By Ava Stryker-Robbins
When 18-year-old Olivia (a pseudonym), an Upper West Sider attending Hunter College, was walking home two weeks ago, a man approached her asking for help cashing a check that he claimed he needed for child support. Olivia told the West Side Rag during a phone interview that he said he could not cash it himself, because he had too many overdraft fees.
“I’ll give you $50 for your troubles,” he said.
Olivia, who was tired and wanted to be nice, agreed. The two of them entered Chase bank on 109th Street where he directed her to withdraw $990 in exchange for a check worth the equivalent amount and $50 in cash.
Except, the check was fraudulent. Two days after cashing it, she learned that the transaction had failed.
Olivia was of course upset by this, but she did not see a choice other than to move on and continue her life. She did not call the police as days had passed and she did not think anything could be done.
But then, a few days ago, she saw a different man talking to a college-aged boy in front of the same Chase bank. “He used the same script,” she said. “Something about child support and overdraft fees.”
She poked the person and warned him about what happened to her. But she is unsure how many people did not receive a warning and made the same mistake as she did.
If you are approached by someone claiming to need help cashing a check, please be aware that it is likely a scam and be sure to contact the police.
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Scams goin crazy lately – super bad feeling getting got. Rule of thumb as soon as they mention a check, bounce out of that conversation.
Looks as though the criminals think that they can take advantage of the generosity of young people, and of their lack of experience.
Sorry to be “Boomer” about this, but when did 18 year-old NYers become so naïve as to engage with a stranger with such a request. Whatever happened to NY smarts?
NY smarts are earned. Every New Yorker knows this.
I don’t know I mean this never happened to me but if some guy on the street says her’s a check for $1,000 deposit it to your account and take $950 out, I’d laugh.
It went up in smoke.
Exactly. It’s hard to believe this story.
my college roommate was trying to impress her out of towner parents and tried to buy them tickets to whatever the hottest broadway showwas. Long story short, she lost $500.
Naive children. Never accept a check from a stranger.
when people complain that new yorkers ignore people on the street, this is why.
Anyone tries to stop you on the street, just keep walking.
Especially when they tell you that they need to make an emergency call and they don’t have their own cell phone.
That’s not fair. I give directions all the time to tourists.
Indeed. A couple with two kids and limited English puzzling over a map on the corner of 65th and Broadway? Of course I’ll stop and offer help; that’s what New Yorkers do. Someone who calls out with a cockamamie story (especially one that offers me money)? No response is the best response.
Folks, any scam involving you entering a bank or even taking out your phone to do anything including but not limited to handing it to a stranger … just say NO
Never take a personal check from anyone you don’t personally know. Check kiting is the oldest scam in America. I once heard a breathtaking lecture from Frank Abagnale, who is the subject of the film ”Catch Me If You Can.” He remarked that when he was a teen he had to commandeer a Heidelberg printing press to execute his schemes, and now any kid with a $100 printer from Staples can fake it. It’s incredible.
She was 18 years old. What can you expect? She could have been a little afraid and to be helpful and accepting. Give her a break
Our 25 year old has successfully held a couple jobs in a couple different cities, rented their own apartment, payed taxes and security deposits, etc and probably has written two actual paper checks and been given about three, barring paychecks, refunds and gifts from Grandma, which she deposits with her phone. She takes pity on strangers all the time. This is a good scam for targeting young people. Checks are weird to them and they don’t think of official looking ones as being fake. Thanks for the cautionary tale!
An 18 year-old is legally a “full” adult. Why should we give her a break?
I expect more sense than that.
Too bad all around. But don’t chide young people for being young. Eperienced seniors get scammed every day!
The criminal was probably more shocked that this scammed worked than the victim was that the check didn’t clear.
Why would the victim suppose the check valid?
Maybe the kid was intimidated. Pan handlers and scammers can be very aggressive and a young woman might be afraid on some level of this person getting angry at being denied. Being taken for a liar, etc. It’s hard to say no sometimes in that kind of situation. I’m a 6’5″ and I get tense when some of these con artists approach me. Imagine being a young woman. Don’t blame the victim!
Because it’s highly likely that young people today have never had to deal with a check, and would have no reason to know that it’s just a piece of paper, not legal tender.
This reminds me of a scam my x fell pray to over 30 years ago-he was conned into getting $ from the bank and putting it in a paper bag with the scammers money. Guess who was left holding a bag of scrap paper.
He felt so ashamed and embarrassed that he almost didn’t tell anyone and cried at his own stupidity and the loss of money he couldn’t afford to lose being young and living paycheck to paycheck.
So let’s remember we were all young and gullible. Life lessons are sometimes learned the hard way but having a soft place to land and comforting comments make it just a little easier 😊
I worked with crime victims in the early 90’s and heard all the scams. Many victims, of all ages, felt hypnotized by the scammers. These criminals spot their vulnerable “marks” and know what approach to use on them. I also know of a young woman a few years back who was threatened inside an ATM to withdraw money. Stay vigilant always because the security guards in the ATMs are usually staring at their phones.
Someone tried this scam on me too, right by the Chase Bank on Broadway and 89th. I usually walk right by when people try to talk to me, but this guy was very well dressed and polite. Told me he just got off work and his bank closed and he needed to cash his check, and asked if I bank at that Chase bank and would be willing to deposit it for him. I told him to deposit it on his phone and I couldn’t help him. I feel bad for the girl that fell for it though 🙁 Totally sucks
Street smarts are very different from book smarts