[DLo]

Should I be careful if somebody wants to pay with a cashier's check? With all this talk recently of scammers, I've gotten quite alot of emails that involve the cashier's check and a "shipper". But this latest one isn't very long and detailed like the rest, "I WANNA KNOW IF YOUR ADS IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SALE.SO I WILL WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
MY MODE OF PAYMENT IS BY CERTIFIED CASHIER CHECK WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE BEST MODE OF
PAYMENT.
AND ALSO I WILL WANT YOU TO E MAIL ME IF IT IS STILL AVAILABLE."

Should I take it? I know the bank usually takes 5-6 days to clear a check. If that happens, I should be fine right?

 

[quadricolour]

Just by the language, smells like a scam. There are lots of forged cashiers checks out there. If they're in the US, ask for a USPS money order instead, you can cash them without any connection to your bank account.

 

[DLo]

Right, I've usually asked for money orders. But I've also done checks in the past and never had a problem. I'm weary of doin a transaction that deals with a huge amount of money though.

 

[Slugman]

Right, I've usually asked for money orders. But I've also done checks in the past and never had a problem. I'm weary of doin a transaction that deals with a huge amount of money though.

The way the scam works is that they tell you to send the item right away, so when the check bounces you get screwed.

Just tell them that the item will not ship until the check has cleared THEIR bank. Typically this is a 2 week process.

DO NOT send it once your account shows that the funds are available... that does not mean that it has cleared, just that your bank has processed it.

 

[BurlyShirley]

I always do Money Orders. I mean, why not? Its as easy as a check and secure. The only way I go other than paypal.

 

[binary visions]

If someone can't be bothered to write a coherent, detailed email to me, I won't even discuss selling it with them.

You can always tell the difference between someone who simply has English as a second language, but still tries to construct real sentences, and a scammer. That has scammer written all over it.

As was said above, if you deal with any kind of check, wait until it clears the other person's bank. Postal money orders, escrow services, or Paypal is the best way to go, though.

 

[ohio]

What's the difference between a cashier's check and a certified check? I didn't think there was one. I certified check is a direct withdrawal from your account. It's same as cash. A reputable bank can't issue one unless you have the funds on hand to deduct from, and you can't get it back unless you cancel it before it's deposited ("converted" I think) such as in the case of loss or theft.

Maybe I'm wrong?

I've paid with certified check before, and I was always worried about being scammed on MY end, because I was essentially handing over cash.

 

[Slugman]

What's the difference between a cashier's check and a certified check? I didn't think there was one. I certified check is a direct withdrawal from your account. It's same as cash. A reputable bank can't issue one unless you have the funds on hand to deduct from, and you can't get it back unless you cancel it before it's deposited ("converted" I think) such as in the case of loss or theft.

Maybe I'm wrong?

I've paid with certified check before, and I was always worried about being scammed on MY end, because I was essentially handing over cash.

The problem is that both are really easy to forge... so you need to be wary of accepting it.

 

[binary visions]

What's the difference between a cashier's check and a certified check? I didn't think there was one. I certified check is a direct withdrawal from your account. It's same as cash. A reputable bank can't issue one unless you have the funds on hand to deduct from, and you can't get it back unless you cancel it before it's deposited ("converted" I think) such as in the case of loss or theft.

Well, I don't know about a certified check, but the cashier's check I got had no transaction performed against my account. The woman behind the counter looked at my balance (I assume to ensure that I did have the funds), but she didn't transact anything. She simply wrote me out the cashier's check. I could have walked across the office to the ATM and taken every cent out of my account.

I wondered what the point of the cashier's check even was when I saw that.

 

[Repack]

I know that certain kinds of certified checks can be cancelled, just like you can put a stop payment on a regular check. I was closing out a bank account once and did that. You use a serial number on the receipt. SInce the guy has internet, I would tell him to use Paypal.

 

[DLo]

I avoid paypal.. I'm too stingy to pony up that stupid 2% fee or whatever it is. I don't even have that upgraded account junk either. I'd prefer money orders too.

Btw, has anybody ever sent out a money order in the mail, and gotten it lost? Sounds kind of scary to me.

 

[binary visions]

Btw, has anybody ever sent out a money order in the mail, and gotten it lost? Sounds kind of scary to me.

If the money order is worth a good amount, you can insure it for that amount.

 

[Honeywell]

If the money order is worth a good amount, you can insure it for that amount.

When I tried to insure a MO the PO said I couldn't buy insurance for a letter, or something to that effect.

 

[s1ngletrack]

That's a scam - no question.

 

[binary visions]

When I tried to insure a MO the PO said I couldn't buy insurance for a letter, or something to that effect.

Just ship it in one of those flat rate priority envelopes or something.

 

[Slugman]

I avoid paypal.. I'm too stingy to pony up that stupid 2% fee or whatever it is. I don't even have that upgraded account junk either. I'd prefer money orders too.

Btw, has anybody ever sent out a money order in the mail, and gotten it lost? Sounds kind of scary to me.

I had one disapear... they charge like $6 to process a claim, and you get your money back in 6-8 weeks.

Sucks, but you get your money back...

However, this can only be done if it is truely lost, if someone had already cashed it, you are SOL unless they changed the name or something.

 

[DLo]

Hm. Cool, all good info in this thread. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[DLo]

WTF is this...

We are interested in buying your above mentioned front shock at advertised rate.
Shock will be picked up from your location for onward shipping to London. Cost and
modalities of shipping to be born by us.

Payment for the purchase is by check through a debtor in US. The debtor owes us
higher than our purchase. He will therefore be sending you a check for $5,000 to
cover the cost of our order, as well as the Shipping costs.

On receipt of the check, you will cash and deduct the cost of our order .The balance
you will send as we would instruct you to the Agency that will ship the shock to us.
If this arrangement suites you fine, please send us your address where to send the
check, as well as the name to be on it. Also send us your phone number for easy
communication.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Best Regards
MR. JOHN GRAHAM.

 

[binary visions]

WTF is this...

It's a scam. There's another thread about this right now, right on the main page - pay attention :
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98590

 

[DRB]

That is a rip off. Do not under any circumstances trust it. I'd go ahead and have them ship you a forged $5000 check and watch how dillegently the follow up.

As for cashier's checks and certified checks. In either case they can be forged and before anything happens you should make sure they clear the issuing bank not your bank.

Even money orders are susceptible to forging. Postal money orders are really the best in those cases.

 

[DLo]

It's a scam. There's another thread about this right now, right on the main page - pay attention :
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98590

Damn.. I really need to get a decent job again so I can surf on the web more. Sorry. I like how obvious this scam was