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I think I have been given a counterfeit check. I was contacted, in person, by a car buyer who did not want to pay the amount directly to my car finance company. He wrote me a personal check on behalf of a dealership - Y2K After Sales Inc. and has told me to hand him the car once the check is cleared from his chase account. It has been 5 days and I talked to my bank and they state that this check has been cleared ( means nothing). I talked to Chase, the company where the check has been written from. They can only verify that the account number is valid. What can I do to verify that the Check is all fine before I hand over my car?

He called me today and said that he will provide me a copy of the cleared check from his account. Should I physically take him to a Chase Branch with me? If so will it help? This check is of a large sum. Note: I cannot find this dealership on the web or trace it anywhere? He claims that it is a Russian car export dealer and is going to export my car once he buys it for me. He has also asked me to get the title transferred to his company. I am not sure as to what I can do since I have deposited the check, the money is in my account, but neither banks can tell me as to how long I should wait before I am 100% sure that the check is not fake or counterfeit.

You should have taken the Check to Chase and got a cashier's check.

I had cashed a check, a quechex, and my bank told me it had cleared, and the bank it was drawn on had said it cleared. About a month later, my bank called me to say that it was a counterfiet check. I was responsible for that money. However, a girl at the bank fought it through the Federal Reserve for being a late return, and almost a year later I recieved the money back. I would not chance it, even if your bank says it cleared, wait on it, especially if it is for a lot of money.

The check may be a "stolen/altered" check. This happened to me. It took three months for my bank to be aware of what had happened. At this point, the Canadian Bank filed claim with my bank for the bank. I was held responsible. Checks that are bleached/altered will clear as they were originally drawn on good accounts.

Thanks for the replies. Here is what I did today - I went to the Chase branch and met this guy there. He was able to give me a print out of the cleared check from his account at Chase (he asked the person at the counter whom he knew).

I also made a copy of his driver's license and made him sign a letter stating that he authorized the payment. The sign on the check matches the sign on this letter.

Here are my concerns now: The sign on the drivers’ license is different. Although the chase branch printed a copy of the cleared check, I am not sure at what point they can claim that it is counterfeit. The guy was acting strange, first he was fine and signed everything then started saying that he has no proof and that I should leave the car with him. My car is leased so I told him that I cannot give him till I get the title but he is pushing me to leave the car with him.

I also went to the better business bureau but they cannot do anything at this time.

I don't know how long I can hold on to the car now since the money is in my account. It is day 5 today and he said that he will wait till monday, which would be 6th business day.

Another interesting info today. I called up Citibank and they advised that I wait till Tuesday 7 AM, apparently there in a note in the account that the fraud department is investigating the matter ( this is after I had placed numerous calls asking them to do something).

I also called Chase and they said that they will put a note in my account if I can do a 3-way call with authorized operator of the account. The note will state that the owner verified that he wrote the check.

Finally, I had a friend down to this dealership address on the check and he found a NJ Auto Auction place at that address. It is not the same name as the one on the check, but there is at least an auto acution place. I feel a little better today. Have left a message for him to call be back and do a 3 way call with his bank, he has not called me back so far.

I had a 3-way call between the seller, Chase and myself. I had him verify the account and check info and asked the bank to put a note in the account. I have handed over my car and keeping my fingures crossed. So far so good.