Dec 23, 2015
He's not even located in the country, so check your "illegal immigrant" nonsense at the door.
This is an old and extremely lucrative scam.
Here's how it works;
You receive an email or text (examples below) offering to buy your item, pay for your services in advance, or rent your apartment, sight unseen and without meeting you in person.
A cashier's check is offered for your sale item as a deposit for an apartment or for your services.
Value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item—scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
Banks will cash fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, sometimes including criminal prosecution.
Scams often pretend to involve a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate, etc.).
When dealing with Craigslist purchases and sales, ALWAYS insist on cash in hand.