Employment scam?

[imlars]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia
I answered an ad on CareerBuilder for a personal assistant position. I received an email explaining what my duties would be, and asked if I was still interested. It was all standard personal assistant stuff, so I answered Yes, I was still interested. I then received a check by FED EX, I was to keep $600 of it and utilize the rest to perform my duties as assigned.
I emailed the person to let them know that I had deposited the check, it did clear, and I was awaiting further instructions. I haven't heard from them as of yet and I am wondering how long I have to wait to hear from them before the rest of that money becomes mine? Is there any way this person can come after me once I do use those funds for my own purposes.
There is no signed contract, just the emails, which I have kept as both hard copies and saved on my computer. I also have the FED EX envelope with the senders info on it.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia
I answered an ad on CareerBuilder for a personal assistant position. I received an email explaining what my duties would be, and asked if I was still interested. It was all standard personal assistant stuff, so I answered Yes, I was still interested. I then received a check by FED EX, I was to keep $600 of it and utilize the rest to perform my duties as assigned.
I emailed the person to let them know that I had deposited the check, it did clear, and I was awaiting further instructions. I haven't heard from them as of yet and I am wondering how long I have to wait to hear from them before the rest of that money becomes mine? Is there any way this person can come after me once I do use those funds for my own purposes.
There is no signed contract, just the emails, which I have kept as both hard copies and saved on my computer. I also have the FED EX envelope with the senders info on it.

The check WILL bounce. It did not clear, it just took longer than normal to bounce, and banking rules state the bank must make the funds available to you.

DO NOT SPEND THE MONEY. YOU WILL BE PAYING BACK THE BANK WHEN IT BOUNCES.

If you are contacted by the fraudster, ask them to send you a copy of the cancelled check with your signature on it. If they can do that, go ahead and start spending the money. Here's a hint... They'll never be able to produce that signature BECAUSE THE CHECK IS FAKE.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia
I answered an ad on CareerBuilder for a personal assistant position. I received an email explaining what my duties would be, and asked if I was still interested. It was all standard personal assistant stuff, so I answered Yes, I was still interested. I then received a check by FED EX, I was to keep $600 of it and utilize the rest to perform my duties as assigned.
I emailed the person to let them know that I had deposited the check, it did clear, and I was awaiting further instructions. I haven't heard from them as of yet and I am wondering how long I have to wait to hear from them before the rest of that money becomes mine? Is there any way this person can come after me once I do use those funds for my own purposes.
There is no signed contract, just the emails, which I have kept as both hard copies and saved on my computer. I also have the FED EX envelope with the senders info on it.

**A: sounds like a scam to me. Better check again with your bank.

 

[FlyingRon]

It is near IMPOSSIBLE for the depositor to tell if a check clears. As pointed out by others, there is a strong difference between the funds availability and the check clearing. The bank will pull that money right back out of your account once the fact that this check is worthless paper is determined which could take several weeks to make it's round trip. All the expediting in the banking industry concerns "actual money" not sitting around idle, NOT worthless paper.

Anybody who sends you a check with an overage that asks you to send some of it back, or to send you some merchandise, or do some purchasing for them, etc.. IS A SCAM.
PERIOD

The extra money is to sucker you into the "too good to be true" level to sucker you in.

 

[imlars]

So even though the bank held it for 48 hours before releasing it, they can still remove the amount that they credited to my account at a later date? It was a Bank of America cashiers check with a valid name and address on it as I did check that out online.
I would think that my bank would keep a copy of the check, who would I report this type of scam to?

 

[swalsh411]

So even though the bank held it for 48 hours before releasing it, they can still remove the amount that they credited to my account at a later date?

They can and they will.

Just forget the whole thing and walk away. Ignore any further emails. The check WILL bounce. You WILL be held responsible.

 

[HomeGuru]

So even though the bank held it for 48 hours before releasing it, they can still remove the amount that they credited to my account at a later date? It was a Bank of America cashiers check with a valid name and address on it as I did check that out online.
I would think that my bank would keep a copy of the check, who would I report this type of scam to?

**A: it was a fake cashier's check.

 

[imlars]

**A: sounds like a scam to me. Better check again with your bank.

I emailed my bank, well actually my credit union, and explained the situation to them. They aren't open today but I'm sure they will contact me first thing Monday am. I figured it was too good to be true and didn't spend any more than we would be able to pay back within a week or so. I do have Overdraft Protection up to $500 on my account so if it bounces soon they will pay the bills and charge me $25 each, which is still less than the fees would have been on the late bills. If it bounces later, like say the end of the week, we will have enough in the account to cover the amount spent in the account, so this shouldn't hit us too hard.
Is there any legal entity that I should report this too?

 

[HomeGuru]

I suggest you go down to your credit union on Monday and take car of things. DO not count on the money period.

 

[imlars]

Oh I will be at my credit union bright and early Monday am with what little documentation I have. Thanks to all of you who took the time to confirm my suspicions.