You Trust The Person You Are In A Relationship With And When They Send You Fake Checks You Deposit Them, Right?
Those Fake Checks Are FraudFraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain (money or other assets), or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compensation) or criminal law (e.g., a fraud perpetrator may be prosecuted and imprisoned by governmental authorities), or it may cause no loss of money, property, or legal right but still be an element of another civil or criminal wrong. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits, for example by obtaining a passport, travel document, or driver's license, or mortgage fraud, where the perpetrator may attempt to qualify for a mortgage by way of false statements. A fraud can also be a hoax, which is a distinct concept that involves deliberate deception without the intention of gain or of materially damaging or depriving a victim. And If You Deposit Them You May Be Committing A Felony!
Scammer’s Fake Checks that bounce will come back on you, often with the police knowing on your door for check fraud!
We know that in the middle of your online relationship, you would do almost anything the other person asks of you. You would help them in any way you can, such as depositing a check for them and sending all or part of it to someone else.
Scammers use a wide range of stories to get their victims to do what they want – namely sending them money. But sometimes, victims either run out of money or ar reluctant to send money so the scammers change tactics.
Fake Checks
Often, especially with international businessmen storylines, the scammer will send a fake cashier’s check to the victims and ask them to deposit it. Then wait a day for the funds to become available and withdraw it – either to send cash, do a money transfer to someone else or do a wire transfer. In effect, taking the money out before the deposited fake check has cleared.
Fake Checks typically take a week or two to really clear – before the money has really come into the bank. Before that, the bank is advancing the money to you, but you remain responsible if the original check does not clear.
If you withdraw the money before it clears and then it bounces, you could be facing criminalCriminal A criminal is any person who through a decision or act engages in a crime. This can be complicated, as many people break laws unknowingly, however, in our context, it is a person who makes a decision to engage in unlawful acts or to place themselves with others who do this. A criminal always has the ability to decide not to break the law, or if they initially engage in crime to stop doing it, but instead continues. charges for bank fraud or bad check fraud. This is especially true if you have not yet reported the scamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime - is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. to your local policeLocal Police The Local Police is your first responder in most countries. In most English-speaking countries and in Europe report to them first. In other countries look for your national cybercrime police units to report scams to. In the U.S., Canada, & Australia, you must report to the local police first.. The bank will look at the victim as the fraudsterFraudster A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer.. Almost every state in the U.S. and most countries have laws against passing bad checks – it is a crime.
Passing A Fake Check
A fake check becomes a crime when the person who wrote or created the fake check or deposited it in a bank knew that there were insufficient funds in their account to cover the amount of the fake check, or that it was a fake or counterfeit check, and still went ahead and presented it to the payee or the bank with the intent to deceive or defraud. In other words, passing a bad check becomes a crime when it is done with fraudulent intent.
However, here is the problem, no one knows what is in your head or what your intent was. They evaluate it based on the act itself. So if you passed the fake checks or deposited them, you are the one that becomes the obvious criminal.
The specific laws regarding bad checks and their penalties vary by state, or by country, but generally, writing a bad check can result in criminal charges, fines, and even imprisonment in some cases. The severity of the consequences will depend on factors such as the amount of the check, the intent of the person who wrote the check, and their previous criminal record. Also, in most cases, the person who lost money has to be repaid.
It’s important to note that making a mistake, such as accidentally overdrawing your account, does not necessarily mean you have committed a crime. However, knowingly passing a bad check with the intent to defraud can result in criminal charges. But if you are charged with this, it is serious and you must seek legal counsel immediately.
Sentencing For Passing Fake Checks
The length of a jail sentence for passing a “bad: or fake check in the United States and elsewhere varies depending on several factors, including the amount of the check, the state where the offense occurred, and the defendant’s criminal history. In general, passing fake checks is considered a form of fraud and is typically prosecuted as a misdemeanor or felony offense.
For misdemeanor offenses, the jail sentence can range from a few days to a year, while for felony offenses, the sentence can range from one to several years in prison. However, in many cases, first-time offenders may be offered a plea deal or alternative sentencing options, such as probation or community service, instead of a jail sentence.
It’s important to note that sentencing guidelines and laws related to passing fake checks can vary significantly by state, country, and jurisdiction, so it’s best to consult with a local criminal defense attorney for specific information related to your case.
Bad Timing
Often scammers send fake checks while the scam is going on, not at the end when the victim can report the crime.
This means that the person, business, or bank that received the fake check may press charges before the victim is even aware they are in a relationship scamRelationship Scam A Relationship Scam is a one-to-one criminal act that involves a trust relationship and uses deception & manipulation to get a victim to give to the criminal something of value, such as money! Click here to learn more: What Is A Relationship Scam?. If the victim promptly reports the crime then there may be more latitude on the part of the injured party, but if the victim still believes the scammer or has never reported the crime after the scam ends, then the victim can face the full force of a criminal charge against them.
