Fake "Personal Money Order"/Check?

Hello! Stumbled upon this forum as I attempted some basic research. After reading through a few topics, I must say you guys are awesome! Keep up the great work!

So I work for a small family business and we received a Citibank "Personal Money Order" (as written at the top of this.. bank check type of thing) in a plain white envelope with no return address. Our company name and address is handwritten on the envelope (with no return address). While the amount and the date are typed on the "money order" itself, our company name is handwritten on it. There is absolutley no information about the sender on either the money order or the envelope. There is a line for "Purchaser's Signature" and "Address" but both were left blank. Even the postal marking on the envelope is illegible. Also, it's a 3-part form - 1)There is the actual money order which is white with green design and black type, 2)a "bank copy" which is pink with black type, and 3) a "purchaser copy" which is white with black type. All three copies are intact and were sent to us.

It's not the first time we've received a payment that doesn't contain any info regarding what account the payment should be applied to, but something just seemed all too shady about this. To add to the weirdness, I went through our outstanding invoices and not one of them matched the amount of the money order.

I called Citibank and explained that I received this "payment" but had no clue who it was from. I figured it was worth a shot to ask if they could help me out. He asked for the check/money order number, and then for the account number, which he stated would be the "middle number at the bottom". I heard the "middle number" part so without putting much thought into it, I read him the middle number. After a couple minutes of hanging on the line, I was told that they do not have records on the money order/check numbers and therefore, could not help me. I assumed it was proobably against policy or something for him to give me the account holder's name based on the account number. I wasn't expecting much to begin with, so no biggie. However, after hanging up I realized that the middle number is in fact the routing number and not the account number. It seems strange that the Citibank guy didnt mention that. He must have known, right?? I mean, there are even different amount of digits in each number.

So in my googling of the routing and account numbers, I found that they have indeed turned up on check fraud websites. Others who received checks with the numbers have said they turned out to be fake. If anyone is interested, the routing number is 031100209, which does appear to be a legit Citibank routing number, and the account number is 38762924 (Would not be posting the account number had I not found posts from other people who said the number is associated with other fake checks.)

I find it strange the Citibank was not too eager to help - They must be able to help me determine its authenticity if they wanted to. Maybe they'd rather we attempt to deposit it so they can charge us the fees later.

If this money order is indeed a fake (which I'm quite convinced of at this point), I just don't understand what anyone would have to gain from it. I see no way that anyone (other than the banks) would profit/benefit from this.

Anyone know what a scammer could possibly gain from this? Anyone else had a similar experience? Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks to all who take the time to read/respond!

Hello swoosh!

This is a common overpayment scam. In the case of businesses the scammer typically says the overpayment is for shipping and ask you to wire the money to a shipping company which is just the scammer playing another charecter. The check is fake and the person that cashes it has to repay all the money to the bank even if the bank initially clears the check with the typically will due to strict regulations.

In your case it's odd you wouldn't be expecting the check. I'd check with the employees to make sure no one has inadvertaly been in contact with a scammer. The scam only works if you cash the check and send the overpayment so it's pointless for the scammer to send a random check no one knows about.

There is absolutely no reason for a bank to do this. They would be running the risk of the person cashing the check not having the money to pay back the bank and the fees would not be close to making up for the potential loss. Not to mention it would be highly illegal.

Justin

Thanks for your quick response! No one else here that could have been in contact with anyone. It occured to me, however, that there is a company with an extemely similar name that has popped up within the last year. (Say our name is Pink Ribbon Window Service Inc, theirs is Pink Ribbon Window & Floor Service.) They are a bunch of ripoffs and it's been such a headache for us because people often think that we are the same company, or are affiliated (But that is a rant for another time and place lol). Being scam artists themselves, I would not be the least bit surprised if this money order was meant for them. They, of course, do not want to be tracked down so they do not have a physical address listed anywhere online. I've got a feeling that maybe whoever sent it couldn't find the address they were given or something, so they probably would have searched for it and ended up with our address. Would be nice if the scammers got scammed, but oh well.

Any suggestions regarding what I should do with the money order? Shred, save ("void"/"fake"), or should it be brought to anyone's attention?

Thanks again!

And using my example of company name above, the "money order" was payable to Pink Ribbon Window, so could work for either company.

It's possible but it is unlikely the scammers would send one of their fake checks to an address that they do not get directly from the victim. I'm sorry I don't have a better explanation all I can tell you is what I know is likely from this type of scammer which I have a quite a bit of experience with.

As far as the check goes feel free to destroy it or you can drop it off at a local police department.

Thanks so much for your help! Have a great weekend!

My daughter received a check with the same routing & account number. I called the corporate office and i was told that the check was not a fake. I was given another number to verify the check. So i did and of course that kind of money isnt available. I know the whole thing is a scam. My daughter applied for a housekeeping job on craigslist and she was sent this check to pay her first week and apparently mail the remainder of the check to someone else in which i told her it was a scam and that check will be destroyed. No one mails you 1950.00 check and you havent even met them in person and if it was legit, she can mail her own check to her landlord. I found it odd the bank said this was an official check from Citibank.

