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cheque fraud - beware
pops
#1 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 5:35:54 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 9/13/2006
Posts: 123
I would like to warn fellow wazuan business people there is an increase in cheque fraud out there. I was a kumbafu last week. got a lpo from a well known ngo with a cheque for 550k. we sent the cheque to KCB for verification and they said it was ok. we then proceeded to supply and banked the cheque only for it to come back unpaid. apparently the cheque was so well forged even the bank could not tell and it went through the micr cheque recognition! in fact the bank actually paid us and then reversed the transaction a day later after they realised. anyhow reported the matter to the CID but got the reality that we would not get money back or find the culprits. so I have lost 1/4 of my business capital to some con men out there. I hope they choke on it! lesson learnt: do not trust the banks to verify cheques as they like to pretend their cheques cannot be forged or they cant be defrauded to build false customer confidence! and most importantly do not accept cheques as payment until the funds have cleared into your account and stay there for atleast 3 days!! the same applies to bankers cheques which cannot be trusted as well.
Gordon Gekko
#2 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 5:52:17 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 5/27/2008
Posts: 3,760
Pole pops. Maybe we should insist on RTGS. Would this help? Or insist on cleared funds, after all it is now T+1.
Chaka
#3 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 6:16:32 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 2/16/2007
Posts: 2,114
@pops,
Pole.Are you saying you were given payment cheque before delivering the goods and that you were conned by a "well known" ngo?
pops
#4 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 6:58:50 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 9/13/2006
Posts: 123
@elder. Yes rtgs is ok, but only release goods once yr bank confirms rcpt of funds. Do not accept rtgs advice copies as they are fakes also out there. A mete of mine on kirinyaga road got duped like that once.

@veteran. The NGO was not involved in the scam. The conman was pretending to be this NGO by using their forged LPO and cheques.
Euge
#5 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 8:07:40 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 8/4/2008
Posts: 2,849
Location: Rupi
Pole sana Pops. Even with the RTGS, be careful. Know of a guy who sold his car and was paid by RTGS. But it was done after 1pm so its effected the following day. He was shown the RTGS slip, was happy and gave out the car and logbook to the crook. Then the crook went to the bank same day and reversed the RTGS and disappeared into thin air.
Lord, thank you!
Chaka
#6 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 8:40:57 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 2/16/2007
Posts: 2,114
pops wrote:


@veteran. The NGO was not involved in the scam. The conman was pretending to be this NGO by using their forged LPO and cheques.

Did the crooks advertise..ie how did you get to know that they required the stuff and how did you 'get' the 'LPO'?The info will help others know the modus operandi of these crooks..
pops
#7 Posted : Monday, May 19, 2014 10:37:09 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 9/13/2006
Posts: 123
No they did not advertise. A guy came to my shop asking for a quotation which I gave. He then called me a few days later to say my prices were good and had been approved by procurement, what would my terms be? I obviously said cash. He then requested if I would accept a LPO with current cheque, and I was welcome to do reference check on them. He was using name of a well known NGO so I was confident that they were ok. He brought LPO and cheque and we did a check with the KCB to confirm authenticity of cheque which KCB branch manager verbally confirmed. I then released goods ad banked cheque only for it to.....
radio
#8 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 4:18:30 AM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 11/9/2009
Posts: 2,003
@pops, do I know you? Exact same scenario happened to my uncle three months ago. The case is still being handled by the CID but the chaps/thieves have gone under!
accelriskconsult
#9 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 6:41:39 AM
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Joined: 4/2/2011
Posts: 629
Location: Nai
Pops forget the payment mode. You got conned because you failed to perform due diligence. Always confirm that documents are from who they claim to be from by visiting the finance/procurement offices.
Lolest!
#10 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 8:45:58 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 3/18/2011
Posts: 12,069
Location: Kianjokoma
accelriskconsult wrote:
Pops forget the payment mode. You got conned because you failed to perform due diligence. Always confirm that documents are from who they claim to be from by visiting the finance/procurement offices.

very few people do what you're saying here @accel. Have you noted the victim here says the cheque was even cleared but later reversed?
Laughing out loudly smile Applause d'oh! Sad Drool Liar Shame on you Pray
254.co.ke
#11 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 11:55:33 AM
Rank: Member


