Help! I've been sent a cheque!

wrangler5

gemmaj wrote: »

an odd call for help.

I have received post today - an envelope addressed to me (typed) and post marked from Illinois, USA. Inside was a blank sheet of A4 paper and a UK cheque, a Halifax cheque hand written, for me, for almost £7000

:j:eek::D:confused:

I am not expecting a cheque, I have no rich friends, I don't know anyone in Illinois, and the signature on the cheque is illegible.

I have phoned Halifax who won't give out any details but say from how I describe it, it sounds legitimate.

I have spoken to my bank who have confirmed that there wouldn't be any fees to me if it bounced (or was fake etc) but cautioned me that it may not be my money to spend (although the cheque is payable to me by full name)

Is it safe to pay in? I mean, I couldn't be accused of entering any legally binding contract just by paying in a cheque could I??

And IF (big if, I know) I end up with almost £7000 in my account, when can I spend it?

By the way, Both banks made me laugh - "are you sure you aren't expecting a cheque from America? Is your husband? Did you overpay a hotel and not notice?" Trust me - neither of us have mislaid or forgotten about almost £7000!!!

This happened to someone who used to live in the flat below me. She recieved a cheque for £13,000 that came from out of thin air. She was with Halifax as well & stupidly paid it into her account even though she didn't have a clue who sent it to her, after she paid it in she was asked by Halifax to provide them with a covering letter from the person who sent her the cheque declaring that they had given her the cheque legitimately, which of course she couldn'tdo because she didn't know who sent it to her.

Next thing she knew, her account was suspended and she found herself under investigation for fraud, not just by Halifax fraud department but also with The Inland Revenue. She was asked several times to attend a meeting with the Halifax but was too scared to turn up, the next letter she had from them was to tell her they had closed her account & would not be offering her an account again in the future.

So..... do you really want to risk it? Because that's how this works - you are the one risking investigation for a cheque you can't prove was given to you in good faith. Think of the long term damage to your future dealings with banks or credit. RIP IT UP NOW!!!

hillcats

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

If it was me, I'd bank the cheque in a separate account and leave it there. Frankly if it was me, I'd leave it there for a good long time - probably a couple of years - before I felt safe to spend it. But yes, I would bank it.
PS - do let us know what happens!

I agree that it does indeed sound like a massive scam which indeed could cause you lots of trouble if you was silly enough to use the cash, IF it cleared.(Which I doubt it will) I admit though I would open a brand new account specially for this Cheque and THIS CHEQUE ONLY and like mentioned by LazyDaisy just leave it alone for many years, definately more than two years though....

Following on from the above poster, I would also use a different bank which I had no previous connection with so that other accounts can not be affected.

Pound

hillcats wrote: »

I admit though I would open a brand new account specially for this Cheque and THIS CHEQUE ONLY

And what do you do if two months down the line someone asks for the money back threatening to involve the police? If you pay it back and that cheque was paid without the real account holder's consent it can be reversed at any time.

hillcats

Thats Fine, involve the police. (Remember, I have NOTHING to hide...)
I would've taken a copy of the cheque before it was deposited anyway, and if the "someone" wanted their money back I would supply the banks details & the local police and then we could resolve their issue. Somehow I think this would send them packing and more than likely the cheque bouncing higher than tigger...

hethmar

My son had £43k deposited into his bank account by BACS. The bank couldnt trace who sent it which we found hard to believe. They said it takes up to 7 weeks to trace. So he moved it into a separate interest account and waited. After about 8 weeks his own HR department contacted apologising for their error. LOL, he was disappointed in a way but was also concerned it was some kind of money laundering scam.

jonesMUFCforever

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Pay it into an interest-bearing account, and earn something while you wait to see what happens next.

Do not under any circumstances pay the cheque into your account in case you are implicated in the scam and the bank closes your account.

Yes it is a scam - yes they will contact you again saying that the cheque has been sent to you in error and would you please send the money back (ie a cheque from your account) - you then find the original cheque bounced (there is no 2-4-6 clearing for fraudulent cheques) and your money gone too - a double whammy!

Bin it or take it to the police.

omen666

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

If anyone contacts you and asks for the money back, DO NOT send them any money, under any circumstances. Tell them they will have to contact their own bank and take whatever steps are necessary to recall the money, and confirm that you will notify your own bank of the conversation. Then notify your bank in writing and ask them to investigate.

The reason is that contrary to popular belief, a cheque can 'bounce' several months after being paid in - the main reason being that the cheque was stolen in the first place, which means the money was never the sender's to give in the first place, but it can take a while to trace the money.

If it was me, I'd bank the cheque in a separate account and leave it there. Frankly if it was me, I'd leave it there for a good long time - probably a couple of years - before I felt safe to spend it. But yes, I would bank it.

PS - do let us know what happens!

Some of you on here have no clue as to what advice you are giving.

OP do what LazyDaisy stated above.

crispy_chris

Just be aware that if you pay it in and it turns out ot be fraudulent you will be the one held responsible and that the reason of "Oh I thought I would see if it cleared" does not contstitute a good excuse and you may well find your bank closes your account as they now suspect you of perpetrating the fraud yourself.

zzzLazyDaisy

If you are concerned about possibly being implicated in a fraud, take a photocopy of the cheque and write to the Halifax fraud department, explaining what has happened and also explaining what advise you have received from both the Halifax and from your own bank.

Delay banking the cheque until you get a letter back from the Fraud Dept.

That way you will have evidence that you have taken all necessary steps before banking the cheque since the Halifax will have had a full opportunity to check out the senders account and satisfy themselves that the cheque is not fraudulent.

Money_maker

There have been similar threads in the past but dont think they've been updated...