Recent Fraud Trend involving Canada Post in conjunction with the popular online garage sale sites.
A recent fraud trend in the London area involves using Canada Post in conjunction with the popular online garage sale or free classified sites. Online fraudsters are agreeing to purchase online items posted on the popular internet sites and send fraudulent cheques as payment.
The seller is encouraged to send the parcel by Canada Post. The problem occurs when the fraudulent cheque is discovered as such, the parcel is now in the mails.
This is a version of the ‘Overpayment Scam’ which is the type of fraud where the person receiving the cheque is actually owed money for goods sold. The seller receives a counterfeit cashier's cheque, personal cheque, or corporate cheque from the “purchaser” in an amount in excess of the amount owed; is asked to deposit the cheque and wire the excess funds immediately back to the sender/purchaser.