Joined: 11/17/2006
Posts: 143
@POP Sorry for the predicament. If may be you can share, what type of merchandize they swindled you of and their numbers as well
@radio too can add so we get to learn their mode of operation and smell them from afar. I have read in this forum and elsewhere that cereal supply is one area that these swindlers have made a killing out of unsuspecting suppliers.
IDP
#12 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 12:08:45 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 8/26/2009
Posts: 76
"He then requested if I would accept a LPO with current cheque," That is the red flag right there. The NGO cannot pay untill the Goods are received and verified and its a long process.
pops
#13 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 1:27:03 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 9/13/2006
Posts: 123
yes that is true. I should have reconfirmed with the actual NGO as well. I have realised that most corporates will not give a cheque like that. But they are all "I should have's", and its too late now. these conmen are quite good. they realise business is bad and prey on our sentiments. also they come at time when you are most busy with customers to ensure you are under pressure to make a quick decision. damage done, lesson learnt! but I have also learnt that our police and legal systems are also too incompetent to deal with this issues. I reported to the CID and they politely requested for a small gift of 5000/- to pursue the matter and track them through mobile phone. i gave them the amount and nothing came out of it. I was told that the phones are off and they have another lead for which another 5000/- is required. so I have just given up. I have already lost enough money and don't have more money to feed our corrupt police force who should be helping us because of the taxes we pay them!
Ash Ock
#14 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:01:14 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 8/27/2010
Posts: 495
Location: Nairobi
I had almost the same thing happen to me last year, but in my case the “NGO” conmen offered to bank the cheque (Kshs. 390’000.00) in my account, which they did. Initially, the cheque bounced but upon inquiring with my branch, I was told it was a clearing house problem and the issuing bank had advised my bank to resubmit the cheque again.

The funds cleared but I was not yet ready for the collection (luck?). The conmen told me not to worry and they would collect the remainder later as “we trust you”. That simple statement is what set off a red flag and I hemmed and hawed over the delivery despite the conmen’s desperate attempts to collect. Needless to say, the funds were withdrawn from my account within 6 hours of being cleared. My branch told me a forged cheque had been deposited in a CBD branch. The conmen went mteja.

My mistakes: I believed them as they offered to bank the cheque and would only collect when it cleared. This led to me to not confirm with the procurement department of the “NGO”, and finally, after having being first conned 10 years ago when I first went into business, I was over confident I was smarter than them and they would never ever get me again. Except for their mistake, they almost did.
Sent from my Black Nokia 3310
Chaka
#15 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:16:03 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 2/16/2007
Posts: 2,114
I am just wondering whether the issuing bank in @pop's and @Ash Ock's case is the same which would point to an "inside" job?
@Ash Ock,
What would have been the scenario had you withdrawn the cash before the bank reversed the transaction ?

657300
#16 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:30:07 PM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 4/19/2014
Posts: 25
Chaka wrote:
I am just wondering whether the issuing bank in @pop's and @Ash Ock's case is the same which would point to an "inside" job?
@Ash Ock,
What would have been the scenario had you withdrawn the cash before the bank reversed the transaction ?



your account would be in deficit to the amount withdrawn. and maybe a little more for penalties.
vky
#17 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:41:12 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 6/17/2010
Posts: 572
pole pops, in biz payments are tricky, to avoid the risks i insist on rtgs which terminates in an account which specifically recieves the cash and is instantly transfered to another account through a standing order then i withdraw amount and deposit in some other account then from here is when the goods are delivered, the whole process takes 3 days and i do this for payments over 200k below this amount i take cash with no compromise, this has limited my exposure to fraud particularly with deals i feel quizzy about
'One headache for famous medieval holy people was that someone might murder you to acquire your body parts for the relics trade'
Swenani
#18 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:59:38 PM
Rank: User


Joined: 8/15/2013
Posts: 13,237
Location: Vacuum
radio wrote:
@pops, do I know you? Exact same scenario happened to my uncle three months ago. The case is still being handled by the CID but the chaps/thieves have gone under!


Wazua, reuniting families since time immemorial!
If Obiero did it, Who Am I?
McReggae
#19 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 3:04:34 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 6/17/2008
Posts: 23,365
Location: Nairobi
Swenani wrote:
radio wrote:
@pops, do I know you? Exact same scenario happened to my uncle three months ago. The case is still being handled by the CID but the chaps/thieves have gone under!


Wazua, reuniting families since time immemorial!


So @pop is Radio's uncle!!!!
..."Wewe ni mtu mdogo sana....na mwenye amekuandika pia ni mtu mdogo sana!".
Ash Ock
#20 Posted : Tuesday, May 20, 2014 4:29:39 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 8/27/2010
Posts: 495
Location: Nairobi
657300 wrote:
Chaka wrote:
I am just wondering whether the issuing bank in @pop's and @Ash Ock's case is the same which would point to an "inside" job?
@Ash Ock,
What would have been the scenario had you withdrawn the cash before the bank reversed the transaction ?



your account would be in deficit to the amount withdrawn. and maybe a little more for penalties.


Very likely an inside job with the bank, especially when one thinks of the cheque first bouncing due to clearing house issues, then the issuing bank asking for it to be banked again, then clearing, then ending up forged. If I had withdrawn the money, I highly suspect I would have been having long unpleasant "discussions" with some CID and Anti fraud jamas trying to convince them that it was not I, even though I never even saw the cheque, who masterminded the whole deal to make some extra cash.
Sent from my Black Nokia 3310
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