Local residents continue to fall for check scam

Unscrupulous foreign criminals are not only victimizing unsuspecting people but are also turning them into accused criminals themselves, using them to steal thousands from local businesses.

‘What you have is well-meaning folks left holding the bag, having to pay back thousands to avoid going to jail,’ said local defense attorney Bud Sharp who has recently received a rash of phone calls and representation requests regarding cashier’s check scams. ‘These folks take advantage of the elderly and the poor. And, making it worse, is some of these folks are facing criminal charges because they cashed these worthless cashier’s checks.’

The scams, known in some circles as the Nigerian Scam, the Canadian Scam and the lottery scam, all promise a profit for the person who cashes the cashier’s check. While some scams have the victim send money to the scammer as a deposit, some of the more recent scams simply send a check to the victim and ask them to cash it, using some excuse as to why the sender cannot cash the check. The person then goes to a local business and passes the cashier’s check, keeping a finder’s fee and then sending the lion’s share to the scammer.

A few weeks later, the check comes back worthless and the person who cashed the check is held liable for its repayment. The scammer is nowhere to be found.

‘We all grew up thinking cashier’s checks are dependable and always good but that is not the case,’ Sharp said, noting people here are falling for the scam in greater numbers despite warnings. ‘I know better and most people also do, but there are some who fall for it and now they’re holding the bag.’

Sharp said criminal charges have been filed against some who were targeted by the scam. One lady he knows owes $4,440.

‘I don’t think a jury will convict a person criminally for this but the person still has the hassle of going to court, hiring an attorney and paying back the money to the place that cashed the check. What I wish would happen is that folks would stop cashing these checks, but some still do anyway.’

Just as lawmen warn the public, Sharp said people should be wary of any free money being given to them by strangers either by phone, Internet or letter, as there are normally strings attached.