HELP! Check Nightmare

[cbenoist]

If a person sends you checks to use that are in your name and you use one of those checks to get a specific amount of money out and use it to take care of matters, does the person who sent the checks have any legal rights to the money used? Like can they press charges for theft if the checks aren't in their name but say my name is on the checks.

 

[quincy]

If a person sends you checks to use that are in your name and you use one of those checks to get a specific amount of money out and use it to take care of matters, does the person who sent the checks have any legal rights to the money used? Like can they press charges for theft if the checks aren't in their name but say my name is on the checks.

What is the name of your state?

Please explain your situation better. From whose bank account has the money been withdrawn?

 

[cbenoist]

The account is funded by someone else. But they sent me 2 books of checks with my name on them...I wrote a check and had it cashed for an agreed upon amount, i then used that money to take care of things. Only after did the person demand the money and threaten me with legal action.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state?

What was the purpose of the account?

 

[cbenoist]

Michigan. My understanding was that the account was for me to use and to send payments to people he listed. When I explained I wasn't comfortable making out checks that were in my name and sending them to various people, I was told to write a check for $2000, I believed that the money was for myself and wasn't corrected until this evening. The check was cashed on the 11th, and the person who sent the checks to me was informed of it....I heard nothing back from them until they started attacking me. They asked me to get three $100 cards and I did, they then asked me to go make a deposit at Wells Fargo for them....I told them I couldn't because we don't have one. Things got dicey when they then told me to take the above mentioned money and sent a money gram to a someone on their behalf. NONE of this was mentioned until after the money, which I had understood to be mine, was spent. Now i'm having anxiety and panic attacks because they're threatening me.....I don't have the money. I have $11 to my name.....i'm scared to death and almost in tears.

 

[bcr229]

This sounds suspiciously like a scam with you playing middleman, abeit unwittingly.

How did you and this other person meet or come into contact with each other and work out this "understanding"?

 

[Eekamouse]

Michigan. My understanding was that the account was for me to use and to send payments to people he listed. When I explained I wasn't comfortable making out checks that were in my name and sending them to various people, I was told to write a check for $2000, I believed that the money was for myself and wasn't corrected until this evening. The check was cashed on the 11th, and the person who sent the checks to me was informed of it....I heard nothing back from them until they started attacking me. They asked me to get three $100 cards and I did, they then asked me to go make a deposit at Wells Fargo for them....I told them I couldn't because we don't have one. Things got dicey when they then told me to take the above mentioned money and sent a money gram to a someone on their behalf. NONE of this was mentioned until after the money, which I had understood to be mine, was spent. Now i'm having anxiety and panic attacks because they're threatening me.....I don't have the money. I have $11 to my name.....i'm scared to death and almost in tears.

How well do you know this person? Why are they giving you money or wanting you to write checks for them to pay others? How did you get involved and agreed to do any of this?

 

[cbenoist]

We've been talking for some time. He had been following me on facebook and had reached out when I mentioned in one very tear filled post and video that we had some damage due to snow fall shortly after my fathers death. So we began talking about things and I had mentioned that I didn't know what we were going to do because with my dad's passing we lost over 1400 a month in income. He said he wanted to help take some of the burden off my shoulders. I kept telling him no....thinking it had to be a scam. He asked for my address I gave it to him and a few days later I got the checks. Before I did anything with them, I called to bank on them to make sure the account was valid and had money in it....

I know i'm probably the naive stupid one, but i'm really terrified. After he started to belittle me and attack me I told him i was burning the check books, I didn't have the cash anymore and I blocked him. I then got messages from people he knows threatening me with legal action...one claiming to be FBI.....

 

[LdiJ]

If a person sends you checks to use that are in your name and you use one of those checks to get a specific amount of money out and use it to take care of matters, does the person who sent the checks have any legal rights to the money used? Like can they press charges for theft if the checks aren't in their name but say my name is on the checks.

Start at the beginning and tell the whole story. From how you got involved with this person to what is going on now.

 

[quincy]

Michigan. My understanding was that the account was for me to use and to send payments to people he listed. When I explained I wasn't comfortable making out checks that were in my name and sending them to various people, I was told to write a check for $2000, I believed that the money was for myself and wasn't corrected until this evening. The check was cashed on the 11th, and the person who sent the checks to me was informed of it....I heard nothing back from them until they started attacking me. They asked me to get three $100 cards and I did, they then asked me to go make a deposit at Wells Fargo for them....I told them I couldn't because we don't have one. Things got dicey when they then told me to take the above mentioned money and sent a money gram to a someone on their behalf. NONE of this was mentioned until after the money, which I had understood to be mine, was spent. Now i'm having anxiety and panic attacks because they're threatening me.....I don't have the money. I have $11 to my name.....i'm scared to death and almost in tears.

I recommend you file a complaint with Michigan's Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, and file a complaint with your local police.

https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-82915_82919_86407---,00.html
I agree with bcr229. This sounds very much like a scam. Do NOT spend or send any of your own money. Do not communicate with the fellow at all any more.

 

[cbenoist]

That's what I was thinking. None of my personal money has been sent. And I've cut off all communication with him and any of his "friends" who have sent me threatening messages.

 

[quincy]

That's what I was thinking. None of my personal money has been sent. And I've cut off all communication with him and any of his "friends" who have sent me threatening messages.

Good. Now you should file the complaints. You should submit copies of the threatening messages with the police complaint. And you can also report the group to Facebook.

Good luck.

 

[bcr229]

I know i'm probably the naive stupid one, but i'm really terrified. After he started to belittle me and attack me I told him i was burning the check books, I didn't have the cash anymore and I blocked him. I then got messages from people he knows threatening me with legal action...one claiming to be FBI.....

FBI agents don't threaten you on Facebook, they go to judges and get warrants to come search your house and they don't tell you about it beforehand because they don't want you to destroy evidence and run away.

Go to the cops tomorrow. Report the threatening people to Facebook and block them. Make your whole profile private and locked down no one can message you unless you permit it.

And in the future do not put your private live on Facebook, especially your financial life. Scammers and con artists look for that stuff constantly so they can find easy marks. The good news for you is that most of these scammers are overseas so they're not going to be filing any police reports against you, plus they don't want the authorities looking into their financials.

 

[quincy]

Privacy settings should always be utilized on Facebook. I agree that those who open up their private lives to others make themselves vulnerable.

 

[cbenoist]

I did all that already. My biggest concern was them sending the cops after me. I have the messages and the check books showing a history of what was said and what not about the money in question.