If you've recently received an "Official Check" from BLC Community Bank, for a large dollar amount you weren't expecting... you can bet it's a scam. The check may look real and be signed by a BLC employee, but these checks are nonetheless fake.

According to the FTC, check scams are on the rise. Before you deposit a check you weren't expecting or wire funds to an unknown recipient, do a little digging.

Tip: Don't rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the person you’re dealing with.

Check scams are still popular because, by law, banks are required to make funds available quickly. So you deposit the check, send funds to the fraudster and they will immediately use them or disappear - leaving you on the hook for the money when the check is discovered to be fake.

Scams we are seeing:

  • Responding to an AD/email about putting advertisement on their car for a large company (Dr. Pepper, Bud Light, Kelloggs, Coca-Cola, etc) - most common.
  • Someone is selling something online, they receive a check in the mail for more than the asking price, usually the scammer says they accidentally sent too much and need some funds returned, or they need to pay for shipping.
  • Responding to an AD about being paid to help someone rent a truck and move.
  • Randomly receiving a check in the mail through FedEx with no instructions or explanation.
  • Mystery shopper, must use part of the check to purchase gift cards then send the gift cards to the scammer.
There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money, to ask you to wire, send gift cards, or ask for any amount of money back. These scams will also typically have some red flags such as typos or pressure from the sender to act quickly. 
 
We utilize the same Positive Pay system that we offer our business checking customers, which helps us detect these fraudulent checks when they are attempted to be cashed. The system looks to match a list of checks issued each day. The list includes the company’s bank account number, check number, the date and amount for which the check is issued. Any checks that do not match the list are not paid.
 
 

What to do if you've received a check like this:

  • DO NOT  cash the "unexpected" check - report it. You can do this directly to the  Federal Trade Commission.
  • Contact the company directly to verify the check using a number your obtain from your own directory search - do not use any telephone number that appears on the check or instructions you receive.
  • If you're uncertain, contact our Deposit Operations Department at 920-687-7831 to verify a check or to have any questions answered.
  • If you need to contact us after hours, please use our contact us feature and include all info on the front of the check in the message. We will respond to you the next business day.
 
Additional information on avoiding and reporting check fraud can be found at www.consumer.ftc.gov.