Cons, Frauds and Scams
Fake Checks
We have seen an increase in scams in Mesa over the past few
months. The fake check scam is coming in various forms. You are
sent a check that represents part of your earnings from being a
mystery shopper or other employment and are asked to wire a
portion of the check back to the sender. Or you receive a check
that represents part of your winnings from a sweepstakes or
lottery and are asked to wire a portion back to pay fees. The
check that you receive turns out to be a fake and you have lost
the money that you wired from your bank account. These days, if
you receive a check in the mail, whether it represents your
payment or winnings and are asked to wire a portion of the check
back to the sent or a third party, it's a scam.
Fake Check Scams top the list of the Top Ten
Telemarketing Fraud Schemes. If you receive a check in the mail
that supposedly represents part of your winnings for a
sweepstakes or foreign lottery and you're told to deposit it
into your bank account, it's a scam! Also, if you're selling
something in the newspaper or over the Internet and someone
sends you a check for an amount higher than your asking price
and they tell you to wire the difference back to them or to a
friend of theirs, it's a scam! Wiring money has become the most
common method of losing money in these types of scams.
Mesa Police Department
PO Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211
480-644-2030