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Scammers use fake checks to con victims

Posted at 7:09 PM, Jul 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-19 19:09:57-04

Alana Howell, a single mother with four children, needed to supplement her income.

“I was on the Internet looking for an online job and I got an email,” says Howell,

Alana was told she would be paid for depositing checks the company sent her into her account then sending a percentage back to the company.

“I went to the bank, deposited the checks (they sent me two checks) totaling almost $4,000. About 3 days later, received note saying they`re fraudulent checks and I was now in a hole,” says Howell.

Alana now owes the bank more than $3,000 and things have only gotten worse.

“I`m still stuck in a problem with the bank and my credit is going down," says Howell.

Law enforcement says this type of scam is on the rise. Suspects are sending out thousands of fake checks and trying to beat the system.

“The scam artist is counting on the bank releasing the money or you having sufficient funds in your account to cover the expense check back to the scam artist. You don`t discover the check is going to bounce until after you`ve wired or sent the money back to the scam artist,” says George Jepsen, Connecticut Attorney General.

Victims are then responsible to the bank for the fraudulent check amounts deposited. Alana is angry.

“I`m a single Mom. I`m already struggling it as it is taking care of what I need to take care of and then you have people taking away from you and you`re trying to make better for you and your family,” says Howell.

Alana is still struggling in her dispute with her bank. She has a red flag on her banking account, which will not allow her to open any other banking accounts in other cities and states.

Postal inspectors say you should always be suspicious of a deal that is 'too good to be true." If you`re not sure whether an opportunity you learn about through the mail or internet is legitimate, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.