Just read about a scam on Craig's List. Sounded like an experience I had recently...Long story short, he kept telling me a Fed Ex would deliver the certified check, and I should deposit same in my bank account, then wire transfer part of it to his "offshore" account-He was going to send me a check way larger than the $400 asking price.
My daughter and son-in-law and grand kids live in the Turks & Caicos and own bottlecreeklodge.com The way the scam works, if you are in the resort business, is that a seemingly hepped up bone fisherman communicates via the Internet site, and makes a reservation by sending an International Money Order or Cashiers Check, paying in full for a week or two (rather than just the nominal good faith deposit).
It can take several weeks to finally clear or receive notice of dishonor of an out-of-country Check or M/O when living on North Caicos, where there is no bank. The Check or M/O is, of course, a clever counterfeit. Almost at once the prospective client notifies, with much regret, that he has a serious problem (death in family, hospitalization, tear-jerker, etc...), and requests a refund. Whether the resort operator holds back the ordinary, rather nominal amount usually required as a non-refundable deposit is problematical. Our kids have a policy not to take Checks or M/O's, no matter how credible they appear to be.
Viva la Visa and American Express! EDM
