There have been multiple reports of people in the Rock Springs area receiving fraudulent checks after selling items online.
The Rock Springs Police Department is warning people to be very cautious when selling items online.
Victims report receiving the fraudulent checks after selling things on media sites like Craigslist, Wallapop, and eBay. In the scam, someone responds to the post and sends a check for over the amount of the item. The seller is instructed to purchase a money order with the excess funds and send it to a third party. The overage amount is often explained as a way to ensure shipping costs or something similar.
The checks cannot be immediately verified by the bank, and the victim will often deposit or cash the check. A money order is then purchased and sent to the third party while the item is sent to the buyer. It is important to note that funds may be available from a deposited check before the check has truly cleared. If the check comes back fraudulent, those funds are no longer available in the victim’s bank account.
By the time the bank discovers the check is fraudulent, the excess money has been sent and the item may have already been sent to the buyer.
Each time, the loss falls back on the victim who deposited the check. As a result, the victim is responsible for money sent as well as any fees and the item is lost if it has already shipped.
The Rock Springs Police Department is advising the public to be wary of fraud and exercise extreme caution when selling items on classified websites. For a list of ways to help prevent becoming a victim, visit the FBI’s Fraud Website at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/internet_fraud/internet_fraud.