I am usually more careful with things like this, but the deciding factor was the bank cashing the money order. I thought if anything, the bank would take the proper security measures. Apparently not.
I replied to an ad in the local newspaper regarding mystery shoppers. I was directed to send some simple contact information via www.continentalevaluation.com and about a week or two later, after I had forgotten about it, I received a letter in the mail, no return address, with a money order for $1500, apparently coming from a credit union in Calgary, AB, all signed by a 'Kelvin Roberts'.
I called the phone number on the letter because I thought it was weird for them to send me a $1500 'money order'. They assured me that it was ok and because of the nature of mystery shopping, the confidentiality of the 'job' still didn't seem odd.
I was requested to cash the money order at my bank, take $200 for myself, use $50 for MoneyGram fees, and send a moneygram for $1250 to Farnworth, Bolton, UK. I was still under the assumption that a bank would not have cashed a fraudulent money order and when researching this company, I didn't really come up with anything that was abnormal so off the money went.
It wasn't until I talked with a banker friend of mine that I became suspicious and when I discovered what the scam was called, an overpayment scam, I found tons of information that lined up, exactly, with what just happened. Because it was the evening of the second day that I found any of this information out, I didn't get to the post office in time to get a refund... The money had already been picked up.
I had hoped that I would get another money order in the mail and sure enough, one arrived by Purolator this time which I had to sign for. My Rep Id. Was a different number as was the contact phone number and the town of which I was supposed to send money via Western Union this time. Hmmm, Strange... Knowing that it was a scam, I looked up the number for the credit union on the MO and called to inquire on the numbers etc. They said that if the account number started with 221 then it was a fake. Well, surprise surprise, the money order I had in my hand had an account number that started with those exact numbers.
I knew the first MO had not been returned to my bank by this point and I knew the police couldn't do anything because it was out of the country, but I went to them anyways, and then I went to my bank to see if they would be merciful given the situation and the fact that I was turning the second MO in, but had no luck with either.
Now, the bank has frozen my accounts that had the last of our food money in them and one of my kids' birthday money. We are a family of 6 living on one income, my husband is laid off with no pay over Christmas and we not only have to eat, but pay bills and a mortgage, all the while owing the bank the $1500 for the fake MO that they cashed... And the manager had the nerve to ask me if I could take care of it that day!!!
The phone numbers on these letters are cell phones so good luck finding them, and there are so many locations involved, it is impossible to catch anyone. I suggested to set up a stakeout at each location of Western Union of the town on the letter and then going through with a transfer, notifying Western Union of the name (my fake family member, of course), how much money is expected etc, and then basically, at least, catching the recipient of the cash. Why not, they would be there the same day you send them confirmation of the transfer and if it would save one person of the grief it has caused... It wouldn't be that difficult, but of course, do you think anyone would get off their butts and do anything, of course not... Who makes the money here, the banks and the scammers. Now what, we have to lose our house over $1500? Nice!
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