People that are running classified ads to sell their boats, or whatever are starting to get those scam offers. Don't answer them and simply ignore them.
Here is a link to an article that explains it all:
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/counterfeit_cashier's_check.htm
So beware, once again.
Rick

Rick,

My brother was running a classified ad on this site. A similar incident happened to him about 3 months ago when he was selling his catamaran. A person replied to his ad from South Africa. He sent him an e-mail and wanted the boat at the asking price of $6,000. He said he would send him $7,200 for the boat, and ask him to deposit the extra $1,200 in another account in the US for him. The extra money was supposedly for shipping. This sounds like the exact scam. Anyway, it sounded fishy, and he just told him to forget it. I agree, anything that sounds too good,....... well you know the rest.

Seller beware.

Don

We had a lot reports a while back and then they subsided, and now they are making another surge.
There is nothing we can do about it, but then again it is not a problem unless some unsuspecting ad runner falls for the ploy.
Happy sailing,
Rick

If you get anything like the message reproduced here, do not reply, just erase it. This kind of criminal scam is not new, has already been reported to the authorities, but keeps coming once or twice a month.

QUOTE

From: "Mr. Shaun Milanzi"
To: (you)
Subject: Strictly Confidential
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 01:01:56 +0100
OFFICE TEL: 00 27 83 774 1996

11th August, 2003.
DIRECT TEL: 00 871 763 432 220
DIRECT FAX: 00 871 763 432 221


STRICTLY URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL

I am Mr.Shaun Milanzi a native of South Africa. I am a senior employee of South Africa Department of Mineral and Energy Resources. You were introduced to us in confidence
through the South African Chambers of Commerce and Foreign trade division.

I am writing this letter to solicit your co-operation in order to redeem an investment currently held under trust with the Department of Mineral and Energy Resources of South Africa. The said investment now valued at USD$28.5(Twenty Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars), was originally purchased by one Mr. Dwight Ausserer, and leased to the Transvaal Orange Mining Corporation in 1977.

Since the maturity of this contract in September 1997, several attempts have been made without success to contact Mr. Dwight Ausserer or any of his close relatives, in whose favour the investment cash value can be paid.

My partner, who is the Account Director in the same Department and I, have initiated the process of filing a claim for this money with the hope of having the funds transferred to you.

In order to do this, we will swear an affidavit in the High Court of my country stating that you are a distant cousin and next of kin to Mr. Dwight Ausserer the owner of the money and giving you the legal authority to administer his estate. After which, we will File a claim for this
money from the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources, indicating that you were appointed by Mr. Ausserer to be the beneficiary of these funds.

When the claim is approved you as the beneficiary will be paid the sum of USD$28.5M. The money will be paid directly to any bank of your choice ; you will have the responsibility to ensure that my partner and I receive 75% of the money while you keep the remaining 20% for your
assistance. The remaining 5% will be for incidental expenses.

I want to assure you that my partner and I are in a position to make the payment of this claim possible provided that you can give us very strong guarantee that our share will be secured, and that you will not take advantage of our position.

Be assured that there is absolutely nothing to worry about in the view of this claim. It is perfectly safe with no risks involved, and it is not subject to any inquiry, since my partner and I will be handling the claim directly in South Africa on your behalf.

I do hope my proposal is acceptable to you. Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter, by fax so that I can provide you with more clarification about the claim and how we intend to make this deal beneficial to everyone involved, Please reach me at my direct phone line for confidential Reasons.

Yours Sincerely

Shaun Milanzi.

UNQUOTE

Hey!! I got the same message! What you cuttin' in on my action? Dang I thought I was someone special...

Now if it was $28 dollars he was offering, then he might have something there.

Its amazing that someone would actually believe you would get that much money for nothing.

Cheers

Clayton

Message deleted immediately.

I read the other day that the South African Scam can be very dangerous... apparently one person has been known to have been murdered and others are "missing" as a result of falling for it...

e.g.

http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html
http://www.scambusters.org

Note that although they mention Nigeria, S.Africa and other African countries, the texts seem to be from someone relatively proficient in finance - enough to be convincent. I believe the brains are elsewhere. And this thing is old. Before internet, very similar scams were sent by mail and then fax, but were less common. With the net, I'm getting a couple a month

Today,I was contacted by a man identifying himself as John Mill, who asked some questions about the Wave I have for sale.
I answered his questions, and he replied by offering me my asking price. But, since he was not in Florida ( or even the USA, I gather!) He had a "client" in Florida who owed him $6500. He would direct the client to send the $6500 "cheque" to me. I was to deposit the check, keeping $3500 for the boat and then WESTERN UNION him the extra $3K!
Sorry: My wife doesn't wear shirts emblazoned with the phrase " I'm with STUPID"!!!!
I just received another inquiry about the boat from a person with a foreign sounding name.
Stay tuned!
Bob Cowgill
Cocoa, Florida
E-mail:rcowgill@cfl.rr.com

Have him mail you the cheque, cash it (don't deposit it) then call him back and tell him to come get it.

Of course there is no cheque to start with, but it sounded good...

Actually I think they do send you a check but depending on where it's from, it could take quite some time for it to bounce. Of course then the bank will come after you for the money they just gave you. Sure, you've got $3500 (and your boat still) but you just wired somebody (overseas) the other $3000 that the bank is holding you accountable for. I wonder how many people DO fall for that?

I've always said that we are really lucky that the crooks in this world aren't any smarter than they are....we could be coming into some trouble!