Hello all,

I just wanted to inform our members who have cars or other valuables for sale in the classifieds that there are some people on this board (as there are on almost every board) trying to run 419 scams.

I got an email today from edwcrouch_us@operamail.com, expressing interest in my classified ad here on Caymanclub, he wanted details and photos and a bottom line price. The message was sent through the website's email system. I provided him as such and then he sent me a follow-up email agreeing to the price and then giving me the classic 419 approach that he has a client (or agent) in the US who owes him $19,xxx and the cashiers check is already cut (other scammers say that they were trying to buy another car for that amount but the deal fell through.) and all you have to do is deposit the check and wire the remaining balance to them. The scammer on this website went as far as to say that it takes 24 hours for a cashiers check to get to cleared and he wants the wire transfer sent in 24 hours. This is not true; however, the check they send is an out of state check and takes several days to truly clear.

I got this all the time from autotrader, and actually went along with one just to see how far the scammer would go. I received a cashiers check from them, and you it looked very legit, it was from Chase and had the watermarks and everything. However, you can tell it's a fake because it's a U.S. check but it comes from an international address with int'l postage! So, I emailed him and told him his check did not clear after one week and that he should call me... and he actually did!!! He told me he did not know what went wrong and he will send another check lol.

Just wanted to make you guys aware in case you put a car, or something else valuable, in the classifieds section.

Ken, I hope you boot the user, I'm sure you can find him by email; the messaging system didn't send me his user-name.

- Suneet