the check in the mail for $2,000 and knew something wasn’t right. She said she didn’t cash the check, but instead had someone verify the authenticity
“They checked it out, they called the bank that was listed on the check and the bank said well that’s not one of our checks. Our checks are green, these checks are blue and plus it looks like it was on cheap paper,” she said.
The woman said she filed a report with the attorney general, the federal trade commission, and the U.S. postal service.
“I immediately emailed him and said scam in all capital letters and I put red faces,” she said. “I was like this is ridiculous and he emailed me back, oh trust me this is not a scam.”
But every year, thousands of people become a victim of the check scam, according to the Better Business Bureau.
“I want to save someone else from getting in trouble because I’m a single mother and I work hard for my money,” she said. “I don’t need anyone else going into my checking account taking anything else out of there.”
The Better Business Bureau said often times with the check scam the person who sends you the check will write it out for more and ask you to wire the difference back.
By that time the check is already processed with the bank and you’re left with an overdraft.
The Better Business Bureau said you want to double check the details and check with your bank. Make sure the funds have been collected just because the money is available doesn’t mean it’s really there.
