It's been a productive day here at work. I helped prevent a check scam. We had someone email with one name (Katie) and then apply with another name (Katy) saying she could pay 6 months up front and wanted to move in in December.Well then she comes in by surprise and says she has everything with her, she's ready to move in. I tell her that she needs to apply first and that she can't put that much money down ahead of time. She gives us $135 as a cashier's check which we deposit at the bank. She also tells a sad story about a failed singing career from the first email she sents.
When she applied, I told her that, if she were denied, she would get $100 of her deposit back within 30 days by check.
The next day (today) she came in saying she needed to cancel her application and that she wanted her $100 refunded on the spot. We explained that that wasn't possible and that she had signed the agreement, but she kicked up a bigger and bigger fuss and kept repeating that "most places write out a check".
So basically, it would seem that she probably tries to put down as much money as possible, tries to cancel and get a check in her name, and then puts a stop payment on the money order and tries to get that money back, doubling her money.
[actual first name changed]
