Fraudsters are scamming young people with false promises of a “money-making opportunity” involving fraudulent cheques, prompting a police warning on Friday.

The fraudsters contact the victims through an instant messaging app, asking them to deposit a cheque, Waterloo Regional Police said.

The person tells the victim they can keep a portion of the cheque amount after e-transferring the remainder to the fraudster.

Photos of the front and back of a cheque are sent to the victim. The victim then auto-deposits the cheque, which initially gives them access to the funds. But the cheque later bounces, leaving the victim short the money, or causing the victim’s account to be overdrawn.

On May 19, a Kitchener youth tried to cash a $1,200 cheque after the fraudster instructed them to keep $600 and e-transfer the rest.

The victim shared the contact with friends, and they all lost money in the scheme.

If you believe you have been a victim of a similar scam, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or contact Waterloo Regional Police at 519-570-9777.

This article was originally sourced from www.TheStar.com