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A few weeks ago I was approached in this manner for something I was selling. And actually I was twice, two different people. The scam to me was SO obvious I laughed and called them out on it immediately. The first person dragged the email communication on with me for so long I said no, forget it! Just this week which was days after I told the scammer forget it I received the FAKE cashiers check and I laughed so hard! It too looked so obviously fake! It also was from a name not used in the emails I had. Oh and this person did not tell me originally that they would over pay so I did not catch on for a few emails. The second persons emials were so fake right away I saw through them. At any rate here is how the scam goes! Cashiers Check & Money Order Fraud--This scam starts with someone offering you a substantial amount over what is fair for an item you have for sale. Their excuse being that they received too much money from a contract or whatever, and you can help them out. Not only will they pay extra for the item, they'll send you several hundred or thousands more and you'll just need to refund the extra to them. They'll send you a forged cashier's check or money order (they don't tell you it's bad) and you're supposed to deposit it and wire the overpayment amount to their foreign bank. A week or two later when your bank discovers the forgery, they charge your account for the full amount and you're out the item and the amount you wired them! The email address that was used is no longer valid and was temporary. This is why these scammers will state this is an urgent matter or please rush, words like these are used. This scam is usually run from outside the US, often from Nigeria, other West African countries, or even Europe, so prosecution is impossible in most cases. If you send these thieves your pinball machine you'll be depressed to know that they are not only enjoying your machine, but are spending your money. If you send them parts, then you can rest assured that they'll have no use for the parts and will throw them away.Subj: Re: INTERESTED!!! Buck Rogers playfield Date: 2/4/2003 12:09:07 AM Eastern Standard Time From: sinnoe_murk@yahoo.com.ukTo: victim@victim.ispThanks for your mail. i will instruct a client of mine who is owing me $4,000 to issue a cashiers check in your name and once the check clears yourbank, you deduct cost of the goods and my balance is sent back to me through western union money transfer or money gram transfer. I will send you enough money that will cover both shipping and handing. as soon as the check issent out to you, i shall let you know. I want you to send it through acourier service and deduct the money from my check, the delivery address isto personal assistance who will be at hand to received the goods and the money.ABADSCAM IMACROOK# 7 NOTOK STREET,FALLFORIT LAGOSNIGERIA

Someone tried to do this to my dad, and he's not even selling products -- he sells a service (troutfishing guide). They claimed it was a corporate trip and they had been given one check from the company to pay for all aspects of the trip including hotel and flight, so they wanted to send him the full check and have him send back the difference. He told them he couldn't do that and never heard from them again.

I just don't get how people can fall for things like this. Just like the phishing emails. Why do people click on links in unsolicited emails?? I tightly guard my personal email address (yeah I know I can't totally protect its distribution because friends pass on forwards to large distribution groups). If I'm getting emails from people I don't know in my personal account they are automatically deleted.

They really need to come up with something new, no??Here at my office I get about 100 of these a day....

Yep! In this case these people are out rare or expensive pinball machines that cost thousands. Nothing anyone can do once the machine is on a boat across the pond! If you go to http://www.craigslist.org and on line garage sale type site, you willl see a disclaimer like this too once you search for an item and click on it.

nigeria is the first clue