When you think about bank scams, online threats are probably the first thing to come to mind. Marketwatch.com's Andrea Coombes and Stacy Delo remind us that old-fashioned (paper) check fraud is still an issue -- accounting for 30% of consumer complaints.
Scammers target vulnerable people the most. These days, they're going after young job seekers and older folks. Both groups are struggling with a difficult economy.
Most of the time, check fraud happens when you get a check from somebody you don't know. Coombes and Delo provide an easy rule of thumb: if you're supposed to send money back, it's probably a scam. Their video on Marketwatch.com covers a few examples, highlighting red flags and what you should (and shouldn't) do in the face of a check scam.
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