[general_re]

The crooks merely buy ONE legitimate Cashier's Check, make many counterfeit copies with the correct amounts and numbers for use in their scams. Calling the issuing bank with the info from the counterfeit check only confirms that a check with that number for that amount has been issued, not that THIS PARTICULAR check is legitimate.

There are ways to counter this as well.

[Swordmaker]

There are ways to counter this as well.

Name one that will get the holder use of the funds in any reasonable time...

There is no way that a forgery can be ascertained over the phone or even from a faxed copy... even the actual counterfeit may fool the issuing bank. Some of these were only discovered to be forgeries after duplicates started showing up to be fulfilled at the issuing bank.

This is really a serious problem... it threatens to end the utility of cashier's checks and money orders.

[radiohead]

The Nigerian scam can happen to anyone.

not really. this has been around for years. even my leftist, i don't care about money, professors have joked about this scam. how dumb could this person be?

on the other hand, the first time i heard about the scam was on a news feature focusing on an accountant who had lost most of his life's savings due to the nigerian scam... sometimes edumakashun doesn't help.