** Scam Alert **
 

Last week, some of you will remember I posted a thread ( fucking-around-and-business-discussion/772616-weird-cheque.html ) about a weird cheque I had received from a Cyprus based bank, that was drawn on a Citibank International account.

Here's the cheques.

http://www.methodcash.com/gfy/SCAM/Check1.jpg

http://www.methodcash.com/gfy/SCAM/Check2.jpg

Well, I called Citibank domestic, they were absolutely no help, so I finally go ahold of someone who sounded like they knew what they might know what they were talking about, but again, hit a stone wall, tho they did give me an International phone # for Citibank International.

Called, and again, due to privacy laws they could not give any info on the account.

Anyway, I turned the cheque over, and low and behold there's an 800 number on the cheque, it SAYS it's for the "Citibank Global Cash Management Services"
http://www.methodcash.com/gfy/SCAM/BOC.jpg

so I call it, and get a machine, but it tells me that as of Monday April 15th,(just a weee bit outdated) this number can only be used to verify a cheque, and you will not be able to get to a human being... Hmmmm that's odd...

Then they present you with 2 options...

If you have a valid cheque number press 1

If you are a Citi services client, contact your CitiServices Rep directly (note they don't give you a phone number)

then it says

"If you are calling to inquire about a cheque sent to you, press 2.

Well, again, that's odd, how did they know that option #1 OR #2 would work for me, yet, I still can't talk to a human being.

I hang up at this point, there is a well known scam of "Hello, you've won blah blah blah, please press 1 to accept your prize) at which point, it transfers you without your knowledge (until you get your next phone bill) to an offshore phone number that charges you two or three hundered dollars per minute.

Then I look at the back of the cheque again, and notice there is also a domestic phone number.

Which for Citibank Global Cash Management Services in Amherst NY, it's funny that the phone number goes to Tampa Florida, and I get teh same recording.

So be careful when you get unearned / unsolicited cheques in the mail.. I know I won't be depositing these

You might want to edit their account numbers off the check as well...

Woops, missed the 1st one..

Thanks.

Thanks for letting us know about it.

Woops, missed the 1st one..

Thanks.

what the fuck...

Thanks for sharing

But, what is the problem if u just cached the check in your account ? Will that let the other party know your bank account info ?

Uhm im a bit stupid so please explain what the point of those checks is? How exactly are you getting scammed?

With this scam, you're likely to find that cheque will bounce.

As for someone getting your bank account info, that's the least of my worries, I send out so many cheques around the world, it's not hard to get account info, the most they could do with that is print fake cheques.

The scam of "Hello, you've won blah blah blah, please press 1 to accept your prize) at which point, it transfers you without your knowledge (until you get your next phone bill) to an offshore phone number that charges you two or three hundered dollars per minute.

That is why i use prepaid phone for such cases :)

It is a 1-800 number, Can't you use a pay ?

Thanks alot, very helpful info from everybody. I guess I wont' be depositing these. :)

It sounds like a pretty weak scam, most people would just deposit it without calling any number... I wouldn't be surprised if it's some sponsor payment....

Considering I don't promote anyone other than our own sites, and the company name it's made out to is a REALLY new company, I can assure you, it's not an affiliate payment.

so your forfeiting what could possibly be a legitimate $1500 because your scared of the $20 bounced check fee?!?!?

I've done what I needed to do to convince myself that it's a scam.

Take it for what it's worth, just thought I'd pass it along.

Sorry for wasting the DB space:disgust

I also just received two of the same checks.

I have no idea what the scam could be, but I am convinced it is a scam.

Were they fro the same dollar amount as the ones I got, or the one that another guy got??

Too many people getting the same cheques, and no one knows who it could be, just adds to the "something don't feel right" feeling.

No, they were for a lesser dollar amount, the same amount on both checks.

Could be one scam where after you deposit the bogus cheque, they ask you for a partial refund since they mistakenly overpaid you. They hope they can get their money before you find out the original cheque bounced.

There are a lot of variations on that scam as well.

If this was legit there would be some way of referencing it back to the affiliate program it came from.

OMFG!!, ROFL!! :1orglaugh:1orglaugh

Fucking deposit it, LOL..

That's Slick Cash.. (At least I think.. I've gotten these checks from them before & they clear) (there's a few aff programs out in Cyprus)

Considering I don't promote Slickcash, it's awfully nice of them to start sending me cheques out of the blue, for no reason.

Thanks guys:upsidedow

Where were ya last week? :1orglaugh

He asked "who the hell's check is this?" and no one stepped up to say anything.

I'd be skeptical, too.

Check out your stats from any of the programs based in Cyprus.

I've gotten checks exactly like this before from sponsors, mainly slick cash.. I think they're like money orders or cashiers checks.. they may be legit, but any check can be faked..

That's the problem tho.. I don't promote anyone, that's what makes it really odd that someone finds it in their heart to send me money. :(

I would just take it to a Citibank branch and ask them about it.

Already did that.. The teller, had to ask the girl next to her, she didn't know, so they got the bank manager, he didn't know, so they gafve me a 1-800 number to call for Citibank international.


Turns out the number they gave was for Citibank domestic, and he couldn't give any info, but gave me an overseas number for Citibank international, which I called, and due to privacy laws, they couldn't give me any info over the phone.

I've done EVERYTHING I can think, short of depositing the cheques, which I am sure will bounce, and I am still of the belief that it is a scam.

Take it to a check cashing store if you are really that worried about it. Then it can be their problem.

How do those places handle it if it turns out to be a bad check? Never used one before so I was just curious.

Seems they would have everyone and their dog giving them bad checks if there wasn't some sort of repurcussion to the person cashing it?

wtf? where do such lines exist?

how do I get into that business? ;)

i just got one today and will be depositing it :pimp

trip out

Nigerian fake check scam again?

just cash it, whats the worst that can happen it bounces?

Methodcash Rick, I would send a copy to both Citibank and the FBI... Perhaps you could stop someone else from being a fraud victim... If you were wanting to do so I am sure the feds would love you for it... thats just a guess... but again they visit this site from what I understand...

Just a thought...

Why wouldn't you deposit these?

How can a bad check be a scam?

thanks for the heads up

We got the same check today! Thanks for the heads up I am glad you posted this!

Am I missing something?

Deposit the cheque... if it bounces... you know it's a waste of time and not to do anything ...

What's the problem?

:)