For cheques drawn on a bank in your own country it would take up to ten banking days to ensure the cheque cleared. But when it comes to cheques drawn on foreign banks, it can take a month or more. In my own case, I received a cheque drawn on an American bank (an advance on a book I was writing) and my bank put a 20 banking day hold on the funds. Due to the differing computer systems and the time to physically send the cheque from a bank in one country to another, it takes longer to verify the amount and transfer the funds. If anyone decides to accept one of these deals, make sure you tell the buyer you will not be forwarding any funds until you know the cheque has cleared - and tell them that will be 60 (sixty) days from the date the cheque is deposited in your account. Trust me, you will be waiting a very, very, very long time for a response to that proposal. And as Smitty states, why would anyone send more money than needed? It makes absolutely no sense. And to send a cheque for over a thousand dollars for a $25 item should be setting off all kinds of bells, whistles and warning signals. This scam has hit buyers in America, Canada, Great Britain and other countries - basically any country that has sellers offering goods via the internet. Another neat scam is the email stating somebody with the same last name as you has died in some African country and has an estate worth umpteen millions. They have done a long search and have determined that you are the closest next of kin. For various fees, etc., they can help expedite the transfer of these millions in Africa to your bank in your city. When I received the first email giving this line, my first question was, why me? My father is still alive as is his older brother and therefore, I am not the closest next of kin. Besides, with all these millions at stake, why are they contacting me via email instead of a nice letter with raised letterhead, signature and all? Remember - it it seems too good to be true ... it is. Bill Vancouver, BC ----- Original Message ----- From: SALVAGE04@xxxxxxx To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2005 8:34 AM Subject: Re: IML: This is Hilarious!! WHEN YOU GET THE CHECK CALL THE BANK THATS ON THE CHECK THEY WILL TELL YOU IF ITS GOOD OR NOT BUT THINK ABOUT IT IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO BUY A CAR FROM YOU WHY WOULD THEY PAY MORE AND HAVE YOU WIRE MONEY TO THEM. THIS JUST DOESN'T MAKE CENCE, THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SENDING YOU THESE FAKE CHECKS ARE DEPENDING ON YOU DEPOSITING THE CHECK, AND SENDING THEM MONEY BEFORE THE CHECK CLEARS. YOU WONT KNOW THAT THE CHECK DID NOT CLEAR YOUR BANK FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS. IF YOU WENT AHEAD AND WIRED THEM MONEY YOU ARE OUT THAT MONEY--- YOU JUST WIRED THEM MONEY OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT --- AND GUESS WHAT " ITS GONE" SMITTY ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm