SCAMPATROL

[cars]

i have my car for sale on line. duncan smith sent me a check what should i do

[Former Member]

Try to explain please. How can we be of assistance to you if you do not explain yourself? Who is Duncan? What are the circumstances? Do you suspect fraud?

First and foremost, if you have received a cheque for MORE than the amount of your car -- IT'S A FAKE CHEQUE.

Don't cash it, just hand it over to the Police. Do not contact the scammer again.

[Q]

I'm afraid we need more information than that!

I suspect you are trying to ask what to do if you received a fake cheque. Well first of all if you suspect the cheque is fake - DON'T CASH IT! Secondly you can do one of three things.

1. Rip the cheque up and bin it
   
2. Take the cheque to the bank its supposily be issued from and tell you received it for an item you were selling online and you become suspicous with the buyer and you suspect the cheque maybe fraudulent.
   
3. Take the cheque to the local police and again say you received the cheque for an item you were selling and you became supicous of the buyer and believe the cheque is fraudulent.

Thirdly and finally cease all contact with the scammer and block his email address. If you can change you email address altoghter to prevent him from using a different address to contact you from.

Don't worry if the scammer threatens you with the police or FBI but don't fall for it, they're in the wrong not you. They are bluffing. They're not going to call the police or FBI.


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HOW THE FAKE CHEQUE SCAM WORKS
The buyer will offer to purchase your item, but he needs to send a cheque which exceeds the amount you want for the item. It's ok because all you need to do is take out what you require for your item and send back the change.

What will happen is that the cheque will appear to clear, and the fund may be available with withdrawal. The cheque however hasn't cleared. Its take the banks time to spot fraudlent cheques (too long) and it only bounces when they realise they cannot withdraw funds from that account or they receive a chargeback from a real account which notices fraudulent activity on it.

So if the amount the cheque is made out for exceedd the value of the item you are selling and/or you need to wire the extra funds from the cheque through Western Union or MoneyGram to a third party, then someone is trying to scam you using the Fake Cheque scam.

[HomerJFong]

I was the one that contacted this person originally. They were being victimized by Duncan Smith - your typical fake 4-1-9 cheque scammer.

I simply suggested that they cut off all conversations with the scammer, but, for additional acvice, to contact the people at this forum.

[IGOTUSED]

Dont cash it. I have heard about Duncan Smith and he is working with a guy named James and they are VERY MUCH FRAUDULANT and wanting money!!!!!!!!!! THey promised me 15 million dollars and sent me a fraudulant check to cover expenses over there to release the check and guess what it was FRAUD!!!!!!!!!!!

[Murdockh]

I think that point has been covered, igotused.

-M-