Protecting Yourself In The Case Of Fake Checks
If a scam victim has deposited a fake check for their scammer and it did not clear, the victim should take immediate action to protect themselves.
The first step is to contact the bank or financial institution as soon as possible to report the fraudulent check and any other related transactions. The bank may freezeFreeze Trauma Freeze Response: While fight-or-flight is the better-known way humans respond to certain stressful stimuli, the additional less known third response "FREEZE", was not as widely studied until this last decade. Freezing as a response to a threat might seem effective, a sort of “playing dead” in the face of danger; however, in humans freezing manifests as an inability to communicate, react, make decisions, or take any action of self-preservation or defense. the victim’s account and investigate the matter to determine the extent of the fraud and the potential for further losses.
The victim should also report the scam and the fake checks to law enforcement immediately to declare themselves an innocent victim. We suggest that you may want to have an attorney accompany you when filing the report.
It’s important for the victim to not attempt to deposit the fake check again or take any other actions that could result in additional financial losses or legal trouble. They should also be wary of any further attempts by the scammer to contact them or solicit more money, and should not provide any additional personal or financial information.
About Fake Checks
How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams
Fake checks might look like business or personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or a check delivered electronically. Here’s what to know about fake check scams.
With fake checks, a person you don’t know asks you to deposit a check. It’s usually for a significant amount of money, sometimes for several thousand dollars. They tell you to send some of the money back to them or to another person. They always have a good story to explain why you can’t keep all the money or just leave it until later. They might say they need you to cover taxes, buy equipment, or for an emergency, to buy supplies for a job, to send back the money they overpaid, or something else. But this is a scam. Here’s how to spot it.
Why Do These Scams Work?
These scams work because fake checks generally look just like real checks, even to bank employees. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. They may even be real checks written on bank accounts that belong to someone whose identity has been stolen. It can take weeks for a bank to figure out that the check is fake.
Fake Checks and Your Bank
By law, banks have to make deposited funds available quickly, usually within two days. When the funds are made available in your account, the bank may say the check has “cleared,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a good check. Fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. By that time, the scammer has any money you sent, and you’re stuck paying the money back to the bank.
Your best bet: Don’t rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the person you’re dealing with and never withdraw it and forward it since that could be money launderingMoney laundering Money laundering is the illegal process of concealing the origins of money obtained illegally by passing it through a complex sequence of banking transfers or commercial transactions. Money laundering can be done through various mediums, leveraging a variety of payment vehicles, people and institutions., another crime!
Summary
As with all relationship scamsRelationship Scam A Relationship Scam is a one-to-one criminal act that involves a trust relationship and uses deception & manipulation to get a victim to give to the criminal something of value, such as money! Click here to learn more: What Is A Relationship Scam?, there are serious consequences. When the scam includes fake checks the consequences can be criminal.
The key is to NOT trust the bank to look out for you, they are only looking out for themselves. You need to report the crime and find a criminal defense attorney just in case,
Do not delay, The longer you wait to take action, the more likely charges can follow. Always report the crime, and always respond immediately!
Learn More:
This article is by:
SCARS™ – Society of Citizens Against Relationship ScamsSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims.
Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS. Inc.
A government-registeredgovernment-registered It means to be registered with departments or agencies of the government. In the case of SCARS, we are registered with state and federal governments in the United States, Europe & Asia. SCARS is registered as a crime victims' assistance nonprofit with agencies of the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. And is incorporated in the State of Florida as a nonprofit corporation. scams & financial fraud crime victims assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization headquartered in Miami Florida USA & Monterrey NL Mexico, with partners in more than 60 countries worldwide
If you are a Victim sign up for our FREE SCARS Support GroupsSupport Groups In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic, such as romance scams. Members with the same issues can come together for sharing coping strategies, to feel more empowered and for a sense of community. The help may take the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relating personal experiences, listening to and accepting others' experiences, providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks. A support group may also work to inform the public or engage in advocacy. They can be supervised or not. SCARS support groups are moderated by the SCARS Team and or volunteers. at support.AgainstScams.org
To learn more about SCARS, or to Join, Volunteer, or Donate visit: AgainstScams.org
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Our managed peer supportPeer support Peer support occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social or practical help to each other. It commonly refers to an initiative consisting of trained supporters and can take a number of forms such as peer mentoring, reflective listening (reflecting content and/or feelings), or in a support group. Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where colleagues, members of self-help organizations and others meet, in person or online, to give each other connection and support on a reciprocal basis. Peer support is distinct from other forms of social support in that the source of support is a peer, a person who is similar in fundamental ways to the recipient of the support; their relationship is one of equality. A peer is in a position to offer support by virtue of relevant experience: he or she has "been there, done that" and can relate to others who are now in a similar situation. Trained peer support workers such as SCARS Volunteers receive special training and may be required to obtain Continuing Education Units, similar to clinical staff. Some other trained peer support workers may also be law-enforcement personnel and firefighters as well as emergency medical responders. groups allow victims to talk to other survivorsSurvivor A Scam Survivor is a victim who has been able to fully accept the reality of their situation. That they were the victim of a crime and are not to blame. They are working on their emotional recovery and reduction of any trauma either on their own, through a qualified support organization, or through counseling or therapy. And has done their duty and reported the crime to their local police, national police, and on Anyscam.com and recover in the most experienced environment possible, for as long as they need. Recovery takes as long as it takes – we put no limits on our support!
