i lost around $810,000 usd by scammers.

now i am in the jail because i got loans from banks and users for them. maybe you think i am crazy but i was without experience.

i don't know what do I do doing now?

mazyar

I received a check for $2800 from a company and they told me to withdraw the money from the check, take 10 percent as my commission and send the rest back to them through western union. Is this money laundering or scam?

Is this a money laundering or a scam?

You get a mail that someone will transfer money from a foreign bank account to my bank account The person will make it look like it's my money by showing my business investment. He managed to get get documentations proving that it's my money and sent me an application letter to apply for the transfer.

The person wants to share this money for which he will travel to my country. Please help. My friend could be in big trouble here.

I received a check in the mail along with a letter telling me of an opportunity for a part-time job as a mystery shopper. I was excited by the opportunity to earn extra money. I was a bit hesitant because the address was a po box. The fact that they wanted me to wire the majority of the money overseas was also alarming. I called and spoke to a gentlemen who swore it was all legal.

I deposited the check but i didn't withdraw a dime. i waited to see if the check would clear and it didn't. I'm glad that it only cost me $10 for the check bouncing.

Thank you! Unfortunately my mother sent the fax and deposited the check. After I got online and started locating all kinds of survey and WU scams, I called her and told her to stop the check and get new account numbers for her checking account. Now if she took my advice, I don't know as of yet.

But I will follow up with her in the morning to confirm with her that it is definitely a scam. Thank you, I hope she took my advice!

Tense, this is a scam!! Our local newspaper has done a couple of articles on people who were defrauded by this scheme. Go to the bank ASAP and tell them what has happened. Do *not* send that fax or any other information! I don't remember exactly how it works, but you can also call your area Better Business Bureau and they can probably give you the lowdown. But get in touch with the bank!

I am trying to figure out if this company my mom just signed up with is legit! They sent her a check for $3,600, and told her to deposit it into her account. She was then to fax over the deposit confirmation to supposedly release the funds. After the funds are released she is then to western union $2,900 with a fee of $200. She is able to keep the other $500 for herself, provided she do some secret confidential shopping at walgreens or wal-mart. It sounds a little questionable to me!

The company is called World Financial Survey, but the company name on the check is some wrecking company. The check was deposited today, so anything can help, before it is too late to stop the check. Thanks!

to anon1730: if your friend was unknowingly participating I don't think much harm can be done -- but I do think that is money laundering.

I was in a similar situation. A friend asked me to open a account to enable her to have cash deposits made into then she wants me to withdraw the cash sent and send it via bank to bank transfer into her account.

I was looking for a job on craigslist, and I received an email from someone who is looking for an assistant because he told me that he is out of town for the next two months. He just told me that he's going to sent me a money order for $5000, and I can keep $400 for myself as a weekly salary and send the rest of the money to an electronic company to buy some stuff he needs and ship them to the address he will give me. I want to know if this is money laundering? someone help me

can i get in trouble for receiving a WU money transfer if the money the sender used turns out to be stolen or illegal money?

What is this?

I was sent an email to go to Spain, open a non-resident account. Travel back to the US with this person from Spain, transfer money from one account to the other, invest it, and keep receiving small installments until reach 30 million.

What is that?

Is it safe?

Would I get in trouble?

Part of that email is pasted below.

Please let me know what it is, thanks...

My course to search for foreigner´s assistance is based on a professional consultation and it might also interest you to know that I have an understanding with the president of a local bank here towards a successful transfer of the fund from his bank.

I am a responsible man that is blessed with a lovely wife and three beautiful girls, my first daughter is 15, the second is 13 and the third is 11 and I have never hurt a fly . Also, let me say that it is my *absolute* responsibility to protect your interest throughout the duration of your stay here; therefore your visit to Madrid shall be without any *hitch.*

On your arrival in Madrid, please check into any hotel of your choice and contact me and as soon as we meet, we would go to the bank where you will open the nonresident account, that will not take more than an hour, thereafter we would go to the security company to authorize the delivery of the fund to the bank, enabling the deposit and for the onward telegraphic transfer to your account in your country. Though, you and I may choose to be transferring the funds to your country on installments, just to maintain a low profile.

Immediately the transfer process is completed, you and I will board the next available flight back to your country for the disbursement as agreed and to further investment plans before my family arrives. However, we intend to establish a company in your country after we have agreed on the fields in which we can invest the funds, and with your permission, we can appoint you as Managing Partner and Local Advisor of the company.

All expenses incurred in the course of the transaction must be recorded since we have mapped out 1% of the fund to take care of every expenses involved and I have an Agreement and memorandum of understanding that would protect our various interests throughout the duration of the transaction. I hope we continue with one spirit of understanding.

So.. what do you think about this?

