Chuck Gould wrote:
One of our local marine title companies reports that in the last two
weeks they have receivd two counterfeit cashier's checks. One was for
$470,000.
In both cases, the party supposedly purchasing the boat presented the
check for a substantial amount over the agreed upon selling price and
requested "cash back at closing" so that the buyer could arrange pay a
trucking company to haul the boat cross country.

Looks like a confirmed wire transfer is really the only way to go.

Chuck, that's been a scam going on for a long time, especially on
ebay. They will "have their agent" , or someone in the states that
owes the buyer, send you a check for an enormous amount over the
agreed purchase price, then when you cash the check, they would like
for you to send them the the merchandise as well as the remaing
funds. Once you do that, it can even take a considerable time for
your bank to come back at you wanting the full amount of money because
the bank (fake) check was well,,, a fake.

.. A friend of mine just about got bit really hard with this
negotiating selling a tractor overseas, only instead of a check,
payment was via a US postal money order. being a part time employee of
the USPS himself, he took it to the PO and they scanned it and found
it to be a fake. good deal for him. It's amazing hwo many people fall
for this type of stuff though.