Lets start at the beginning - these guys very rarely actually want your items. Hang on, if you're selling items, how on earth would they get your money too? Easy, they pay you too much in the first place and then politely request the 'excess' back.

Exactly how it works will vary from one scammer to the next, but the usual pattern works like this:

An inevitably very enthusiastic buyer will get in touch usually by email (the scammers can't usually afford foreign phone calls), offering to buy your items. He won't haggle, the asking price is absolutely fine. He'll entice you into a string of emails back and forth during which he'll become very friendly (often asking how your family are) all on the pretence of asking questions about the items. He's not interested in your answers, this is just to build up a 'relationship' with you so he can later rely on you trusting what he says. When you get to payment, you'll discover that miraculously there is someone who happens to owe your new friend money, more than you want for the items, and that dear Mr Scammer has a wonderful idea about how to combine these two transactions into one. All you have to do is accept this payment from his 'colleague', pay it into your bank and wait for it to clear, and then send him on the excess amount over and above the cost of your items. If you haven't smelt a rat yet, you're about to be taken for a particularly painful ride.

Being a prudent sort of chap, you wouldn't normally consider something as odd as this, but he did seem such a nice bloke. Still, you'll wait until the money is clear and then you'll imagine that all is well, and this is precisely where the scammer has the advantage. The cheque he has paid you with (or indeed the bank transfer) is either counterfeit or stolen, and it can take up to a month before your bank finds out. All that cash that went to your account will then be debited straight back out again and the bank won't care a stuff for your argument - its unfortunately your responsibility. Meanwhile, you've passed on the couple of thousand extra pounds direct to the scammer, usually through Western Union or similar. All of a sudden your emails start coming back unanswered, because Mr Scammer is busy injecting your hard earned cash into his arm. Even if you can trace him (which is damned unlikely) he'll be in Nigeria, Russia, or similar where the police basically couldn't care less. Ouch.

So, how do you spot this delightful piece of walking garbage? Easy! Has your buyer:

• Been incredibly enthusiastic about your items, even to the point of ignoring faults youve pointed out?
• Offered your asking price without question?
• Written to you in appalling English, often in ALL CAPITALS?
• Asked after your family, your work, etc. and just somehow been a bit too friendly?
• Offered to pay by Direct Transfer into your bank, but for a variety of reasons not from him personally?
• Offered more money than your original asking price with a deal to get back the extra funds?
• Asked you to get involved with Western Union for payment?
• Encouraged you to lie to Western Union staff about reason for payment?
• Used the word 'modalities' in his emails? (God alone knows why!)

If your 'buyer' uses any ONE of these things, be very very very suspicious. If there's two or more of the above, Congratulations, you've hooked yourself an 'Advance Fee Fraud' scammer! You've essentially got two choices here; either ignore it and you're unlikely to hear from him again, or mail him back and tell him he's retarded if he thinks you're going to fall for this load of bovine excrement. There is a third alternative, though, for those with some spare time and the desire to eke a little revenge for the poor sods that have gone before you and lost money - you can 'bait' your scammer and see how long you can keep him going before he rumbles you that youve rumbled him. With a little luck and some dedication, you can persuade your scammer to really go to great lengths to obtain your money, visiting a variety of banks, sending photographs, creating documents, etc. Yes, of course its bad form to mock the afflicted, but remember this loser originally got in touch with the direct intention to take money from YOU.

Now, youre fully equipped with all the tools necessary to avoid unscrupulous fake buyers. Use a healthy degree of cynicism and good luck with your sale.

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