Ok, the plot thickens . . .
I got the check by courier yesterday. It was for three times the amount we'd agreed upon, and the buyer insisted that I deposit it in my account.
Apparently, the scam works like this: "Don Simon" poses as a broker for overseas buyers. He sends a worthless check for a substantial amount more than the agreed price, claiming that it was an "error by his secretary." Then, he'll want the unsuspecting seller to refund the difference. Thus, he would receive, in my case, $6 000 out of my account. (There's another guy named "Simon Moore," whose story involves the merchant marine, but the scam is the same.)
Banks in Canada have as long as THREE MONTHS to invalidate a check, by which time "Don Simon" will simply vanish. The bank will cover its losses by debiting my account, so the loser would ultimately be me.
After I received the check, I phoned "Don Simon" and told him to send me a bank draft or a money order for the CORRECT amount, which he said he'd do on Monday. In the meantime, I asked a client of mine (who also happens to be my credit union agent) if the check was real. She took one look at it and said: "No, this is bogus. You need to report this to the RCMP." I went down to the police station last night, presented everything "Don Simon" had sent to me, and the woman behind the counter smiled and said: "Yes, this is a common scam." However, because I didn't cash the check and I'm not out any money, I can't press charges for fraud because no actual crime has been committed.
But then, "Don Simon" phoned AGAIN early this morning, and said he wanted me to deposit his check. I didn't let him know that I was on to his game, but simply repeated--quite firmly--what I'd told him the night before. I'm in no hurry to sell my truck. If it sits in my driveway for another ten years, that's no concern.
I'm posting this here as a cautionary tale for the rest of you. Beware of anyone who offers to buy your machine from afar, whether it's an Asian businessman, or someone who claims to be in the merchant marine and can't come to see the vehicle.
It's a shame that those of us who are trying to make an honest living are the natural prey for scumbags like this, but I guess that's just the world we live in. Be careful out there!