A client called me this morning…
he was heading to the bank.

But he was concerned. He had just received a Cashiers Check Fedex’d to him. And the amount was more than he quoted. Apparently the person sending the check included extra for my client to babysit another contractor. Yeah so hinky.

So knowing I wrote the book on scams (read…Rob Versus The Scammers) he wondered if he was being scammed.

I immediately said YES.

Unfortunately he was sitting in his car waiting for the bank to open…so I told him to send me pics of the cashiers check, which he texted to me.

The check was drawn on a Texas bank. What immediately jumped out at me though was the fact the check had two signatures on it…and although I’m no signature expert I could tell they were signed by the same person.

The cashiers check was missing newer security elements that should show up in a picture – they weren’t there.

At the top of the check were the words: “Remitter” and a name. Well that name didn’t match up with the name the client said sent the check.

So I asked…”Where was the check sent from?”

He said Georgia.

“UGH!”

So the check was from Texas, but mailed from Georgia and apparently the client lived in Michigan with property in Pennsylvania.

A few minutes later my client walked into the bank and they confirmed it was FAKE.

Had he deposited that FAKE check he would have lost money when the check bounced. 

Avoid being scammed. Be observant. Look at the clues. And if you get a cashiers check for more than its supposed to be, be very suspicious…because 99% of the time it’s a scam.