FROM, KOMO TV NEWS; SEATTLE, WA. {USA}
 
The phony checks look real to you, and even look real to your bank. If you get one of these checks and deposit the money, it shows up in your account just like normal, but that's when the trouble begins.
 
The scam takes advantage of the fact that just because a check supposedly clears and the bank posts the money in your account, it doesn't mean the bank can't later take that money back if it finds out the check was a counterfeit.
 
That's just what happened to Jill Parker, a pharmaceutical company manager in Richmond, Va.
 
Using the popular Craigslist Web site to rent an apartment she owned in Chicago, she was contacted by someone moving from London.
 
"He was going to send me a check for $25,000. I was to deduct what he owed me for the first month's rent and the security deposit and then I was to wire the balance back to his agent, who was handling his furnishing," Parker said.
 
She took the check to her bank and called a few days later to see if it had cleared.
 
"He said the money is there, it cleared, it's there," she said.
 
So, as agreed, she wired the remainder -$21,000 - thinking she was ahead by $4,000.
 
"Everything went fine until about a week later," Parker said.
 
The bank informed her the check was no good and had been returned not paid. And she, not the bank, was out the money.
 
"We felt terrible to find out that we had been victimized," she said. "You feel very vulnerable."
 
Tens of thousands of Americans are asking the same questions, many of them targeted online through Craigslist and eBay.
 
"They send you a check and they over pay, and then they ask you to refund the difference, and so it's a very quick transaction," said Postmaster General Jack Potter.
 
U.S. Postal Service officials say they have seized more than $2 billion worth of high quality counterfeit checks coming from Nigeria, England, the Netherlands and Canada.
 
But many more phonies are getting through.
 
"Under federal law, banks are required to make money available according to a certain schedule," said American Bankers Association spokeswoman Nedda Feddis. "Certain funds, for example, have to be available on the day after deposit. And the fraudsters are taking advantage of that rule."
 
There have been tragic consequences.
 
Chris Soens, suffering from health problems, got good news in the mail: She won $90,000 in a supposed European lottery.
 
She wired back $40,000 for what she was told were fees and taxes.
 
When the original lottery check was discovered to be a phony, the bank told her she had to repay the entire amount.
 
Her sister Rebecca says it led to Chris' suicide.
 
"I think she was devastated," Rebecca said. "I think she was plunged into depths of despair knowing that everything that she had was gone."

That is why I don't like unnecessary complications. First, it sounds too fishy that some one from another country would trust you to act as their agent for paying a third party. Second, why should that be your job to handle their transactions for them?
 
Here is one I got a couple of months back for a ebay item. I am posting it unedited. Note how generically it's written: doesn't address me by name or handle, makes no reference to my location or even the item itself...
 
 
Subject:
Sorry for getting back to you late.Answer all my questions and get back to me with your full name and address and your mobile# asap today.
 
Message body:
Dear Seller
Am really happy that i later be the winner of the item and this has make me to De-activate my account on eBay because this item was the only
what i want on eBay and once i have got it from you i think i have nothing else to do there again so i no longer on eBay again well i agreed to
pay the amount you want as buy it now any additional money for handling. Here will go i am using this opportunity to inform you that the
amount that i am purchasing this item on behalf of my client.and ur payment will be made inform of cashier check also the amount that will be
on the check will more than your item fees because i will be including the shipping and state tax fees .i don"t really know the exact amount
that will be.b cos it will be issue by my client who is owning me some money .and the reason of the over payment is that.the amount on the
check has been signed already,and it is more than your item fees.so once you receive it.you must deduct your item fees and western union
the balance money to my client manager in Benin Republic .the item is going to Benin Republic also the shipping and western union address
will come with the payment.there will be no problem about the shipment.i want you to responsible for it.also make sure you deduct ur item
fees and western union any additional money on the m/o once you receive it.Here will go.i would have end the auction but i don"t know how
to do it.so i want you to go and end the auction for me asap.to assure you that i am really interested in ur item.i will add extra $10.00 in ur
payment if you end the auction for me asap.and email me ur phone# asap today.
Bellow are the questions i have for you.


1)is the item in good condition?
2)is any western union location where you to send the balance money around you?
3)Can you make sure you get the check cash at ur bank the same day you receive it?
4)Can you allow me to send DH L for the pick up and complete the transaction the day you receive the check?
5) Can you promise me that you'll only deduct your item fees from the payment and westernunion the balance money the day you receive the
payment?
If yes too all my questions.kindly email me back asap today so that the check can be send asap,

Thanks,
Payment is ready for the eBay item but i need ur full name and Add and ur mobile# asap