Have They Got a Scammy Deal for You

"Since they are giving you a sum over what you are asking, your defenses may be down. You figure, how can I lose? Well, not surprisingly, their check is bogus. You have given them a good check in exchange for their bad check," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor at the automotive-sales Web site Edmunds.com and author of Edmunds.com's book "Strategies for Smart Car Buyers."

The scam turns on most people's misunderstanding of the check-clearing process. Bank clerks and managers usually aren't experts at identifying counterfeit checks. So they deposit the check and tell the seller it requires 48 hours to "clear." Then the money appears on the seller's account statement and can be withdrawn.

Most people assume that means the check is valid. But the real check-clearing process can take weeks. Phony checks generally aren't nabbed until after the seller has wired the overpayment to the scammer. And after the wire transfer is picked up, it's gone.

The scam isn't exclusive to used-car sales. Check fraud schemes have many variations, targeting all Internet auction sellers of high-priced items and even fake lottery "winners" who are mailed their winnings via check but told to send back a portion to cover taxes.

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. issued a warning last month about a scam targeting people who posted résumés online. Scammers offered them commissions as "go-betweens" for cashing checks and forwarding money to clients abroad. The checks, of course, are bogus. The victims lose the amount they wired abroad.

Curran advised consumers in the warning that any time a buyer wants to send a check for too much money and get some back, "insist that the person send a check for the correct amount. You'll probably never hear from that person again."

So the twisted adage: "Seller beware."

Long says Cars.com adds a warning on top of e-mails it delivers to its customers that cautions: Do not accept certified checks for more than your asking price; do not accept a deal that requires you to wire money to buyer.

"We advise that if people have a question about a particular e-mail they should forward it to us. Most of the time, they should just not respond. Delete them. If they want to take it to the next step, report it to the authorities at the Internet Fraud Complaint Center," Long said.

Consumer IQ Quiz

The Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division recently created a dandy little online quiz on consumer rights and scams. It's self-scored and focuses on the issues and complaints the states hears on its consumer hotline (410-528-8662 or 888-743-0023). You can find it at http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/edge120.htm .

Got questions? A consumer complaint? A helpful tip? E-mail details to oldenburgd@washpost.com or write Don Oldenburg, The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.