Avoid these scammers

Avoid these two email addresses: Jessica sunky ([email protected]), and kate soga ([email protected]) Replied to my post with the first email, asking if it was still for sale. Looked legit, I said yes and received this following message from the second email. Hahaha these guys are idiots.

Received this email this morning:

I really appreciate your response,am okay with the price and the
conditions of the item.I am ready to make instant purchase.My mode of
payment would be in CERTIFIED CHECK and i will arrange for a local
pick-up as soon as you get the check,because that is the only
convenient means for me and due to my work frame i can not be able to
get there and i promise you that everything will go smoothly.I really wish
to be there to view the item but i don't have time due to my tight
schedule(US Marine).
As Regards the pick up,i will arrange for it after you receive the
payment and it clears your bank....Please get back to me with below
info so that i can proceed with the payment immediately if you are
selling for me.
Names....
Physical address....
city....
Zip code....
Telephone nos....

And as soon as this is provided, the payment will be overnight to you
and i will let you know when its mailed out.Thanks and i hope we
handle this in good faith while waiting to hear from you. i will add
an additional $50 so that you can hold it for me till the check reach
you.

Ms Kate
Best Regard.

Too bad, Ms Kate. Should've read my post further and you would've seen, "Cash only" at the end.
Just thought I'd share these two emails in case anyone else gets messaged by them.

Thanks for this post. I currently have my car for sale online and received an email from [email protected] "kate". At first I was stoked that my car might sell then I got the below response and it just didn't seem legit, so I Googled the email and was directed here to ScamWarners.

I responded with "Unfortunately, I will only sell to someone in person and the sale will be cash only. No "movers" or 3rd party or "cashiers checks" Sorry."

Thanks for the heads up, SW!

Hello,
Thanks for your response to my email.i like your description of the item,
I want to make outright purchase of the item by issuing you Bank
Certified Cashier,s Check. And as soon as you receive the check and
clears your bank i will make arrangement fo a local pick up,I will
implore you to provide me your contact info to enable me mail the
check to you asap.

1.Full names to write on the check....................
2.Full Physical address to post the check(Not p.o box)............
3.City, State and Zip Code.................
4.Home & Cell Phone to contact you..............
5.Last price of the item..................

*** Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via FEDEX
NEXT DAY SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsible for shipping i will have my mover to come over as soon as
you have cashed the check.

Please get back to me asap.
My Regards.

Welcome Dragon69. I'm glad to hear that the information on our forum was helpful to you.

For anyone reading this, there is also another topic about the scammer using the name Kate Soga, with the same email, here: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30619

As I mentioned on that topic, this is a check scam with the scammer also playing the role of the supposed shipper/courier/"mover". Any check (or other payment) the scammer sends will be fraudulent.
Please see this information about check scams: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3238

I ran into the same deal. It starts with inquiry if item is available and than person accepts without looking at item and trusts giving a person cashier's check, etc after address information is given but I am not sure where the scam is? Them having my name, address etc? Is it a phishing scam? I am not sure where the scam is if the cashier's check is accepted at the bank? I never followed up. I am sincerely asking, maybe I am not seeing somethat that gives you the conclusion it is a scam? To me if it is too good to be true, that gives a flag but I am not sure the consequences of giving my address to them, etc other than for them phishing, I guess. Please assist. I understand the check or cashier's check process but in this manner the person doesn't get the money and the item does not get delivered until the check is cleared. I would go to the banking institute to make sure that it is not a fraud by alerting the bank to check for it, upfront. Then and only then will I release the item. Or am I off track at all?

I hid certain private items below but the full emails are listed below otherwise:

From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> To: sale....well know sale site
> Sent: Friday, February 3, 2012 3:41 AM
> Subject: "something for sale
>
> Hello
>
>
> Just to know if the item Is still available ?
>
Hello

Thanks for your response to my email and i am satisfied
with the condition of the item.Anyway I do not have time to come over
to take a look because of my Business schedule but you don't need to
bother yourself with the shipment, I'll take care of that by engaging
the services of a mover,hence I'll be sending a Cashier,s check and it
will be delivered to you via United Parcel Service,So I'll need you to
provide me with the following informations to facilitate the mailing
of the check..


1.Full name on the check.
2.Full Physical address to post the check
3.City, State and Zip Code
4.Home & Cell Phone to contact you.
5.Total amount of the item

Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS NEXT DAY
AIR SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible
for shipping i will have my mover to come over as soon as you have cashed
the check.

Thank you.

The scammers are taking advantage of the fact that most people don't know how banks truly work.

Most people think that a check is cleared when the bank gives out the cash. It is not. Clearing a check is a multi-stage process that can take weeks or even months. However, by law, banks cannot wait until it is completely cleared to give you the money--if they haven't established that a check is fake within a certain number of days, they have to give you the cash.

But, even after the cash is issued, the check continues through the clearing process--and later on, if it is found to be fake/altered/stolen, the bank has every right to take the money back from you, plus any fees they charge for a bad check, and additional fees for every check that bounces as a result of taking back that money and overdraft fees if it results in an overdrawn account. And, to add to the fun, they can contact the police and have you arrested for check fraud. The way the system works, the person making the deposit is ultimately responsible for ensuring that it is legitimate--which means that you can be held accountable.

So the scammer sends you a bad check that is good enough to pass the initial clearing steps. He tells you to cash it, and send part of the money to his "mover," keeping the rest for your payment. He will pressure you to take out and forward the money immediately (the longer it takes, the more likely the fake will be detected). But sooner or later, the bank WILL detect the fake. And you, as the person who deposited the check, will be held responsible, and will be facing the problems described above.

In the meantime, the money you transferred will be long gone. The scammer has walked away with the cash--even if the police tried to trace him, he will be nowhere to be found, as he's not even in the country.