Scam detective help please....

[Nickster]

Folks,

I remember a few days ago someone said they had received a huge check/money order in the mail from some contest. I don't remember the links that everyone posted to debunk it. I also can't find the thread when I'm searching.

The gist of it,a friend of mine received a 9200 dollar check for some contest. I told her to be careful and check it out, but she seems convinced it's legit. I know there is no such thing as free money.

Any thoughts?

[northzax]

1. it's a scam

here's how it works.

she deposits the check and withdraws some money to send to the scammer (for fees or sometihng) eventually it is determined that the check is a fake, and she's out all the moeny.

[Nickster]

4. Yeah, I asked that question. She said they didn't ask for any personal

details and they didn't ask for any cash upfront. The check looks real, but I'm beating my head over this, cause I swear one of the DUers here had the same situation and it was trounced by the team.

[Mz Pip]

2. If your friend

did not enter a contest and received this I would be very suspect.

Also some companies use large "checks" to get people into their stores. The "checks" are used toward the purchase of large ticket items. For example a "check" for $3000 could be used only toward the purchase of a $28,000 car but just can't be cashed.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Vincardog]

3. IF they have the check take it to the bank. Just do not give anybody money

to "process" your prize. I keep getting emails telling me I "Won" a UK lottery. They say I have to fill out the information forms to claim My money. The money is any where from a million to a Million and a half Pounds Sterling. Then they want me to send money to process the checks.

Never fill out the claim forms they will use the information to steal your identity.
Never send any money to get your prize money. No legitimate lottery gives money away without you having to buy your chance and no body charges you money to claim your prize.

If you get a check watch for them to ask for you to cash it and give them a percent. They will give you a fake check and take your real money.

[texastoast]

5. What bank issued the check?

Take the check to that bank and cash it. If it's legit, it will go through, and she will have cash in had that day. The bank will verify funds available. I'm not holding my breath here.

[Nickster]

8. Great Western Reserve-Minneapolis, MN

Did some googling for that name and SCAM, Fraud, etc. Haven't found anything yet.

[texastoast]

12. Any branches?

Or is that close to you? I would also be careful and read the back and all over the front of the check. Some of these big money checks (like from car dealers) are issued with the restriction that if the check is cashed, the endorser has to do blah, blah, blah.

[Nickster]

14. No, no branches anywhere near here. I didn't see ANY contract type languag

on the front or back. No hidden spaces to hide any either.

[Warpy]

6. If she entered the contest, it has a chance of being legit

If she didn't enter the contest and it arrived out of the blue, tell her to read it very, very carefully. One of two things will be true: either it is a comeon to get her to refinance something or it's a comeon that will cost her a few hundred bucks to "register" her winnings or some such nonsense.

You're right, money doesn't drop out of the sky.

[Nickster]

11. She didn't sound convincing about knowing exactly which contest, etc.

I think she just didn't want me to dump on her parade. I'm guessing from her response it was out of the blue. I didn't see any "terms" on the back like those loan checks have. Just a regular endorsement area.

[Redstone]

7. Have her read ALL the fine print.

It's probably a loan at 32% interest.

Redstone

[donco6]

18. That's my guess.

It's a check all right, but once you deposit it, you are obligated to pay it back at some ridiculous interest rate.

[AngryAmish]

9. My father was taken in

He would get a check (like $2,000 of the $25,000 car) and figure he was getting a check free and clear. He was in his dotage and luckily if anything had to be deposited it was run through my sister or myself.

Before the no-call list he was constantly bothered for telemarketers through his credit card (his card would "partner" with outside companies to telemarket junk. They would call up and get him to agree to anything (he was quite deaf). Then the charge would show up on his credit card. It was enraging and I had to contact the credit card company and threaten them to prevent any further calls.

[cynatnite]

10. She needs to have her bank verify the check...

before taking the cash. If it's fake, her bank may pursue charges against those who made it. She can ask someone there if it's legit. Some of the bank people are well-versed in fake checks and can spot them pretty easily.

[Nickster]

13. I think that may be the best advice. My uneducated guess is that it's

fake as hell. The check just doesn't look right, can't describe it much better than that. No indents on it etc. It had a real signature on it and no, this check is not good for above....disclaimers like I'd expect. Also, being such a large amount, it would seem like it should have a system generated signature rather than a regular ink signature on it.

[cynatnite]

19. A friend who works in a bank...

told me once that some banks will follow up on fake checks and file the charges themselves. She needs to be careful in approaching them so it won't look like she's passing a fake one.

[Catchawave]

17. Great suggestion !

These scammers and phishers are getting very high tech, time to let the banks earn their *service charges* too !

[Nickster]

15. You know, I was just thinking. I'm the friend that you don't want to tell

these kinds of things to. I'm so darn cynical that I don't believe anything.LoL

[Synnical]

16. Couple of links

Tips for Prizes and Sweepstakes, from the Internet Fraud Watch
http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/sweepstakes.htm

Prize Offers: You Don’t Have to Pay to Play!
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/prizes.htm

[Nickster]

20. Excellent, Thanks a bunch!