[email protected] Added email address used (BW)

My daughter received a check with the same routing & account number. I called the corporate office and i was told that the check was not a fake. I was given another number to verify the check. So i did and of course that kind of money isnt available. I know the whole thing is a scam. My daughter applied for a housekeeping job on craigslist and she was sent this check to pay her first week and apparently mail the remainder of the check to someone else in which i told her it was a scam and that check will be destroyed. No one mails you 1950.00 check and you havent even met them in person and if it was legit, she can mail her own check to her landlord. I found it odd the bank said this was an official check from Citibank.

Welcome to Scamwarners

Well its a good thing that common sense saved the situation . No one mails you 1950.00 check and you havent even met them in person . You got that 100% correct . And the check was probably a counterfeit .


Feel free to post any emails and addresses from this scam . It helps warn other potential victims

This guy is claiming to be Matthew Hernandez. I got his email and naturally excited to hear back from a potential customer replied. I did not "fall" for the scam however I emailed back that i was not in a desperate situation for money and that i would only accept cash at our first appointment and discuss accepting personal checks thereafter. I did not get a reply so here i am with all intention of uncovering this persons scam as much as i can. Matthew" used this email [email protected] the phone numbers listed i searched and they did come up out of Maryland but no name. If you are in the Tallahassee Fl area do not send this jerk any info except maybe a nice note saying his scam days are OVER! Thank you scamwarners i knew what to look for in this situation!
Dear Job Applicant,

Greetings to you and your family how are things in general and i guess you are doing just fine today. I got your reply and i'm pleased to inform you that you have been selected to work for me as a housekeeper in the mean time, let me tell you just a little bit about me and my beautiful family my name is Matthew Hernandez and I am a Sailor and also a general contractor, I am married to a french named Vallerie Hernandez (my wife) who happens to be a lawyer. We have been happily married for 11 years now and are blessed with two lovely kids Emerald and Amaryllis. Presently she is pregnant for my third child and at the verge of delivery, but both my wife and two kids stay in Germany in my home town. I recently got a transfer from my former working here in the Baltimore to a city of another in America and i'm now relocating to the city because of my new transfer. I just got an apartment there and I will also be disclosing the location of the address as soon as i'm convinced you are ready to take the job. I got a call that my wife is at the point of delivery so I will be leaving for Germany to be with her and as soon as she has put to bed, I will be returning and then bring them back along to the United States, So I will be staying in my new apartment with my family.

Right now, we need someone to clean our new apartment. We would be needing your services 3 times in a week at $400 weekly and that would be at your convenient time too so you will let me know what days of the week would be convenient for you and the preferred time frame you wish to work for me. NOTE that every cleaning day is 4 hours and I hope that's enough time to clean a 3 bedroom house with one master bedroom and two standard size rooms, with One Living room and a kitchen as well. I believe you are fit for this position in as much you will show yourself approved to be a reliable, trustworthy, committed and hard working person. We are going to arrive at the end of this month (May) hopefully and so you will resume work before our arrival. You will help us to clean the apartment in the morning of our arrival date also, I will tell the estate agent to mail the keys of the apartment to you so that you can be able to clean the apartment. I want to know if there's any equipment that you will be needing me to provide, if there's any let me know how much it will cost. In respect to that, I will like to secure your service by paying an upfront payment of one week just before our arrival. So the payment plan would either come as check or money order, depending on the one that's convenient for me at that point in time. I will like to send the money to you before I leave for Germany, I hope you are okay with that?
if you be interested in working with my family i will like you to get back to me with requested information below.
So Fill This Application And Email It Back Here Asap!!!
First Name______________________
Middle Name If Any___________________________
Last Name_____________________________
Full Street Address_____________________________
City, State, Zip Code______________________________________
Sex________Age_________
Are you married_____________________
DO YOU HAVE ANY CRIMINAL RECORD? Don't mean any offense_________________________
Nationality___________________________
Cell Phone Number (___)___________________________________
Home Phone Number(___)___________________________________
Email:____________________________
Current Job:____________________________
Also,the nature of my job may not give me the full privilege to communicate through the mobile phone always but I can only receive a text message on this cell phone number (443) 379-4652) but you can call me on this number (443) 499-3869
All we need from you is total honesty and sincerity. I know you will be committed to the work, You will also have a nice period of working with my Family. I will be waiting to hear from you.
Best Regards,
Matthew

1kleenLady

Welcome to Scam Warners 1kleenLady .
Thank you for taking the time to report this scam so that others can be made aware also.
Would you please copy & paste the complete email headers here, with your personal info removed.
The info may help others also.
Thank you.

For the BOTS:

Matthew [email protected]

PH 443-379-4652

PH 443-499-3869