COUNTERFEIT CASHIERS CHEQUE SCAM: This recent scam has been reported in Atlanta and Minneapolis. Real estate property owners placing advertisements on Craigslist or rent.com receive an e-mail response from a "24 year old in the U.K. on a research program in the United States". Addresses include john.yearwood__@yahoo.co.uk and kevin_taylor@excite.com.
The first inquiry seems legitimate. The second usually comes with request for more information, and a bogus attachment from JAPAN TOBACCO INC (who has posted information about this scam on its site) indicating that the "student" has won a part time scholarship from the JT UK office. The scam comes with the third e-mail, a request for name and address so that the counterfeit cashiers cheque can be sent. The amount supposedly includes the rent and fees plus an overage for the "student's" travel.
The owner is instructed to cash the cheque and wire the difference back to the student so that they can travel to the U.S. The photos often include a young man in graduation uniform from his college (Note: U.K. colleges are the equivalent to high schools, not universities. One photo includes a rather dumpy, depressed looking girlfriend who must be aware of the scam). Because of the lag between the cashing and clearing of the cheque, the owner does not realize he/she has been had until their account is debited the counterfeit cost and the wired sum. Greedy owners may even decide to keep some of the cheque, only to be had themselves later. It is best not to respond to this type of e-mail and requiring background checks before cashing first rent payments.
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