Quote:
Originally Posted by Humdizzle
im wondering now if he got a washed check. person setup a fake bank acct. made a cashiers check for $100. Then washed it and rewrote $75k.
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The thing that doesn’t add up with that scenario is that he said the routing number was fake. A washed check would have a valid routing number. And that’s one of the parts of the story that doesn’t make sense. He seems to indicate he went to his bank with the buyer to deposit the check. I’m not sure how that really made it any safer for him regarding the genuineness of the check. But, any bank in today’s world could have verified whether the routing number was a real routing number that matched the bank printed on the check in about one minute. I do not understand this part of the story at all. I don’t necessarily doubt Keis, but parts of the story he told don’t add up quite right.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Car-Addicted
Very possible, today's color printers are pretty amazing. I happened to be at my bank today and I ask to see a certified check and in looking at it it has a distinct watermark but there was no embossing on the watermark. I was surprised and disappointed.
This is from Forbes
How to Avoid Fraud With Certified Checks
Three of the main reasons why people like to use certified checks are to help ensure security, guard against fraud and avoid bounced checks for large transactions. Using a certified check can give a seller more certainty that they will get paid. However, there are still a few tips to look out for to avoid fraud with certified checks:
When you’re the party receiving a certified check, call the bank immediately after receiving the certified check. Don’t use any phone number for the bank that is printed on the check; if the check is fraudulent, that number could be fake, too. Or look up the bank online.
Ask the bank to verify the account holder’s name and check number.
Counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated at printing official-looking bank logos and creating physically convincing fake checks. While a certified check is typically more secure than an average personal check, you may want to take extra steps to verify that the check is legitimate before releasing the purchased goods.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banki...rtified-check/
When I was in the auto business in the 70's we traded cars between dealer all the time and everyone used the old Pitney Bowes check signer. Couldn't wash one of those checks.
Next time I need to sell something expensive and it's not a local transaction where I can walk into the bank, I'm going wire transfer or nothing. |
I’m a little surprised to see Forbes making this terminology mistake, but a lot of folks here are making it. A bank cashier’s check and a certified check are two different things. A cashier’s check is an obligation of the bank issuing it and is drawn on the bank’s own “cashier’s check” account with absolutely 100% guaranteed funds. A certified check is the bank customer’s own, personal check, drawn on the maker’s personal checking account. The difference is the bank is supposed to place a hold on those funds so that when the check is presented for payment the funds are available to pay the check. The bank does mark the check to indicate it is certified and is, theoretically, genuine with sufficient funds to be paid, but it is not an obligation of the bank itself. It is an obligation of the maker. There was a time when certified checks were relatively common, but they are rarely used these days. In fact, I would be surprised if any banks today actually offer this option.
One other little tidbit of information. The numbers at the bottom of checks are printed with magnetic ink, known as MICR, that is not readily available outside of the banking industry. I think more “professional” crooks have access to it today, but a fake check produced on a normal computer printer or copy machine will not have magnetic ink in the numbers on the bottom of the check. The significance of that is the equipment checks go through to be processed reads the magnetic ink and not having that ink would cause the check to be unreadable by the machines.