Well, I may be odd but I love to screw with the scammers and make them waste their time. I always e-mail them back and try to get as much information from them as possible, hoping it might help authorities catch some of them. They usually catch on after a few e-mails and I never hear from them again. I think it may have been something about them sending the cashier's check in advance and me holding their money until all funds are verified cleared until any money is "refunded" that makes them move on to someone else. I also tell them I will keep a 15% fee for handling the "transaction" and being their personal banker.

Folks.. Just a note that the cashier's check is NOT the only scam nor are the scammers always foreign. 

I terminated a deal for a backhoe that was "too good to be true" this month.  When I asked for verifiable details like a location and a serial number, I'd get lots of other words and details but not what I asked for.  After several e-mail exchanges I just said do business not BS.

"Too good to be true" should raise your level of awareness through the roof.  Verifiable details should be your watch word.

I too like playing with them, I must say.  It's so funny to have them fill your email inbox with hateful emails once they know they have been called on the carpet.

If you google Nigerian scams they have some of the best websites where you can log your emails...absolutely hilarious!

houndog -

I love that. I do the same thing with junk mail. I put stuff from one company in the return envelope from another company and send it on. Heck, the Post Office gets paid for the delivery and I think it is kind of interesting to see how some of there companies like receiving junk mail. Maybe it will make them stop.

As far as the scammers being foreign, that's not always the case. I had a guy from the US trying to sell a trailer so I inquired about it (internet deal). He said he would deliver the trailer anywhere in the US. You had to pre-pay 1/2 of the price and the other 1/2 was due upon delivery. I e-mailed the guy and inquired about where the trailer was and if I could go see it. He told me it was in a warehouse in California. I lied and told him I was traveling to California in a couple of days and would like to make arrangements to see the trailer when I was there so if he would send me the address of the warehouse, I would stop by and inspect it. Needless to say, he never responded. I kept forwarding the e-mail to him until my e-mail was returned because his inbox was too full.

I like to phone the buyer or seller ive found its the best way of checking there intentions, ebay and other internet sites are great for finding things for sale,just need your wits about you, Take care out there....