I received a check that looks real with an Austalian scam letter. What would happen if I cashed it?

Question

The lettter says I have to call a "tax agent" located in Canada and the letter says "do not attempt to use this check until you call." What happens if I don't call them and just cash the check? You know, burn them at their own game? They want me to western union them $4000 to cover the "taxes" on a prize of $100,000. Like I'm that stupid.

I would never cash it, the last thing I need is to go to jail over something so stupid, but I just wonder what would happen if I did??

Would my bank come after me or the people who made the check out?

Answer 1

The bank would come after you.  If you think even a little bit that the check might be counterfeit, forged, or in any way not good and you try to cash it you are committing a crime.  At best the bank will simply take the money back out of your account.  You may find yourself trying to explain why you cashed it to the police or FBI.

Even if you could cash the check, the money wouldn't come from the scammers.  It's certainly not drawn on one of their own accounts.  You wouldn't be getting back at them, but simply soaking some other victim.

Answer 2

Scams like these are pretty common. Your bank would definitely come after you, not the people who made the check. Your bank account would be in deficit $4,000.00 plus whatever fees you may have accrued due to lack of funds and the bank doesn't expect anybody except you to pay for that loss. It sucks. It's a lot of bull yet amazingly people tend to fall for it all the time!

Answer 3

If your bank actually accepted the check as a deposit they would eventually charge you for a returned item.  I think it is safe to say that this check will not clear the system.  Your bank will debit the amount from your account and charge you a fee.  If you took out any of the money credited to your account you might be in an 'over draft' position, more fees.  If your bank thought that you knowingly deposited a non-negotiable check then they can charge you with fraud.

Not worth the trouble.  Light the BBQ with it, impress your friends.

Answer 4

Your bank will come after you, because you will be the one to cash it.  You will be responsible for repaying it, plus associated fees.  If the check is large enough, your bank may even elect to call the police and have you charged with some type of fraud.

Answer 5

The check won't be honored and you will be hit with a returned check fee.  They probably want you to deposit the check and send them the $4K so your account will be negative 104K.  Yes you will probably be charged with check fraud.

Answer 6

It wouldn't cash, and you'd go through a big embarresstment,if not more

Answer 7

When you get a bogus check, your bank can choose not to cash it until they've checked it out.  However, if they do cash it, they will take the money out of your account to cover it should it bounce.

Most bogus checks are used to either get access to your account or to get you to cash them and then be subject to some sort of small print that you didn't see.