Introduction
A Deer Park teen was blacklisted by Bank of America after falling victim to a fake check scam. The scam, known as a “car wrap” scam, led to severe consequences for the teen until investigative reporters intervened.
The Scam
The scam involves fraudsters offering to pay individuals to wrap their cars in advertisements. Victims receive a fake check and are instructed to send a portion of the money to a third party, keeping the rest as payment. The check is later found to be fake, leaving the victim responsible for the deposited amount.
The Victim
The victim, a young business owner from a military family, was contacted by scammers posing as representatives of Nas Energy Drink. They promised to pay him $3,900 to wrap his car, with instructions to send $3,100 to a car wrapping vendor and keep the remainder.
The Consequences
Upon depositing the check, the teen’s account was closed by Bank of America for fraud. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue, the bank maintained a five-year blacklist on his account, affecting his ability to conduct banking activities.
Intervention and Resolution
News 12 investigative reporters contacted Bank of America, highlighting that the teen was a victim of the scam. The bank acknowledged the mistake and lifted the blacklist, allowing the teen to open new accounts.
Preventive Measures
The Federal Trade Commission advises the public to be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true and to verify such offers directly with the company. Depositing checks from unknown sources and sending money back is a common tactic used by scammers.
Conclusion
This incident underscores the importance of vigilance against employment scams. Victims are encouraged to report scams to authorities and seek assistance from consumer protection agencies.
Additional Information
For more details on reporting scams, visit the News 12 website at news12.com.
