Hi all.

Something similar happened to us a few years back. Before I ever heard of these scams. Ours was a Postal Moneyorder(2) in a handwritten envelope. It looked so real.

After the first happy-dance, we thought about it though and drove to consumer affairs to check it out, since the dates on the letter seemed odd. They called the postoffice, sent us over there and confirmed , that eventhough the moneyorder looked real it was a fake.

I'm glad we looked at the date before trying to cash it. Since we are military , the date on the moneyorder was impossible. We hadn't even arrived in the State where we supposedly went to the mall and entered the sweepstakes until 3 days after the fake drawing.

The BBB kept all of the things and the postoffice kept the moneyorders. A few months later we received a letter, informing us that the company had disappered.

The 'logic' involved does not follow how modern banking works. That's the problem people are running into.

When you cash/deposit a check:

• depending on its amount
• if your balance will cover it, and
• whether you've had any other "issues" with your account within 6 mos. or so
• where the issuing bank is located

you are given an immediate release/credit for the first $500 or so. A couple days later, another $1000 or $2000 may be released and so on. It can take 5 or more days to complete the true transaction. What you think is a cleared amount in your account is really an interest free loan (unless it bounces), much like those "rapid tax refunds" are not making your 10-40 get through the system any faster. They are LOANS against an ANTICIPATED refund. 

As an aside, I think publishing the name, town, and economic circumstances of these people makes them a target for more scam artists. 

A republic, Mr. Franklin? It looks like we couldn't keep it.
Al Gore deserves his Nobel like Milli Vanilli deserved their Grammy.

 Land of glasnost and perestroika.

 

 

i need numbers for mother in law please.