That sounds a lot like the Money Order Scam - you offer something for sale, somebody offers to pay you with a money order but it’s for more than the item is worth, so you cash it, send the buyer the difference along with the item…and a few weeks later, you get a call from your bank saying that the money order was fake, and since they can’t find the person that created it, you are responsible for repaying the full amount.
My gut response is, cash it, then hold onto the money for a while to see if the check raised any alarm bells. First, make sure that if there is any address on the check, it is legitimate; otherwise, the scammers have your signature as well.
Since you’re going to see your accountant in the next few days, why not just hang onto the check and show it to him/her when you stop by the office? Better safe than sorry.
Right, lol. I was thinking by cashing a fake check you might be giving someone a back-door invite into your account that would not otherwise be there in a normal exchange. I don’t know how that would work either, just throwing it out there…“By signing and cashing this (fake) check, you agree to the terms and conditions of blah, blah…”
Well, my accountant called yesterday. My taxes are ready for my signature. I have an appointment tonight, so I’ll show her the check and see what she thinks.
If I write you a check, all I would have to do is wait for it to clear my bank and your account/routing info will be on the back of it.
But if I wanted to do that, I probably wouldn’t use a check for almost $400.
My accountant was puzzled. She pulled out last year’s return and could find no explanation. She is certain the check is real, but she suggested I contact the State Treasury to find out what it is for. She also took pictures of the check with her phone.
So, I have an answer. I spent 45 minutes on hold (April is the wrong time to call the state treasury). I spoke with a woman who at first had no idea what the check could be for. She eventually went through my data and found that the refund was for an error that occurred in 2016 (or before that).
She was funny. Once she figured it out, she asked if she could have the money if she guessed the amount correctly (then she did). She told me I was the first “good news” she delivered this week.
We ----------- we could spend the whole check there.
Actually lunch some day sounds like a plan but I’ll even offer to go Dutch. Some day at that joint on 8 up near McBride’s Station or somewhere.
