A new ploy for fraud?

when your bank cashes the check you are then responsible for the funds. if the check doesn't clear with the bank for whatever reason, then *you* have to pay back the 3000. this sounds like a variation on a classic scam, where con men use dating sites to prey on lonely women. they send them 'money orders' and ask for the cash to be wired. then, when the money orders are rejected by the bank (sometimes weeks later), the person who deposited them is responsible and has already wired the money or sent the cash to some guy they never see again. although it could be legit. i wouldn't do it - no way, no how.

I have read thes EXACT scam posted by someone else on another forum.

I'm fairly sure that this is a scam and you will be left holding the bag! For a $90 sale, I'd look elsewhere.

TIC

Excellent explanation Lazarus28! This scam is much more prevelant than you think, and usually originates overseas since it's that much harder to track the perpetrator. One of the TV news magazines (either dateline or 20/20) covered this topic recently. In that case, it was for a BMW to the tune of $60k. Another told of a couple who were selling their used car for $5k. The buyer was from South Africa and pulled the same scam. The poor couple were taken for $5k. I'd save that e-mail address and present it to the authorities (though I'm not sure who the proper authorrities are!)Next time offer to collect the debt first, for a fee of course. More likely than not, that person will balk at the idea. Be wary of referneces as well, which can be easily fabricated.

This sounds like the guy from Nigeria who has $1 million in a US bank account and needs your help getting it wired to him . . . I have received this email about 7 times. I think I read about it in Newsweek last year too.

Someone tried to scam me the same way a few days back, also on another audio website. Most likely the same guy - says he's from England, but he's really from Nigeria. He and his group have tried (in some cases successfully) to scam people on other websites (collectibles, cars). They'll send you a fake bank check and hope you wire them the money before you're bank realizes the check was bogus.
Beware!