Work-at-home scam leads to check fraud

Dear Attorney General,

I received an unexpected check in the mail from an out-of-state company. Later that day, I received several calls and emails from a man asking me to deposit the check, take a 10 percent commission and wire the remaining cash to an address in Africa. I believe these people obtained my contact information from a work-at-home job that I applied for online several weeks ago. What should I do?

Dear Kansas Consumer,

You should always use caution when providing your personal information to any unknown organization or individual online. At the very least, your information may make you target for spam or junk mail. At a more serious level, you may be targeted for identity theft or fraud.

The phony cashier’s check scam has been around for years and takes a number of forms. You may receive a check after replying to an email or phone call claiming you “won” money in a foreign lottery. You may also receive the check from an “investor” asking you to help transfer their funds, after keeping a certain percentage for yourself. Sometimes, these checks are sent out to “pay” individuals for goods or services obtained through online auctions or work-at-home jobs.

These examples all have one thing in common--they are too good to be true. Usually, the check received is for a large amount and comes with the expectation that you will transfer a percentage back to them in some way.  Even if you deposit the check, it may take several weeks before your bank finds out that it is worthless. You will not only lose the amount you deposited, but also any money or merchandise you sent in return.

My office receives dozens of complaints involving fake checks every week. I urge all Kansans to use caution when doing business with companies and businesses you do not know; especially if their offer seems too good to be true. Just because these checks look legitimate does not mean they are worth more than the paper they are printed on.

You should never, under any circumstances, wire money to strangers. Unlike personal checks, wire transfers cannot be canceled. The money can be picked up anywhere in the world and is virtually untraceable. If you’ve become a victim of a cashier’s check scam, please file a complaint with my office at www.ksag.org.

As your Attorney General, I will work to keep Kansans safe by spreading information and promoting awareness of consumer issues. Please contact my Consumer Protection Division at 785-296-3751 or 1-800-432-2310 with your questions or concerns.