Anne Knorr of Philadelphia fell for the craigslist check scam when her fiancee was trying to sell some speakers on craigslist. Someone claiming to be a doctor from California sent them a check from a Tulsa, OK company for more than 3 grand the amount they were asking. Then the good doctor requested that she wire the excess back to him. She deposits the check, the check clears, she wires the money, then the check comes back as fake and she’s out 3 grand and she’s blaming the bank.
“There is no way I can pay that back,” she said.
“Unfortunately bank is taking advantage of this consumer. The bank made its statement clear, saying money was available. There was no way for the consumer to know anything other than the bank said funds were there,” said consumer advocate Lance Haver.
The bank says otherwise…
Wachovia disagrees, saying under federal law a scammed depositor can be held responsible “even if the check hold on the item has expired and your bank has made the funds available to you.”
In true Philly fashion the commenters on the original article are less than sympathetic with Ms. Knorr.
I’m not here to cast judgment but how many more red flags do you need? An out of state doctor writing a check from a company from yet another state for 3 grand over the requested amount.
It kind of reminds me of the joke about the guy who died in a flood while waiting for God’s intervention We he got to heaven he asked God why didn’t he save him and God says, “I sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter”. It’s a real funny joke. Look it up.
