My New Blog

Beware if you received some of these schemes in your email or mail:

1. Lotto winnings. A letter congratulated you on winning a lotto that you never entered and enclosed is a cashier's check to cover your initial costs to obtain your winning. The instructions tell you to deposit the check, keep some of the money and wire the rest to a foreign account. Days later, you found out that the check was invalid and your account was debited the wired amount.

2. Overpayment. You are selling you merchandise over the internet on eBay. Someone sends you an official check to pay you for the goods for more than the asking price. The scammer feigns an excuse and asks you to wire back the difference. By the time you find out the the check was invalid, you've lost the money you sent plus your goods.

How to prevent yourself:

• Throw away offers that ask you to pay for a price or a gift.
• Do not play foreign lotteries.
• Do not wire money to strangers.
• Do not accept checks for more than the selling price.
• Resist pressure to "act now". If the buyer's offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears.
• Learn more about these scams at http://www.fakechecks.org

Where to report for fraudulent activities:

• Bank of America and Wells Fargo - 800.613.6743. Customer Assistance - Comptroller of the currency - assistance@occ.treas.gov 
• WAMU, Washington Federal - Office of Thrift Supervision - 800.842.6929 consumer.complaint@ots.treas.gov
• National Credit Union ATM - 602.302.6000. email - regions@nwa.gov
• Boeing Employee Credit Union - 877.746.4334  dcu@dfi.wa.gov