Executive Summary
- 01.Legitimate employers ship laptops directly. They never send checks.
- 02.Funds appearing as "Available" does NOT mean the check has cleared.
- 03.Any request to pay a "Vendor" via Zelle/CashApp is 100% fraud.
Fig 1. The Bait. Legitimate companies apply asset tags before shipping. They do not send cash.
You just landed a remote job. The email feels like a winning lottery ticket: "Welcome aboard! We are sending you a certified check for $4,500 to purchase your MacBook Pro from our certified vendor."
It seems standard. Companies provide equipment, right? Wrong.This is the classic "Fake Check Scam," modernized for the remote work era.
1. The Setup: The "Advance" Payment
Companies have procurement departments. They buy the laptop, install security software, tag it, and ship it to your door via FedEx/UPS.
They make YOU the procurement officer. They instruct you to deposit a check and then "wire the money" to a specific vendor immediately.
2. The Technical Exploit: Regulation CC
This scam relies entirely on a misunderstanding of how banks process money. Most people believe that if funds appear in "Available Balance," the check is good. This is false.
Bank is legally required to make funds available (Regulation CC).
You wire cash to the "Vendor" (The Scammer).
Bank realizes check is fake. They remove the original $4,500.
The Gap: You spent real money. The deposit was fake money.
3. The Trap: The "Certified Vendor"
The Linchpin
The "Vendor" is not an equipment supplier. It is the scammer (or a money mule). When you send that money via Zelle, Bitcoin, or CashApp, it is instant and irreversible. By the time the bank claws back the deposit, the thief is gone.
4. The Aftermath: The Clawback
When the check bounces, your bank doesn't care that you were scammed. They only care that the ledger is balanced.
Collateral Damage:
- You owe the bank the full amount immediately.
- Your account may be closed for "Fraudulent Activity."
- You may be added to ChexSystems (blacklisted from opening new accounts).
The Golden Rules
Legitimate employers ship laptops. They never send a check to buy one.
Never deposit a check from someone you haven't met in real life.
Zelle = Cash. If a "company" asks for Zelle, it is a scam. 100% of the time.
Already deposited the check?
Do not spend the money. Contact your bank's fraud department immediately. Tell them: "I believe I have been the victim of a job scam and this deposit may be fraudulent."