SCARS is the most trusted support & education provider in the world. Our team is certified in trauma-informedTrauma-Informed Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care needs to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective care services with a healing orientation. Adopting trauma-informed practices can potentially improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, and health outcomes. care, grief counselingCounseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. A mental health counselor (MHC), or counselor, is a person who works with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health. Such persons may help individuals deal with issues associated with addiction and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; and aging. They may also work with "Social Workers", "Psychiatrists", and "Psychologists". SCARS does not provide mental health counseling., and so much more!
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SCARS Printed Books For Every Scam SurvivorSurvivor A Scam Survivor is a victim who has been able to fully accept the reality of their situation. That they were the victim of a crime and are not to blame. They are working on their emotional recovery and reduction of any trauma either on their own, through a qualified support organization, or through counseling or therapy. And has done their duty and reported the crime to their local police, national police, and on Anyscam.com From SCARS Publishing
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SCARS GREEN BOOK
Self-Help Self-Paced Recovery Program Guide
LEARN HOW TO RECOVER ON YOUR OWN
This program is designed to help scam victims struggling to recover on their own and for those who want to understand the overall process. You can be using other resources, such as traumaTrauma Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people. Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety or other emotional shocks, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized. Trauma requires treatment, either through counseling or therapy or through trauma-oriented support programs, such as those offered by SCARS. counseling or therapy, qualified support groups, or completely independent – on your own!
The SCARS Steps program is a complete program and is provided for the purpose of helping scam victims to overcome this experience. Throughout this SCARS Steps Program, we speak about issues and challenges that a victim may have and help guide them through their recovery. But each person is different and it is important to understand your own reasons for being vulnerable to being scammed.
After the trauma of being scammed, you need to take steps to recover and move on. This may be an alternative to counseling in the short term, but we still encourage you to seek out professional help & support. Throughout this SCARS Steps Program, we speak about issues, challenges, defects, or problems that a victim may have in a generalized way.
The SCARS GREEN BOOK will help you recover from your scam offline and it will always be there when you need it!
SCARS SLATE BOOK – Let Us Explain What Happened!
A Guide For Families & Friends Of Scam Victims
HOW TO HELP ROMANCE SCAM VICTIMS FOR FAMILIES & FRIENDS OF SCAM VICTIMS
This SCARS Publishing book represents a complete guide to help the families and friends understand how these scams work and how to help the victim.
The SCARS Slate Book should be purchased by family and friends to better understand what happened to the victim and the traumatic impact on them. But it can also be shared by the victim so that they do not have to explain to family and friends about the scam. This publication is to help others to help Scam Victims to make it through this traumatic experience and recover.
Each person is different and it is important to understand how relationship scams work and why people are vulnerable; to being scammed, how they were lured in, then groomed and manipulated. This understanding is essential in helping them through the process of ending the scam and then on to recovery. The SCARS Slate Book will provide the information necessary to help support a victim through this process.
SCARS RED BOOK
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ORGANIZE YOUR INFORMATION TO MAKE THE REPORTING PROCESS SIMPLE!
Helps you get and stay organized. This publication is to help Scam Victims organize their crime information. Complete this information before reporting to the police then bring this book with you
Before or after reporting to the police the RED BOOK gives you a dedicated tool to record all the essential facts of this crime. The Victim, the Scammers, the Money, and your Police interactions. Everything that really matters can be easily recorded for your immediate use and for the future!
As we have seen, money recovery/repayment programs can become available years after the scam ends and you need to keep all the details of this crime in case it is needed. We have also seen scammers being extradited to the U.S. and other countries, this will help in the event you testify or give statements, Additionally, this helps you have your information ready to qualify for victims’ benefits, compensation, or aid.
The Official SCARS RED BOOK is your way of recording all the important facts of this crime so that you do not lose essential information, Complete the RED BOOK then put it away with the confidence that you will have it if or when it is needed.
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