I am writing this on behalf of my heartbroken grandson. He is working two jobs in order to pay his bills (which he has been doing), and somehow got "connected" with a private individual in the East. This person was interested in buying a certain car part (communication was by email), and agreed to purchase it from my grandson for $100.

He completed the transaction, and this person sent him a check for $1700. Then he contacted him and told him it was an error, and would he mail him back the $1600 difference. My grandson was told by his bank that the check had cleared, so he sent his check for the difference. He had been told he would receive $50 for his trouble.

Well, guess what?? The check, in fact, had not cleared, and the bank says he can't prove their verbal statement. We older folk know we would have stopped in our tracks when this happened, but my grandson is a very trusting guy, so didn't "smell a rat." Now the bank is dunning him for all the charges, plus the $1600, and my grandson is left "holding the bag." He filed a claim with the bank -- it was denied. He is devastated as he doesn't have much money. How can this be resolved? He did file a police report, but don't know if that will help at all.