Sellers Beware of Fake Check Scam

In recent months some sellers have reported falling victim to buyers who have sent fake checks or money orders that aren’t detected by the bank until after the merchandise has been shipped.   Fake checks can include cashier checks, personal checks and corporate checks.   There have been instances where the buyer sends a fake payment that exceeds the cost of the item that has been purchased.  The “so-called” buyer indicates a mistake was made when writing the check  and asks the seller to go ahead and deposit the payment and wire the difference back to him.  The seller deposits the check, learns it has cleared and wires the funds back to the buyer.  Later, the bank determines the check is fraudulent, leaving the seller liable for the entire amount.  Although the checks are counterfeit, they are good enough to fool unsuspecting bank tellers.  This needs to be taken into consideration when listing your items for auction and determining what methods of payment you will accept.  It is unfortunate that we now live in a world where some people spend the majority of their time thinking up ways to steal from other people.  Wonder if they ever considered getting a real job??