Check Scam: Can a cleared check be reversed?

[Clayce]

Kinda long backstory... you can skip to the bottom for the main issue.

So I sold some mining hardware via good old craigslist. I got an email reply through the CL reply system with the buyer saying they were interested and to text them. We texted back and forth for a few days, and he seemed pretty legit. We eventually agreed for him to send a cashiers check to me first, then once the check was deposited and fully cleared I then ship him the hardware.

The day he was suppose to send the check, he said he would be texting me the tracking info later in the evening. At that point he stopped responding, then finally popped back up asking if I received it 3 days later. After this delay I was pretty sure it was a weak scam attempt, but he then followed through with the tracking number, and saying how he "had a slight accident and was hospitalized"  . Turns out the check had just arrived in the mail.

So I open the USPS priority envelope, and inside is a naked check that looks like a paystub, not the agreed upon cashier check. It has a company name and address, and the issuing Banks name and address. I checked online and both the company and bank match the corresponding addresses. I questioned the buyer about the company name and he said it was his place of work. He assures me its legit, and told me to go ahead and deposit it, and he'll wait until it is fully cleared before I ship.

Which brings me to my main question.

I will go ahead and deposit this check tomorrow, Say it is legit, the bank verifys it, and it ends up clearing...

Could the buyer somehow have the ability to reverse a cleared check?

[Quickseller]

If this is not something you agreed to, I would not deposit the check, especially if you do not trust the person who gave you the check.

The UCC is the governing law in regards to most disputes over negotiable instruments, such as checks.

It is my understanding that the alleged payor of a negotiable instrument has 30 days from the date they receive a bank statement to report a forgery, or unauthorized alternation of a check to the drawee bank (their bank), who will then pass the loss onto the payee bank (your bank), who will then pass the loss onto the payee (you). There are some circumstances in which a loss can be passed onto you (the check is reversed) up to a year after it is paid.

When you deposit a check into your bank account your bank will act as your collection agent who will attempt to collect funds from the payor's bank, who will have previously collector funds from the payor if they are going to pay the check. If there is some reason why a payor's bank will not pay a check, they will return the check (for example because of NSF, uncollected funds, stop payment, closed account, invalid account number) to the payee's bank, and with check 21, this will generally happen within a couple of business days of you depositing the check. When you deposit a check, your bank may delay availability of the funds depending on a number of circumstances, but will often end up giving you credit for the check before the time when your bank would have received the check bank from the payor's bank.

[Quickseller]

Your biggest risk is that of alleged alterations or forgeries of the check, as it may take up to a year for this issue to come up, and may result in litigation against you.

In most cases, if a check is going to be returned unpaid, it will be returned within a week or so, even if you are given credit by your bank before that time elapses.   

[mammabitcoin2u]

Kinda long backstory... you can skip to the bottom for the main issue.

So I sold some mining hardware via good old craigslist. I got an email reply through the CL reply system with the buyer saying they were interested and to text them. We texted back and forth for a few days, and he seemed pretty legit. We eventually agreed for him to send a cashiers check to me first, then once the check was deposited and fully cleared I then ship him the hardware.

The day he was suppose to send the check, he said he would be texting me the tracking info later in the evening. At that point he stopped responding, then finally popped back up asking if I received it 3 days later. After this delay I was pretty sure it was a weak scam attempt, but he then followed through with the tracking number, and saying how he "had a slight accident and was hospitalized"  . Turns out the check had just arrived in the mail.

So I open the USPS priority envelope, and inside is a naked check that looks like a paystub, not the agreed upon cashier check. It has a company name and address, and the issuing Banks name and address. I checked online and both the company and bank match the corresponding addresses. I questioned the buyer about the company name and he said it was his place of work. He assures me its legit, and told me to go ahead and deposit it, and he'll wait until it is fully cleared before I ship.

Which brings me to my main question.

I will go ahead and deposit this check tomorrow, Say it is legit, the bank verifys it, and it ends up clearing...

Could the buyer somehow have the ability to reverse a cleared check?

DO NOT DEPOSIT THE CHECK!!  Here is why:

1-You already got a guy feeling something is off.....go with your gut.
2-Said cashiers check yet gave you something else......another alarm bell
3-It doesn't matter if it clears, most likely it will clear based on your bank.  If this check (which I'm assuming is stolen/fake) it will take the business a little while to figure it out.  THEN you will be responsible.  The bank will take the funds from your account, they will make you pay or take you to court.  

I've honestly ran across this.  Business check, yet, and written? They even altered the date from 2016 to 2017. The return address didn't match the check.  I googled the address and seen some ghetto apartment.

I contacted the company from which the check was issued.  I had to leave voicemail.  I said, I have a check of yours and I believe it was stolen.

They called me quickly and let me know yes their checks were stolen.  I mailed all of it back registered return receipt to the Company.

Why don't you call the company and inquire?  Obviously don't take any numbers from that person.  Google is your friend

Be careful on CL, even with cash make sure it's not counterfeit.  That happened to my friends kid, he lost his Xbox and had to talk to the cops.

Best Wishes Be SAFE  

Edit: EVERYTHING QS said

[Clayce]

Thanks for the replies!

So I ended up going to my bank and asked the teller to call in the check, to verify the funds before depositing. She called the issuing bank and then basically told me to just "get another check". Not sure what was really said over the phone, but it seems like the issuing bank couldn't confirm or deny the funds. So needless to say the check is most likely bad. I texted the guy who sent it, telling him the bank couldn't verify the funds, with no reply back. Thanks to you guys, I luckily dodged the bullet on this one. 

[mammabitcoin2u]

Thanks for the replies!

So I ended up going to my bank and asked the teller to call in the check, to verify the funds before depositing. She called the issuing bank and then basically told me to just "get another check". Not sure what was really said over the phone, but it seems like the issuing bank couldn't confirm or deny the funds. So needless to say the check is most likely bad. I texted the guy who sent it, telling him the bank couldn't verify the funds, with no reply back. Thanks to you guys, I luckily dodged the bullet on this one. 

Ya the Bank can't tell you reasons. Be happy they didn't think you were trying to scam that would of been a bigger fiasco.

Glad QS helped you out. 

Take care and be careful dealing with those on CL or online in general.