06/19/2026
🚨 SCAM ALERT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES / AUTO DETAILING COMMUNITY 🚨
Dear friends, clients, and fellow business owners: today I want to share something that just happened to my business, City of Palms Auto Detailing, so you can all stay sharp and avoid getting fooled.
They tried to hit me with the classic "Fake Digital Check" scam.
Here is how these criminals operate (you can see the conversation in the photos):
1️⃣ They contact you from an out-of-town number asking for a quote to detail multiple cars at once. In my case, it was someone going by "Cross Monty" asking for a quote on 4 cars. I sent over my professional estimate, which totaled $1,300 for all 4 vehicles (Ford Fusion, Silverado, Toyota Sienna, and Chevy 1500). Immediately, without haggling or questioning a single dollar, he accepted...
2️⃣ They agree to any price right away with no hesitation and insist on giving you a high deposit ($700) today, without even providing a service address for the job first.
3️⃣ When you ask for a secure payment method like Zelle or cash, they make up an excuse (like their personal assistant compromised their account, etc.) and try to force you to accept a photo of a "digital check" so you can deposit it through your mobile banking app.
Be very careful! Those checks are fake or cloned. Your bank might show the funds as available for a few days as a courtesy, then the scammer will ask you to send some money back or pay a "third party" using your own money. A week later, the check bounces, the bank takes the money back, and you lose your hard-earned cash.
Fortunately, we were paying attention and didn't fall for their game. As a hardworking man trying to make an honest living, it infuriates me that people try to play with your time and steal from you.
Please SHARE this post so no other local business or entrepreneur falls into the hands of these scammers. Let's protect our businesses! 🛑💼
Florida
