Henry County

Woman warns of online scam that nearly landed her in jail

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A Henry County woman is warning people of a scam that nearly landed her in jail.

Kathy Foster told Channel 2 Action News she was trying to sell her wedding dress online to pay for her mother's medical expenses.

“My mother is ill and I was trying to help out with that,” Foster said.

She put the dress up for sale online on Poshmark for $500, but the first buyer who she heard from sent a check for $1,500.

The buyer told her to cash the check and pay her the difference once he picked up the dress. But when Foster went to a Chase bank on Jonesboro Road, a teller told her she nearly left in handcuffs.

"She did tell me that if I did not explain the situation when I came in, that she would have had to call the police," Foster said.

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Police say being in possession of a fake check is a serious offense if your story does not check out right away. Henry County officers reviewed text messages Foster had, plus the fake check, and they took a scam report.

"These scams have occurred on numerous occasions throughout the year," Sgt. John Davis said.

The police report shows the bank called this a new scam where people get others to cash bad checks to give them money and steal the item.

Police said getting a check for more than you asked for is a red flag.

Foster said she nearly lost $1,000 -- and her dress -- and doesn't want others to come as close as she did.

"It's not a good feeling, especially when you live paycheck to paycheck and you're trying to take care of your family members and your loved ones," Foster said.

The company on the check Foster received -- Greencore, out of Illinois -- told her it's the second time someone has called them this week about their name on a fake check.