Sophisticated scam hits region

Published:  Thursday, April 5, 2007 (2 years, 11 months ago)
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The counterfeit check scam has hit a new level of sophistication as shown by mailings that hit our region the past few days.
Here’s how it works:
The intended victim receives a check in the mail, usually just short of $5,000. The accompanying letter says the recipient has been selected for a grant of just under $10,000 from a grant brokerage firm called “Beverly Hills Grants.” The letter claims that every year wealthy individuals select people to receive these grants and the check represents a half-payment.
The victim is advised to cash the enclosed check and then go to the firm’s website www.BeverlyHillsGrants.com.
The website instructs the victim to take ten percent of the check and purchase a GREENDOT Universal Reload Card or a Greendot Money pak and send the broker the number on the card by placing it on an attached form to be e-mailed to him.
Here’s the best part; he says once this is done, he will send the second check.
What do the scammers get from this?  They get the victim’s $500 by using the “gift card.” The checks are worthless.
The photos on the web site were no doubt pulled off web pages some where, the names are fictitious, and the whole deal is to be avoided like the plague.
This scam is very complex and convoluted. The language in the letter that comes with the check is very similar to the more familiar “counterfeit check” scheme that originates from the West African nation of Benin, adjacent to Nigeria.

From the Better Business Bureau serving West Central Ohio.

11 Reader Responses to “Sophisticated scam hits region”

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  1. #1 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    I received one of those checks, we knew it was not real, It looks very real, I really hope that who ever is doing this scam are caught. Is there anything you can do to stop this scam?

    Posted on April 6, 2007 at 12:00 pm by Kandice Hawkins

  2. #2 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    I also recieved a check. I thought my ship had finally come in. It could have not come at a better time. Things had gotten so bad that I am barely makeing it and all my bills are behind….I’m a single mother trying to carry on and it has been one mishap after the other. So after recieving the check I wanted to cry. I had called the B.B.B. and they had not had any bad marks as of yesterday. So I was going to the bank an open different account to see if it would clear. When I went to e-mail the the man who sent the check to me this sight came up and I really did want to cry…This is really ugly that these scam artist get away with messing with our lives in this way. To the lady that was getting ahold of nightline I would loves to BUST THERE BUTS to They need to exposed…..Not only is there letter professionly done but the bank could not even tell me that the check was fake….

    Sick and Tired,
    Kimberly Packer
    Val Verde, California

    Posted on April 6, 2007 at 3:29 pm by Kimberly

  3. #3 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    I received a check from this company also, I however am a business owner and ran the check through my vericheck system to verify it and as you say it is a scam. My question is in the letter it say to cash the check first then send them the money, how are people getting these checks cashed if there fictitious. So you lose $500 you gained $4000.

    Posted on April 7, 2007 at 12:11 pm by Jamie England

  4. #4 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    I recieved a check as well. Their company is listed on the BBB, and they have an okay rating with no complaints, which is probably due to the fact that the Beverly Hills Grant company does not provide a phone number, and is not listed in the phone book, and the number listed on the BBB website is not their number. It would have been great if it was real. If it was for real they would have taken their commission out first. I hop this gets broadcasted on the news and to all the banks.

    Posted on April 11, 2007 at 10:32 am by Jennifer

  5. #5 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    Sophisticated? Bah!

    The ONLY TWO RULES you need to decide if something is a scam…
    Rule #1: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
    Rule #2: See rule number one.

    Works every time.

    Posted on April 11, 2007 at 11:11 am by Jim Nazium

  6. #6 — Added 2 years, 11 months ago

    Unfortunately, I got scammed by this exact same letter. I want this person caught NOW!! If there’s anyone out there who can help me catch this person, please sent me an email at fletchant@hotmail.com. Thank you for your help.

    Posted on April 13, 2007 at 5:28 pm by Antonio Fletcher

  7. #7 — Added 2 years, 10 months ago

    I just received one of these checks today, and although the check looked legitimate, I was wary of it. I also looked at BBB’s report, and saw no specific complaints, but the BBB gave this “company” an “F” rating. I continued to look on the web until I found this website, and then I knew for sure it was a scam. This is the second mail fraud check I’ve received in four months, and I am so glad I didn’t cash or deposit either check. I am going to report this to the US Postal Service mail fraud department, and I hope others will too so these jerks will get caught.

    Posted on May 3, 2007 at 5:41 pm by Shaelene Collier

  8. #8 — Added 2 years, 10 months ago

    I as well recieved a check about 4 weeks ago. I didnt get to excited though it looked real. We put it into the account and let them put a hold on it, i wasnt in to big of a hurry well, we lost ten dollars were trying to get back and the police are investigating it and i sent them a real nice email if they even got it.

    Posted on May 4, 2007 at 5:41 am by JOSHUA

  9. #9 — Added 2 years, 10 months ago

    I also recieved the exact check and the exact instructions to do and i still have it .i am thinking of giving to police but i noticed on the envelope there is no return address and i thought it was bogus from start. A very authenic looking check though and can see why some might get burned.

    Posted on May 4, 2007 at 6:37 am by jerry holmes

  10. #10 — Added 2 years, 10 months ago

    ANSWERING TO NUMBER 4… HOW DO YOU GET SCAMMED? WELL THIS IS HOW, YOU DEPOSIT IT INTO YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT AND THE BANK BY FDIC LAWS HAVE TO CLEAR IT EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE FORGED OR FAKE, YOUR ACCOUNT IS IN FACT CREDITED WITH THE FUNDS, YOU WITHDRAW THE FUNDS OUT, SPEND THE MONEY, ETC., AND OBVIOUSLY SEND IT TO YOUR SCAMMER GRANT GUY OR GAL, AND THEY GET THE 500.00 AND YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT SINCE YOUR CHECK CLEARED THE BANK, YOU HAVE ALL THIS MONEY AND THERE’S 2 MORE CHECKS COMING… WELL, WRONG. YOU THEN GET CALLS AND LETTERS FROM YOUR BANK ADVISING YOU THAT THEY HAVE “DEBITED’ your ACCOUNT THE TOTAL CHECK PLUS BANK FEES, ETC., AND THAT YOU GET A MARK AGAINST YOU… THAT’S THE SCAM… BEWARE, BEWARE. IF YOU OPEN SOMETHING UP AND YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WHETHER IT’S REAL OR NOT, IT IS FAKE…. THANKS.. HOPE EVERYONE HERE GOES TO THE FBI CHECK FRAUD WEBSITE AND PUTS IN THEIR CHECK NUMBER, SO THAT THESE SCUM BAGS CAN GET CAUGHT…. AND SPEND SOME TIME IN FEDERAL PRISON…. TAKE CARE AND BEWARE…

    Posted on May 9, 2007 at 3:27 pm by CHERI DEMONICO

  11. #11 — Added 2 weeks, 6 days ago

    Another point. Suppose you were a rich benefactor that wanted to grant money. Would you really choose someone at random that you know nothing about, and send him $5,000? Or would you do like most rich people do, and choose a good cause to send money to? Especially since the good cause would probably be tax deductible.

    Posted on February 24, 2010 at 12:54 pm by Brian Dean