{"id":82810,"date":"2016-12-21T08:26:16","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T13:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=82810"},"modified":"2016-12-21T08:26:46","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T13:26:46","slug":"ohio-a-g-warns-of-overpayment-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2016\/12\/21\/ohio-a-g-warns-of-overpayment-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio A-G warns of ‘overpayment’ scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Submitted information<\/em><\/p>\n

COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine warns Ohioans to beware of overpayment scams this holiday season. The scam commonly affects businesses, charities, and people who sell items online.<\/p>\n

In the scam, a con artist pretends to overpay for something (often by providing a counterfeit check or fraudulent credit card) and then asks the victim to return the extra amount right away using another form of payment. While the victim\u2019s payment is good, the con artist\u2019s is not.<\/p>\n

\"Attorney
Ohio A-G\u00a0Mike DeWine<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAny time someone sends you a check and asks you to send a portion of the money back, there\u2019s a good chance it\u2019s a scam,\u201d Attorney General DeWine said. \u201cWe just warn people to be careful. Con artists are very good at what they do. They can be very believable, but take a minute to think about it before sending any money.\u201d<\/p>\n

In one variation of the scam, a charity is contacted by someone who wants to make a donation. When the donor\u2019s check arrives, it\u2019s written for twice as much as the promised donation. The donor then sends an email, saying the check was a mistake, and asks the charity to return the extra amount via wire transfer. In reality, the donor\u2019s check is invalid, and any money the charity sends will be lost.<\/p>\n

In another variation of the scam, a business receives an email from a potential customer. The customer places an order and asks the business to charge an extra few hundred dollars to the customer\u2019s credit card and then give the extra amount in cash to a carrier who will pick up the order. Ultimately, the customer\u2019s credit card is invalid and the business will lose any money it gives to the carrier.<\/p>\n

The overpayment scam also affects individuals who post items for sale online. Commonly, a con artist will pose as a seller, offer to buy an item, and send a check for more than the agreed-upon price. Then the con artist asks the seller to return the extra payment immediately (before the check has cleared).<\/p>\n

Signs of a potential overpayment scam include:<\/p>\n

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