ScamVictimsUnited.com

In July,2004 I received 3 CPMOs for just under 10,000.00 each. This was supposedly a loan against an inheritance that I was contacted on months earlier. I was a bit skeptical until the MOs showed up. I was to forward some of the funds to facilitate getting my "inheritance." I had a Canadian friend that said, they looked real to her (She had received them before.) I deposited them in my account, the bank said it would be 5-7 days to clear. After a week I checked with the bank and the manager said they were "GOOD AS GOLD." I withdrew 20k and sent this to the Barrister that was handling my inheritance. After another week I was notified by the bank that the MOs were returned and my accounts were run into the red about 23k. I went to the FBI and filed a report and was told that they don't really bother with scams under 100k and not to worry about it. The bank told me that they were investigating the matter and I heard nothing more from the bank about it. In November 2004, a detective came to my house and said that I had produced this fake MOs and that I was going down for it. He arrested me and the next day they released me saying no charges were being pressed. After feeling a lot of stress over this, I was relieved and thought the matter was through. In March 2006 I was stopped for a traffic ticket and the police said they had a warrant for me over this for forgery and theft- back to jail. I was released on own recognizance and am waiting for trial. My attorney thinks that if I can find others this has happened to, that had their charges dropped by the DA
he can convince my DA to dismiss my charges too. Please get ahold of me ASAP if you can help, Thank You

You never made arrangements to pay the bank back?

I understand that I may have to pay back the money. I was even willing to, but the bank would not even talk with me about it. They just told the police that I was passing counterfeit MOs. After several discussions with the DA about what happened when I deposited this MOs and because of what transpired between the DA and bank personal during his investigation and trial preperation, he(the DA) is begining to have doubts about the truthfulness some of the banks personal. I have since produced proof that the bank knew about the counterfeit CPMO from a FDIC alert about them. At my trial date, the bank manager became conveniently unavailable to testify due to a 2 week vacation. The DA thinks that is rather strange. I believe he is leaning towards dropping the whole thing, but would like some legal presedent to back that stand

If the Bank was willing to drop the charges would you repay the bank?


That might be a big point with the bank.

That is one of the things the DA asked about. I was willing to do that, after talking to the bank the DA said that they wanted it all at once with interest, which I can not do, I don't have that kind of money. After they continued my trial, my attorney told me that the DA said he would prefer to see a civil compromise. I am currently working on getting a federal case filed, on the grounds that the bank did not use "due care" in handling this matter. The DA might be happy with that as grounds to dismiss. He is not very happy with the way the bank has proceeded thus far.

I do not think you will be able to file a "due care" case, the standard deposit agreement you signed when you opened the account directs all responsibility or "due care" on you, the depositor, you are reponsible for what goes into the account. The bank is considered a facillitator, basically this means had you not deposited the counterfeits, your account would not be overdrawn. The bank was simply following your wishes when it tried to retrieve the funds from the money orders for you. The are Federal guidelines about funds availabilty that the bank must follow, that is why you were given provisonal access to the money. When the money orders were returned the bank has the right, by the deposit agreement, to ask for the money it gave you access to.

The reason the bank wants all the money at once is because if they accept any partial payment they will not be able to pursue the criminal case. After it becomes civil, and I think it will since you can prove you wired the money away, you can prove that right, they will work out a payment plan.

What bank you dealing with?

Yes, I can. That's part of the reason the DA is leaning towards dismissal. The bank is Washington Mutual

ok

I cannot believe they said those things were good as gold. There's a max on them of 999.99.

I know!! Because of their managers inept ability I'm getting screwed for 20k+ They had received an alert about bogus CPMOs. I never got that alert.

"I withdrew 20k and sent this to the Barrister that was handling my inheritance. "

Looks like you were victim of the old 419 Advanced Fee Fraud, with a twist - instead of them asking for money that you send them, they send you bogus money orders that you cash and send them the money.

This is becoming more common in 419 type scams. If the victim can't or won't pay the advanced fees, the scammer will arrange for an "investor" or "loan offcer" to provide the victim with a 100% fake cheque or money order to cover the "fees".

Yes, I know that now!! After I sent the money, I got a check from some business in Califoria from them for 59K. It was suppose to be the start of payments for my "inheritance." By the time it arrived, I knew the CPMOs were bogus and that it was too! I took the check and my story to the FBI and got told, TOO BAD, they did not want to investigate anything under a 100K