Some time ago, I placed an ad on Craigslist to sell my Mac Pro 4,1 (aka the Cheesegrater) since 1) I got tired trying to get Open Core boot loader to work between MacOS Monterey, Windows 10 and Linux Mint 21, 2) I had just purchased a Mac Pro 6,1 (aka, the trash can), and I 3, I just ran up a substantial medical by by visiting a endocrinologist, a neurologist, and physical therapy, since 1) my PCP just diagnosed me with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, (no thanks to type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure) and continuing lower back pail.
I specified in the ad that this machine was for sale to residents of York County, PA and payment was to be by cash, certified cashiers check or money order, as my bank does not support electronic payment by Zelle, or Venmo. I got a reply to my ad by someone in FL, that he would pay my asking price, and he would send me a cashier’s check, and have a relative local to me pick up the machine.
Earlier this week, I received the check from a different person in FL. The check contained in that envelope was drawn on the account of a holding company affiliated by a Shriner’s lodge in VA for 6 times the amount I was asking for the machine. Being taken aback by the amount, I took the check (drawn on Truist Bank of NC) to the local Truist branch local to me. The branch would not give me any information on whether funds were available on this account, and intimated that this was not a valid account number, even though the actual check was printed on valid check paper, with all the security features present.
Since the check was sent from FL, I called my former landlord, who relocated to FL, runs a private investigation firm, and is a retired Baltimore City Cop. In his opinion, this check and purchase is a scam, and told me to tear up the check. While I still have the check intact, I did report what happened to the local police. The local detective asked me to photograph the front and back of the check and email the photos to him.
When I got up this morning, there was a voicemail left by the detective sometime yesterday. I called the police station (which is located in the township building), and the receptionist said the detective will be out until Monday,)
Since then, my anxiety has been through the roof. I’ve been screwed over one time too many in regards to money over the past 25 years, from the Pentagon contractor issuing 2 supposedly bad checks, which HR for the company said were written on sweepover accounts, to a money laundering scheme I got caught in, To being screwed over by my brothers, when I built pc’s for them, and now this.
Any wonder I’m a recluse?