My son ALMOST got scammed with a check. What to do?

[ThunderApple]

My son was selling a pair of headphones on craiglist and without knowing, thought that the buyer would buy it through check and moneygram.

He gave the person his name and our address and the person sent a check of $2000 saying that his 'secretary' sent the wrong amount. He asked my son to deposit it into my bank account and Moneygram the rest back and that a person would come to pick it up.

Now gladly I was home today to get the Fedex that dropped off the check via Home Delivery and I asked him what it was about before anything happened further.

Now, what is the best thing I should do? Tear the 'check' apart?
The scammer can't do anything can they? They only have my sons name, address and I'm currently holding the check.

It's funny how low some people will go to scam kids out of money.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Not just kids...

 

[ardent73]

Report it

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre40.shtm

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

 

[rhett7660]

My son was selling a pair of headphones on craiglist and without knowing, thought that the buyer would buy it through check and moneygram.

He gave the person his name and our address and the person sent a check of $2000 saying that his 'secretary' sent the wrong amount. He asked my son to deposit it into my bank account and Moneygram the rest back and that a person would come to pick it up.

Now gladly I was home today to get the Fedex that dropped off the check via Home Delivery and I asked him what it was about before anything happened further.

Now, what is the best thing I should do? Tear the 'check' apart?
The scammer can't do anything can they? They only have my sons name, address and I'm currently holding the check.

It's funny how low some people will go to scam kids out of money.

Almost really doesn't count. You can also report it to craigs list. They have a nice little warning on all there items about taken checks etc.

Glad to see he didn't fall for it and nothing was lost on your end.

 

[eternlgladiator]

He's safe as long as he doesn't send money back. These scams happen all the time. If you bank at a respectable institution they probably would have caught it when he tried to cash/deposit it. I used to work at a credit union and they would show up once a month or see. They're pretty easy to spot.

 

[LorenK]

Most police departments have a fraud crimes unit or the local prosecutor's office will. It's likely that the person who sent the check has done this before, so another complaint might very well send him to jail. Do it before someone without a less protective parent gets scammed.