If I get a cashier's check in the US and then go to London, can I cash it in the UK?

Question

I just want to know that if I get a cashier's check in the US and then go to London, can I cash it in the UK? How do cashier's checks work, can you get a blank cashier's check and decide who you are going to send it to later?

Answer 1

Are you talking about a US$ cashiers check or a bank draft which could be in $ or £? Either way, it would have to be made payable to a name and be paid into a UK bank account with the same name. It's possible if it's not "A/C payee only", to endorse it on the back to be made payable to someone with a bank account or you might be able to open one.

Next will be the delay before the check 'clears'; it has to be sent to the bank that issued it by post and then a confirmation sent to the bank where it was deposited. That could take several weeks if it's a US bank. If it's a US$ check there will be currency exchange and maybe a foreign check deposit fee as well. The cost depends on the amount of money too.

There are many quicker and less expensive ways of getting money from the US in the UK or other countries. A VISA ATM card is just one; also Western Union, MoneyGram, bank transfer.

And yes, after reading your update, which would have been helpful to start with, it does sound like a scam.

Answer 2

It is a SCAM.

You will send the money back to him, then the bank will tell you that the cheques are fake and you will have to pay the money back.  Meanwhile, he will have vanished.