Hi everyone, my name is Chris, and I'm sharing a very difficult story. I recently fell victim to a highly sophisticated check fraud scheme that wiped out my checking account, costing me $5,500. I am crowdfunding to recoup this devastating loss and restore my financial stability.
The Scam: A Sophisticated Theft
This began when I listed my Kawasaki Z650 motorcycle for sale on Autotrader. I was hoping to sell it because I urgently needed the funds to cover mounting financial pressure, specifically for medical bills, health and car insurance payments, and essential gas money for my part-time job at Disneyland.
The "buyer" played a complex con involving an overpayment check and a third-party mover. The buyer sent me a check that covered the price of the bike plus an extra $5,500, which they insisted I had to immediately forward to their designated "mover" via Apple Cash.
My bank scheduled the large check to clear in two halves. Crucially, I waited until the first half appeared to be cleared in my account before I made the transfer. The moment the funds looked secure, I sent the $5,500 to the "mover" as requested so we could schedule a pickup date.
The next day, the entire original check was cancelled and bounced, revealing the scam. The $5,500 I had sent to the "mover" was not the buyer's money—it was my own savings that I had wired out. The funds I thought were "cleared" were only provisionally available. The scammer and the "mover" have, of course, vanished.
This scam left me with close to zero dollars in my bank account. While I am lucky to still have my Z650, the $5,500 loss represents my entire financial cushion for the coming months.
Why I Need Your Help Now
I have already received legal advice and filed a detailed police report, but law enforcement has stated that catching the scammer or recovering the funds is highly unlikely. Although if they are successful in finding him, an arrest will be made, it is unlikely they will find him since all the phone numbers, email addresses, and names are very likely false.
I am turning to my community and friends to help cover this essential financial gap.
I have set the goal for this campaign at $5,800. This amount is precisely what I need to:
Recovery of Stolen Funds = $5,500
GoFundMe Transaction Fees (approx. 4% processing) = $300
Total Goal = $5,800
This money will directly replace my lost savings, allowing me to pay for my immediate needs—the medical bills, car and health insurance, and the gas I need to reliably get to work.
Your support helps me regain the stability that was stolen from me. I hope my story can also serve as a warning about how clever and difficult these sophisticated check fraud schemes are to spot. Thank you so much for reading and for any support you can offer.
—Chris
