Sep 11, 2012
No, the check does not clear. THAT is the scam. The scammer tells you to deposit the fraudulent check, that they stole from some other person's bank account (perhaps it could come from your bank account next, if you try to cash the check. Scams don't benefit you, only the person in Nigeria running the scam)
Then when you follow his instructions, deposit the check in your bank account, you are instructed to withdrawal all of it, minus your tiny "cut" of the scam. Then they tell you to wire 95% of the fake check through Western Union to their overseas bank account. A week later, when the person who was scammed before you, sees that a check for $2800 has been stolen from their account, they file a fraud complaint with the POLICE and the BANK and the ATTORNEY GENERAL. At that point, they take all that money back from you to pay back the victim. But here is where the problem lies; YOU already gave all the money to the person in Nigeria! so YOU are left to pay back the victim and YOU are the person who goes to prison for check fraud.
So, instead of being so concerned with "did the check clear, did the check clear, did the check clear?" and hoping you can get a piece of the scam pie, you should do the right thing for yourself, and turn the fraudulent check over to the police.. That is unless you want to go to a federal prison while making some scammer more rich.
I hope that answered your question about the check clearing. =)
As a legitimate business owner and boss, I can GUARANTEE you that companies and individuals do NOT send out advance payments, especially to unskilled workers, while asking you cash the check and send some back. Why would we do that? It's our own money and we have access to it, if we wanted some cash, it would be cheaper and easier for us to go to our bank and withdrawal it ourselves. NOT to send a check to a stranger and tell them to "keep the proverbial change".