As reported in the July 2013 edition, there are criminals using online auction websites to dupe people into sending money to them. The criminals send payment using a fictitious check drawn from what looks like our Company and our bank. They instruct the recipient to cash the check and return a portion immediately to the sending party.

When the recipient deposits the check, they quickly discover it is counterfeit and will not cash. The criminals are hoping the return funds are already on the way back to them using online money transfers, before the depositor discovers the check is counterfeit.

Recently, an employee of the company reported a new twist to the scam. Here is her story:

"Before I started working for the Company, I received a job offer via email for a work at home job. I was told I had to purchase a special computer and software which would be paid for by the company. They sent a cashier's check for $2,500 and said to go to the store and purchase the equipment.

I was wary and asked my bank to verify the funds first before I bought anything. They did and found that the cashier's check which had been sent via overnight delivery was fraudulent. Because of this check and my making the bank aware of the issue before any funds were withdrawn, my account with the bank was closed.

I am unable to ever have another account with this bank due to the word fraud being associated with my name and social security number. It is just another way people scam other people out of money and cause long lasting effects which should not be held against the victims."

Unfortunately the scam continues to haunt the Company on a daily basis. Criminals forge checks to look like title company checks, using correct account information and then send them out as payment. Many times the recipients of the check call the company to verify the check is valid before depositing it.

The calls have reiterated the same scenario as what happened to our employee, the recipient clicks on a link in an email looking for part–time work and they are sucked into the story. If you receive one of those calls, be sure to tell the caller, not only is the check counterfeit, but if they attempt to cash the check their bank might charge them a processing fee when it is returned as fraudulent and they might close their account altogether.