[Gunner]

I suggest that anyone caught in this scam just deposit the checks in a savings account and leave them there. Don't ship the item, don't send the "refund" - just wait.

I suspect that in many cases, the scammers are working with the banks, or some insider in the bank. They don't void the checks and claim they were stolen or forged until AFTER they get the item and/or the wired money. So if you sit on the checks... and sit on them... they can't void them or reject them in due time.

It would be an interesting experiment if anyone wants to play.

By the way, you do understand why they use UPS, DHL etc. to send the checks? Because if they mailed them, it would be mail fraud, and some very heavy Federal action would get involved. An awful lot of scammers, insurance fraudsters, etc. have gotten hit much harder for "use of the mails for fraud" than for the fraud itself. It would be less of a threat to someone outside the US, but the feds have tools - and reach - that state and local agencies don't, and I suspect that Mr. Nigeria would have some very uncomfortable days.