Fraud?

[Hendog]

I just wrote a guy a cheque for $20. He was going door to door collecting for the deaf olympics. Let's say I got scammed. Is there more damage he can do with a cheque that has my full legal name, my wifes full legal name, address, phone #, bank transit # and account # ?

I'm a little concerned with all the identity theft, not to mention the $$$$ my account is capable of delivering.

[m21sniper]

Yeah, i'd assume you just signed your life over to him and call all the credit reporting agencies, your bank, and blah, blah, blah.

[slodave]

There is a deaf Olympics...

http://www.deaflympics.com/

[Hendog]

Yes Dave there is a deaf Olympics, I did search it out just as you found. He tried to tell me (difficult to understand), and I reiterated with obvious lip pronounciation that they were taking place next month in Ottawa (That's not Tipei).

If it's just $20 I'm OK with that, but can he steal my identity and do more damage with the info on the cheque? That's the question.

[Heel n Toe]

Did he have any "official" deaf olympic literature? Is there a local chapter you could call and ask if they had any members in your neighborhood soliciting donations? If he didn't leave you a receipt or anything, you might have a reason to wonder if he was legit.

Something else he could do to take you for more than $20 is to "wash the check." That's when a person washes off what is written in the TO: line and the AMOUNT: lines with a solvent... then after drying it and ironing it flat, makes it out to them and for another amount.

[aigel]

I am still not clear how you know it is a scam? Who did you write the check out to? Unless it is to an individual, I doubt the guy can cash it easily for himself.

If you are sure it is a scam, cancel the check, so it can not be cashed with any amount on it. As far as your other information goes, monitor your credit, but I doubt there is a lot of risk - Name, phone and address are not enough to start a credit card, get a phone etc...

George

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Did he have any "official" deaf olympic literature? Is there a local chapter you could call and ask if they had any members in your neighborhood soliciting donations? If he didn't leave you a receipt or anything, you might have a reason to wonder if he was legit.

Something else he could do to take you for more than $20 is to "wash the check." That's when a person washes off what is written in the TO: line and the AMOUNT: lines with a solvent... then after drying it and ironing it flat, makes it out to them and for another amount.

Very common scam where people steal checks from your outgoing mail to do this. Never use a felt pen - always a ball pen that leaves a good impression.

Did the solicitor have you use his pen?

George

[Arizona_928]

stop payment on the check. I think some banks can freeze your bank account for some time or something...
that's sad that charity is coming back around to bite you.

[RANDY P]

close the account....get a new acct#

[svandamme]

stop using cheques, the rest of the world has already

[ruf-porsche]

Yeah, he can "wash" the check and rewrite the check to anyone for any amount. Put a stop on the check and close the account.

[TerryH]

I prefer the photo-ID badge that correlates with the charity. Even if it's still warm from just being made in the car by the curb.

[sammyg2]

HOW do you know it's a scam? Because he got the location wrong?
There has to be more than that, right?

[Ronbo]

I've always been concerned about something like this. My policy is never to give any money to someone who knocks at my door or calls me on the telephone.

[Hendog]

It's a scam; below is the reply from the Deaf Olympics. I called the cops and put a stop on the cheque. Thing is, I know better than to write a cheque to an individual...snior moment at 47


Hi Henri,

Thank you for emailing me about this one. We do have sponsorship with the letter and Donation with the letter too in the website but we do not ask anyone to solicit door to door. It is not Deaf Olympics as we are hosting 1st World Deaf Ice Hockey and Curling Championship 2009. There will be only hockey and curling. We do not have basketball game in this tournment.

Thank you for contact RCMP about this one. I think it is fraud. Anything that you want to know, you are welcome to contact me anytime.

Thanks
Cheryl

[tcar]

If you write checks, ALWAYS use a

UNIBALL SIGNO

Pen. They cannot be washed.

[vash]

good instincts hendog...just pay attention to them earlier next time.

i dont write checks anymore.

[onlycafe]

use some of that pretty canadian money next time.