My wife is the internal auditor at our local bank. She says the most common
method of fraud involving bank drafts is this type of fraud. The actual
paper that the draft is written on is either stolen or reproduced, the
account number is a valid account with adequate funds, the signature is
authentic but the bank draft number (check number) is a previously used
number. So when the bank cashing the draft calls the bank on which the
draft has been drawn for verification, they are informed that the account
number is valid, sufficient funds to cash the draft are in place, and the
account holders name is correct. Most tellers won't bother to give the
draft number to the drawing bank to double check whether or not it has been
used in the passed. By useing the "asssociate" to handle the transaction,
the scammer can claim they are innocent victims also. "What do you mean
somebody forged a fake bank draft on my account? I won't be charged will
I?" Or if the cashing bank doesn't catch the fraud the scammer can call
attention to it like "Hey Mr banker, you already drew the funds from my
account on that bank draft, I have a copy right here." The scammer assumes
a fake identity only as the "associate" when dealing with the victim, his ID
and relationship with his own bank remain secure.
Jim

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
...
"Ken Finney" wrote in message
...

"Mike Isaksen" wrote in message
news:S5oui.7505$CE4.7119@trndny03...
Cool,... just tell them to make it out to "CASH" and give em a PO Box.

"Steve Foley" wrote ...
I just received the following email in response to an ad I posted on
R.A.M.:

..i will like to deposit a sum of $5000 via a certified check drwan
united state..



I've got a neighbor that almost got scammed. The check was on a good
account, and the signature was valid. The problem was that the check
number had previously been cleared and the payee and cancellation
information "washed off". These people are good. And now that magnetic
ink is widely available, will get even better.


The signature may have looked 'good', but it must have been forged. Not
too
tough with computers printing signed checks these days.

I wonder who would have been stuck, had your neighbor accepted and cashed
the check?

I had a checkbook stolen a few years back. I closed the account, but the
thief wrote Wal-Mart a check. It bounced, and Wal-Mart filed a complaint
against me. When the DA got ahold of it, they told me to sign an affidavit
stating the check was forged. Problem was they refused to show me the
check.
With that scenario, I don't see how I would have gotten the money back
from
Wal-Mart, had I not closed the account.