Call the Bank When You're FedEx'd a Fake Check

NOTE: The following is a true story.

In late 2006, I had an old eMachines eTower desktop that I needed to get rid of. I came up with a price and went to work on an ad. I had placed my ad on the well-known online classifed ad service InetGiant. Within a day, I have recieved a reply to my ad by a man named Robbie. Robbie said, in the reply, that his friend needed my computer so he would send me a check for $4000. Although I had asked for $600, Robbie told me to send the rest back to him. And Robbie told me that he'll cover the shipping. Finally, I though, I get to buy that laptop I wanted! Immediately, I contacted Robbie and told him to mail out his terms.

The next day, I got his terms. Robbie told me he had a account with both FedEx and UPS and told me to send my full contact info so I could get the check. Nothing was going off in my head at the time, but as a safety measure, I cooked up a execuse about some important files I wanted to transfer. Here was Robbie's response (an excerpt, actually). Note the underlined sections.

 Transferring your files isnt a problem to me. My cousin wants the computer, i need the full name and address where the check is to be sent. I have to ensure payment as soon as possible so that Ronald my cousin who wants the computer will know i am serious with buying it for him.
 
Please email me the details so the check can be sent to you as soon as possible.
 
He (cousin) might be the one to contact you about the shipment and the remaining money. He needs it for his school and projects.
 
Please reply as soon as possible.

Notice the grammar errors, as well as the change in the story. Robbie told me that a friend wanted my desktop. now that was his cousin who wanted it. Again, nothing was going off.

The next day, I gave Robbie my name and address, along with a stern warning. Robbie said he agreed to the terms and will let me know when the check is mailed.

Two weeks have passed and I inquired Robbie about the check. Robbie said that the check will come sometime that week.

I kept contact with my brother Joe, who was also eager to share in my sudden wealth.

On October 30, Robbie gave the sympathy pitch. He fratured his left leg and the cheak will be delayed.

On Halloween, Robbie gave me another message that the check was coming. Now something's gone wrong.

On November 6, Robbie sent a message stating that the check has been FedEx'd and will be in my hands the next morning.

November 7 was a rainy day when I head a knock on the door. The FedEx man came just as Robbie said he would, and the check was in my hands. But now I was confused. The check was from an out-of-state bank, and it was a business check, not a personal one.

The same day I recieved a notice from Robbie and told me to deposit the check to clear and let him know. But now, he was using my last name. Getting the picture now?

The next day Robbie told me what depositing a check to clear was. So I went around trying to cash it. But the places I went lacked the funds to cash such a huge check.

After a exhausting day, I gave the check to a friend of mine so he can cash it for me. When he called the bank to trace it, they told him it was a fake. NOW I WAS ANGRY. A Montgomery Police detective and a teller for Regions Bank also told me the check was fake. NOW I WAS INFURIATED.

I poured my anger into a responce for Robbie.

This time, Robbie gave me no answer.

The moral? Call the bank number on the check after you have been FedEx'd a fake check. Also, make sure that he sends the exact amount through secure methods like PayPal, Western Union, and MoneyGram.

I hope my sad tale will teach people the lesson I've learned the hard way. Oh, and one more piece of advice:

NEVER TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE BAD SIDE OF THE INTERNET!