Thieves using version of counterfeit-check scam, DeWine warns

December 30, 2013

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is warning independent sales consultants and at-home sellers to be aware that scam artists posing as hearing-impaired customers are using a variation of the counterfeit-check scam to steal money.

DeWine said his office has received recent reports of scams targeting basket, cosmetic and candle sellers in central Ohio and other locations.

The scam typically begins with an email from a supposedly hearing-impaired person who wants to place an order using a check. The check arrives for a larger amount than the order, and then before the check has cleared, the scammer contacts the vendor asking him or her to send back the difference.

The initial check turns out to be counterfeit, and the seller loses products and any money " refunded."

Sales representatives who run across this or similar scams are encouraged to report them at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 1-800-282-0515.