travelers checks scam 06-23-08

IMAGINE GETTING 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVELERS CHECKS IN THE MAIL. SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT WAS FOR ONE CLEVELAND WOMAN UNTIL HER MOTHER GOT INVOLVED.  HER DAUGHTER SHOWED HER THESE CHECKS AND SHE KNEW THEY WERE PROBABLY BOGUS. THE BOGUS CHECKS WERE SENT FROM GHANA ALONG WITH A LETTER.  THE LETTER STATES TO CASH ALL THE CHECKS AND SEND 10 PERCENT OF THE MONEY BACK TO GHANA. TO THE UNTRAINED EYE, THE CHECKS LOOK REAL, BUT TO A TRAINED EYE. Cleveland police chief buster Bingham showed us that... THE LEFT HAND SIDE of a stamp affixed to the check was "NOT CLEAN CUT, THE EDGES ARE JAGGED."  He called American express, and AMERICAN EXPRESS OFFICIALS WEREN'T SURPRISED BY BINGHAM'S CALL. He says they told him, "...THAT THIS HAD BEEN A WORLDWIDE SCAM GOING ON WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS." AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD ADS SAY, "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT." HOWEVER, "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITH THEM" SHOULD YOU RECEIVE THE BOGUS AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVELERS CHECKS IN THE MAIL. IF YOU PASS THESE COUNTERFEIT CHECKS YOU WILL BE CHARGED WITH PASSING THESE INSTRUMENTS. AS FOR THIS CASE, 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS ENDED UP IN THE SHREDDER. BUT AFTER ALL, IT WAS ONLY PLAY MONEY.