ScamVictimsUnited.com

This is what happened to me, can someone tell me what to do as far as the bank is concerned?

I received a money order from someone in Nigeria that was supposed to be moving here to be my new roommate, she told me that she wanted to have Walmart send me the money because she wouldn't be able to cash it there. So I received a money order for $3500 and deposited it into my checking account.

They put a 5 business day hold on it and they released the funds exactly 1 week later. So I (stupidly) sent the money, minus the deposit and first months rent, to her travel agent by Western Union and they called me the next morning saying they could not pick up the money since it was already picked up. So I started feeling bad about her not getting her money, so I called Western Union and found out the money was in fact picked up.

After explaining my story to WU, they transfered me to their fraud dept becausae it sounded like a scam, and told me that even though it was a money order it can take up to 45 days for a bank to find out that it was counterfeit. I was completely freaked out, so I went the next morning and withdrew the rest of MY actual money in case the money order did come back because I would be left with nothing if the money order was indeed counterfeit.

Sure enough by the time I got home about an hour later, my account was negitive $3500. I know that it was my stupidity and naivity that put me in this situation, but here is my major problem:

I called at least 4 times before I sent the money to make sure that they would not have released the money if there was anything wrong with the money order on there end, and each time they said that they would not have. If my bank put a 5 day hold on the funds, and then released it, told me each time I called that it was in fact a good money order and then found out it wasn't, are they not somewhat responsible?

I would like to ask the woman who created this site what you did in order to sue the bank? I see that you received an out of court settlement against your bank, but cannot talk about the amount and the name of the bank. I would just like to know how you started the process and what your actual claim was. I want to do the same thing, because I don't think I should be held responsible for the funds when they are the people who are supposed to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen.

I take responsiblity for being a naive and too trusting of a person, but they are the ones who released the funds, not me, if it took a month then I wouldn't of cared. I never hassled them to release the money or anything.

Please Please Please help me, I'm going to lose everything, my apartment, car , the little money I do have if I cannot fix this. Please

I was also scammed and ended up out about $3500. I fought with the bank for two months and eventually was forced to either pay the money or have my credit ruined (and be blackballed from opening another account at any bank for about 7 years).....

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.. but for $3500, I doubt it would be worth legal action, the bank has nearly infinite funds for legal issues... It will probably cost more than the 3500 to fight them.

Andrew

PS - My bank had also told me several times that the money was ok to withdrawl.. I found out afterwards that they "had no way to know".. Let me know how it goes though!

First off, stop blaming yourself. The only thing that you did wrong was to trust that your bank was giving you accurate information.

What we did was to write up a detailed story of what happened to us, which you can read at http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/our_story.htm
I then sent it to every TV news show, newspaper, radio station and magazine that I could.

I also sent it to the resources listed at scamvictimsunited.com/resources_cashier's_check.htm
I will not lie to you, it was not easy. I spent every minute of every day for weeks calling, emailing and contacting anyone who would listen to us. Every time I spoke with the bank, I documented everything, and I would also let them know that "it would be nice to have this resolved by X date, since that is when we had our next interview or press conference schedules. If things were resolved I would be able to mention how helpful they have been through this ordeal" I still think that the fact that I made a lot of "noise" really helped.

For those who do not know what the bank's role is in the clearance process here is a very good picture for you to read and learn.

http://www.fraudaid.com/ScamSpeak/Niger ... eck_03.htm

Very insightful, very helpful information.

Hi,
Can u help me: I was contacted my somebody from roommate.com where I had advertised my apt. They sent me moneygram money orders for 9000 dollars and asked me to send 8100 back (after deducting my rent) which is what I did.i was told by bank that money order ws cleared on 3 diff occassions (later on they said there is diff b/w cleared and posted). So I sent money back. I later realized that money order was fake.
Please let me know if I can do anything. I have already filed a complaint with local police and also written to secret service on their website.
Thanks
rc