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I think I deposited a fake check, what do i do?!?*

I think I deposited a counterfeit check. It was up front money from a future employer, the whole situation got strange, I have not touched any of the money. How do I find out if it is real or not? What am I supposed to say to my bank? I also checked my account online today (just a day later after depositing it) and it says the funds are available. Does that mean the check actually cleared and its not fake? Or if I start spending the money will I find out weeks later that it still wasnt real?

Answers:

1) you dont do anything. if the check bounce then you dont get the money. that is all. only the person who made that check is breaking the law. you are the victim. you can actully sue to get your money back. nothing to worry about except your check bounce

2) I'd go to the bank and tell them exactly what you posted here. There may not be much they can do about it, but they might waive the bounced check fee if the check does bounce.

3) how did you deposit it did you hand it to teller? did you mail it to bank did you deposit in the ATM? if you deposited in the ATM or mailed when did you do that recently? maybe the bank hasn't removed the deposits from the ATM yet or did you give to the teller did you ask them to verify the check or did you deposited and did you deposit the whole thing or did you get cash bank? where is your future employer from? (locally or overseas? if you haven't touch any of the money don't.... (Just pretend it isn't there and you are going have to wait weeks (maybe a few months) to see if that check you give bounces..(especially its from overseas)

4) First off why is a company paying you before you do any work? Second, do NOT touch any of the money, go to the bank and find out how hold they have held the fund usually 2,5,9 or 11 business days depending on the amount and where the bank is the check is drawn off, then wait to see if within that time period if the check clears and becomes available. Also you may want to go to the bank and talk to a Branch Manager or CSR about your situation. Also if I knew the situation better as far as why they were giving you advanced payment, the name of the company on the check etc. I could give you better idea. Did they require you to give a portion of the original amount back to them for "tax purpose" or something of the sort? If so it's definitely a scam, the way it works is you deposit the check and give the "company" their portion back...then the check comes back and bounces as non-sufficent funds, but you have take some of themoney and given it to them..and you're stuck with a negative balance because you've taken a portion of the returned check. So DO NOT use any fund until you are 100% positive you're not being scammed

5) Ah, those clever Nigerian scammers. Don't do anything. Give it at least one week. If the check is fake, nothing will happen other than that you may have to pay a bounced check penalty to the bank.

6) It probably is a fake. Especially when you say a *future employer* sent it to you. This is a common scam to send a check to the *mark* and tell them to buy supplies to run the business or it's their training money, but send back a portion of the check. What will happen, is the check will come back NSF or something else, and your bank will assess your account a fee for depositing it. The fee will be about the same as a bounced check, so up to $50. If it makes you feel better to go to the bank and tell them that you realized your error, and that you haven't touched any of the deposit, they may not close your account. Some banks will close accounts of those who put in these fraudulent checks.

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