Ok Guys, I recently got an email referring to some people passing bogus US money orders and/or cashiers checks. I usually don't pay a lot of attention to these because a lot of them are bogus, themselves. Here is the low down on a new SCAM and it is originating in the UK (England). They are targeting the charter fishing business now too. How do I know it is true? Because they are trying to work it on me RIGHT NOW!!!! Here's how it goes.
You receive an email requesting a charter date/dates for their holiday, in my case 2 days, and do you take cashiers checks or money order drafted from a US bank. SAVE these emails to your PC. Then they call and ask if you have received their check or money order yet, as in my case today. Only difference is they call via a free Internet service and not by normal telephone. No trails! Fortunately, I haven't received this deposit yet. Luckily I was tipped off by a legitimate concern that I was being conned and DO NOT deposit this money order. I was informed that this known "scammer" upon verification of receipt of the money order will cancel the trip a short time thereafter and request a refund. When and if you send their money back to them you will learn about 2-3 weeks later that the money order was fraudulent and those funds have been deducted from your bank account. YOU HAVE BEEN DUPED!
I called my daughter who is a Miami-Dade Police officer and asked her what to do. My wife, my daughter and I came up with these solutions. #1. DO NOT deposit. #2. Take the money order to the bank for validation. #3. Keep records of all communications and turn the bogus check or money order over to your local Police Dept. with records and file a report. #4. Tell them all deposits are non-refundable but because they have been so nice you will gladly send back the original money order since you haven't cashed it.
I'm so glad I was alerted to this and I in turn will pass on the favor to all of you. I hope you will pass it on to your other guide or captain buddies who might not see this post.
Viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and money bilking scams, isn't the Internet just wonderful?
Capt. Jim
The BEAST
