A man and woman, believed to be in their mid 20s, visited several Horsham businesses on Monday trying to purchase expensive items with cheques linked to an empty WA-based Commonwealth Bank account.

Freijah Menswear, Horsham Sewing Centre and Horsham Sports and Leisure lost stock to the couple.

The couple visited Chisholm Hi-Fi, but a tip-off by a worker from Horsham Healthwise Pharmacy stopped the business from accepting a worthless cheque.

Chisholm Hi-Fi owner Jeff Allan said the couple were trying to buy expensive equipment not in stock.

He said the couple then turned their attention to other equipment in the store.

"They claimed to have just moved to Horsham. But once we were warned by the woman from the pharmacy then we became suspicious," he said.

"We checked their licence and it matched the name on the cheque and then a staff member said he would need a cash deposit and he would call the bank to ensure the cheque was alright.

"That's when they said they would get cash out, but they never came back. I think we were very lucky."

Horsham Sewing Centre owner Jenny Schultz sold the couple a sewing machine and overlocker worth $1100.

"I was a bit suspicious but I wanted to trust them. It makes me furious, you don't treat people like that," Mrs Schultz said.

"I received a call from Cash Converters in Ballarat in the afternoon asking me if I had sold the machines to them. They were suspicious when they saw they had bought it that morning. That's when I knew I had been ripped off."

A Horsham police spokesman said police believed they knew the identity of the couple but could not release more details as the incidents were still being investigated.