Mystery check in mailbox is a scam, fraud experts say


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SALT LAKE CITY — For a moment it felt like the Ewing home had hit the jackpot.

"When's the last time you got sent $1,890 for doing nothing?" Dirk Ewing said.

But Ewing wasn't expecting a big payout from a school in Tennessee, which the check appeared to be drawn on. After all, he'd never sent any of his children there.

"I don't do business with anybody out of Chattanooga, Tennessee," he said.

The Ewings called the school, which told them they didn't send it, and a phone call to the bank named on the check revealed that the account doesn't exist.

The check had arrived at their home in a priority mail envelope and was the only thing inside. There were no instructions on what to do with it, which baffled the Ewings. By now the family knew they'd been the target of a scam, but weren't sure how the scheme worked.

Karen Nelson is an operational risk consultant at Wells Fargo bank. Checks like this, she said, are usually the handiwork of international crime organizations from Russia, Nigeria or the Caribbean.

Doug Ewing said a check for $1,890 arrived at his home in a priority mail envelope and was the only thing inside. There were no instructions on what to do with it, which baffled him.
Doug Ewing said a check for $1,890 arrived at his home in a priority mail envelope and was the only thing inside. There were no instructions on what to do with it, which baffled him. (Photo: KSL TV)

"Even though the perpetrator is out of the country, they have individuals in the country that are stealing mail and stealing identities," Nelson said.

In Ewing's case, he had posted an online ad when a supposed buyer tried to cut a deal over email and asked for his personal information. He said he didn't give up the information, but he realizes it doesn't take much to track people down. Even an Internet search of a phone number could reveal a mailing address.

From there a con artist ships a counterfeit check, then follows up with another e-mail or letter that offers instructions on what to do with the check.

In some cases the con artists gets too many potential victims in the pipeline and may get confused about which victims he's sent checks to and may never follow up.

But Ewing took full advantage of one key thing: a scammer operating a chaotic scheme. By the time he spotted an email in his inbox instructing him to deposit the check, he'd already figured out what was going on.

Tips to avoid falling victim to a check scam

  1. Throw away any offer that asks you to pay for a prize or a gift.
  2. Resist the urge to enter foreign lotteries.
  3. Know who you're dealing with, and never wire money to strangers.
  4. If you're selling something, don't accept a check for more than the selling price, no matter how tempting the offer or how convincing the story.
  5. If a buyer insists on using a particular escrow or online payment service you've never heard of, check it out.
  6. If you accept payment by check, ask for a check drawn on a local bank, or a bank with a local branch.
  7. If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
  8. Resist any pressure to "act now." If the buyer's offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears.
  9. Read more at www.consumer.ftc.gov

The email explained additional funds were added to the check he'd received, and after cashing it Ewing was to reserve part of the check to pay for shipping.

The email had numerous grammatical errors, which is a sign it may have originated overseas. Experts say had the Ewings wired the money to cover supposed shipping fees, the family likely would've been left holding the bag.

Had the Ewings deposited the check, it would have bounced and the family would have been stuck repaying their bank any money they had wired to the scammer. Of course, by the time the check was returned, the con artist would have been long gone.

Con artists can pirate names of legitimate companies, so if you get a check you weren't expecting, even if it looks like a real check, experts say you should contact your bank immediately.

If you post an ad online and a buyer wants an item shipped, it should be a red flag. If the buyer wants to see an item, if possible meet in a neutral site and don't give away your home address.

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Debbie Dujanovic

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