# Uh: money orders and check cashing (need answer fast!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772 "2009-07-30T14:00:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/21 "2009-07-31T12:19:53Z")
I am curious how the initial contact was made. Craigslist? MySpace? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/22 "2009-07-31T13:16:49Z")
And another thing, if you haven’t received the check yet, and you happen to catch the UPS guy it’s probably best to just refuse it and cease all communication with the other parties, it’s just that much farther removed from this you’ll be. If you happen to make a note of the address where the check came from, all the better. In any case, you really should head down to the police station and let them know about this, making sure to give them the address where the check came from as well as the address where you were asked to forward your check to. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/23 "2009-07-31T15:57:39Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Why are people suggesting that the OP continue with this??? It is so clearly and obviously a scam the OP needs to walk away and forget about it. This makes the issue of how long to wait for the check to bounce immaterial. I’m having a hard time even believing that someone who has been here since Nov 2001 would even have to make the OP, but ok, based on his follow up I get that it’s a legitimate question. The people suggesting ways to deposit the check? Unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/24 "2009-07-31T16:33:38Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I am curious how the initial contact was made. Craigslist? MySpace? They put an advertisement in the local town weekly. I contacted him via email. In order of my increasing suspicion: Bad spelling, but OK. Then there was no reverse contact or phone call, but OK. They wanted resumes, though, so it wasn’t too out fo the ordinary for people hiring tutors. Most don’t need resumes, but it was a reasonable request and one I’ve had before. The there was a suddeny burst of emails in the last week, which is what started me being weirded out. The bad spelling continued. The child to receive tutoring was not named. I got a sob story of sorts. But I didn’t care, as they hadn’t asked me to do anything. I just gave them my fees and they said they’d be ready in August. It was only the last email which made me start asking questions. As long as I wasn’t to have to do anything for them (except tutor), I didn’t really pay much attention. Then suddenly somebody wants me to start cashing large checks, and I mentally said, “Uhhh…” Oh well, no harm done. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/25 "2009-07-31T16:48:44Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Oh well, no harm done. Let me re-urge you to contact the law enforcement agencies I noted above (the FTC and the Tennessee Attorney General). Other people might not be so discerning, so there very much is harm done. You have evidence that may allow the perpetrators of this particular con game to be brought to justice. I hope you help see that gets done. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/26 "2009-07-31T18:45:37Z")
You have been in contact with some nasty folks. Keep a close eye on your credit card statements, and credit reports. The info you provided via your resume may have left you open to ID theft. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772/27 "2009-07-31T18:59:45Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > You have been in contact with some nasty folks. > > Keep a close eye on your credit card statements, and credit reports. The info you provided via your resume may have left you open to ID theft. That’s remotely possible, although no more than if they had opened a phonebook and grabbed a name at random. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-money-orders-and-check-cashing-need-answer-fast/504772.md?page=1)