I had an ad up on craigslist to sell a ring for $140. so I had got an email from someone saying that they would buy it and add an extra $70 for me to hold it. He told me he wouldnt be able to pick it up but his agent would. He would be sending a cashiers check for almost $5,000. he told me to deposit the check and after confirmed to take the $210 he owed me but then send the rest of the money to his agent (which the info would be sent with the check) through western union or money gram. is this money laundering?

Hi. I was wondering how any bank can be aware of the fast transfer like Western Union Transfers or else….

Cause they don’t have full information about you and you don’t open an account so they cant know from where did you get the cash money they just transfer it very quick and that’s it :s ‘cause here in my country I think they cant realized that money laundering can be made so easy or am wrong :s Thank you

Hello i have a person that wants me to open a Wells Fargo Checking account so somebody can wire money into this Account he said it had to be a Wells Fargo Bank is this Legal?

No, that is more likely a scam than laundering. More likely than not, the funds will look like they clear, only to be rejected a week or more later when they make it to the issuing bank. By the time the original funds bounce out of the account, the scammers have already withdrew the sent funds in cash.

My husband and I are trying to rent a house in a very small, rural town in the midwest. He posted an ad on Craigslist this week. Today he received an email from an individual that says they are in London England and wanting to start a branch office in this town and interested in renting the property. They want to send a cashiers check for $7,000, $1300 of which is the deposit we require. The rest they want us to send to an interior decorator so that they can begin decorating the place as an office (the house is on the courthouse square and has been previously used as an office). The person writing the email does not sound like a native English speaking person judging by the grammar used. Why would someone from England want to start an office in an obscure midwestern town? No mention has been made of what type of business this is. My husband thinks it's fishy. I found this thread about money laundering and the rental scam. Is someone trying to use us for money laundering?

No that is not laundering. I would make sure you can trust her before doing this. Just a bit of advice. You don't want her running away with all your hard earned cash. ;)

I have a fiancee that is from the Philippines. She used to live in Spain. She has an account in Spain but she moved to the Philippines and now she is coming here but she wants to use the money in her Spain account to pay for the ticket, So we were thinking to add her to my bank account and then have them wire the money to my account then she can withdraw it with her debit card in her country, Is that Laundering?

If I was "your friend", I would set up a new account at the bank instead of giving them their real account number. If the money is transfered, sit on it until an attorney can look into the situation. Don't try to spend it or move it from the account. If it's for real, the attorney fees are well spent. If not...you may have saved yourself a lot of money or jail time.

I would like to know if, this is money laundry, my friend, was an heir from other country, their transaction is by email only... the bank from other country will transfer a money to him amounting to $1M, is this money laundering?

Please help my friend, he is confused....

This is an extremely popular scam used via the internet. Most of them tend to originate from Nigeria. There are many forms of this.

it is money laundering as well as counterfeiting. The checks that are sent to the victims are always large amount and are always counterfeit. the victim is always asked (eventually) to send back most of the money.

the bank cashes these checks then days later (after you have sent back most of the money by mail order) realizes that it is counterfeit, then gets you in trouble for cashing a counterfeit check. By the time the bank catches on, you have already spent your "10%" and sent of the other 90% to nigeria or some other obscure country. so now you get to pay back that large sum of money, most of which you happily sent back to the scammer. The crappy part? you had to work for your money. All he had to do was make a really nice fake check.

Lately this scam has been wreaking havoc in the word of internet classifieds.

If you are renting out a room you may get a lot of similar e mails from 20 something women saying that they will soon be moving to the states and wish to send you a large check to cover multiple months of rent up front. they send you the check, you cash it, then shortly after she makes up some excuse about not being able to rent the room and coerces you to keep a months rent but send a money order back to her for the remaining amount, which is only fair.

-this scam also takes the form of purchases. a buyer may contact you about buying the drumset you have for sale. then send you way too much and ask you to mail order the rest back to them.

these scammers are like you and me. they also think every day of better and better ways to get what it is that were all after. they are clever. just remember, there are no free lunches. if its too good to be true, it is.

i got an email about a job. all i needed to do was cash some money orders take my 10% off top and wire the rest. if the postal money orders are "real" can i get in trouble for wiring the money to someone over seas?

Without knowing too much about the situation, I think that your friend may have fallen into some kind of scam. I'd also assume that since she didn't knowingly participate, she won't be held responsible. If she were my friend, however, I'd advise her to see a lawyer or to contact the authorities. She may be able to help find the people actually responsible.

I have a friend who received something by us mail telling her she had basically won a lottery in another country. They had her call a number and she did and he got all her info.... bank acct number,, address ect.Well anyway yesterday they wired her 2,000 dollars into her account,, they said it was to pay the taxes on her winnings,,, the check cleared the bank and she was told she had to take the money out of her account and western union it to this other country to pay the taxes on her winnings. she did all this and is now afraid that maybe this is money laundering !!! can you please let me know,,, im really concerned for her,,, she is very gullible and i feel maybe she just got scammed or worse if this is money laundering she could be in trouble or could she???