I've thought about that, Someone has to be in the US helping them. The checks are often mailed USPS Priority Mail, or shipped UPS or FEDEX. Either they have a helper in the States, or they are using "work at home" dupes to help them. I'm sure the main person is overseas though.
A friend if mine put an ad on craigslist to sell a boat. Since my friend doesnt have outgoing text, I responded to the message. The person responded with a text willing to pay $50 more than the asking price and paying with a cashier's check. I know cashier checks i usually legit but I am concerned if this is for real.
Its the Overpayment scam and its been around for decades.
If you have a decent printer and paper its not hard to make a fake cashier's check . The check will be for even more money than the $50 over already offered. He will want the boat shipped to him through a shipper he has chosen. Your friend will be asked to deposit the check, then wire the over payment to the shipper. The wire transfer clears instantly. The paper cashier's check floats around in the check clearing system for a week or more before it bounces. Your friend's bank will make your friend pay back the entire amount on the check plus a fee for depositing a bad check. The scammer vanishes. He and the fake shipping firm keep the shipping fee.
This scam is usually run from outside the US. The scammer communicates by text to hide his foreign accent.
I've thought about that, Someone has to be in the US helping them. The checks are often mailed USPS Priority Mail, or shipped UPS or FEDEX. Either they have a helper in the States, or they are using "work at home" dupes to help them. I'm sure the main person is overseas though.