She sent me lots of sweet affectionate emails and sexy pics and vids.  Now she's ill and needs meds. She has no money or bank account, but her grandma in El Salvador wants to send her money.  Can I accept it for her?  I'm playing dumb asking what do you need me to do.  How long do you think it will take before she asks for my banking info so grandma can send me money for her?  Yeah right.

Obviously the "affectionate" emails and sexy pics are a huge red flag. SB's really don't fall in love with an SD by looking at his profile. A true SB would be nervous to offer up personal info, and rarely send explicit pics unsolicited (unless she's a semi-pro or pro) for free.  

I like the idea of you having some fun by dangling this scammer on the end of your line for a while. Depending on how long the conversavations have already been going on, I bet the request for your banking information will be one/fifth of that time period, lol.

with a supposed Chinese national girl who was getting her visa to come to the USA and needed some money to buy the ticket to come live with me.  I knew the relative impossibility of a single female getting a visa to the USA so just let her (or him?) go on for a while before calling out the bs.

Herb you nailed it, she has already declared her undying love for me.  And DeC, she just asked me for the banking info a couple hours ago.  She claims to live in the big city nearest me where I normally do most of my dating. As for stringing her along, my awesome wife said I should tell her yes, and give her a bogus bank account number so as to waste more of her time and see how long she'll keep at it.  But I just don't have the desire top platy that game right now,. So I told "her"  "you must be joking. No way I'm giving out my bank account number."

I thought that they will sometimes send you a check (sometimes even a cashier's check) for, say, $500. You send $400 to your pen pal and keep the $100 for your time and trouble.  ... until your bank let's you know that the check was counterfeit and you are out $400.  

In the scenario you describe, your bank account will be charged for the full face value of the check - $500.00. So that $100 you "pocketed" is really just your own cash.  And how will the bank console you for failing for the "cash my check" scam? Well, they will assess a nice, juicy fee of $20-50 to you your account to commemorate you stupidity. Plus they will put a bounced check count on your account. Too many bounced checks gets your account closed and may prevent you from opening a checking account with other banks.  (Brings back memories of our early days as a 20-ish would-be "Big Swinging Dick" or BSD with noting but belly button lint in our pockets, doesn't it?

and to add even more bad news to the mix, if your account is overdrawn because of a bogus check/s and you are unable to make it good, the bank can and will press CRIMINAL charges against YOU, not the person who gave you the check and there are actually people sitting in jail night now who were VICTIMS of this kind of scam, not perpetrators.

I was trying to keep it simple. But, yes. It is a little more complicated. I've read about it happening with on-line sales, for anything from $5 for a piece of toast that looks like Jesus to multi-thousand dollar cars and boats.  Someone offers to OVERpay with a (counterfeit) certified check, you keep a portion of the excess, and refund the remainder (with a legit personal or certified check).

Posted By: herbtcat

Re: Actually Imp, you're out $500 plus fees
In the scenario you describe, your bank account will be charged for the full face value of the check - $500.00. So that $100 you "pocketed" is really just your own cash.  And how will the bank console you for failing for the "cash my check" scam? Well, they will assess a nice, juicy fee of $20-50 to you your account to commemorate you stupidity. Plus they will put a bounced check count on your account. Too many bounced checks gets your account closed and may prevent you from opening a checking account with other banks.  (Brings back memories of our early days as a 20-ish would-be "Big Swinging Dick" or BSD with noting but belly button lint in our pockets, doesn't it?  
   
   
 And just to make your fail qualify for Epic status, if the $500 debit to your account happens to take your balance negative (which, to be fair, I doubt will happen as you are not a poor-as-fuck-school kid anymore), you get an additional fee, and any other checks you have outstanding (like a bill payment) may be refused by your bank, each with yet another fee.  
   
   
 So yeah... a bullet well dodged!  
   
   
 Life is good  
   
   
 The Cat

...stuff about do you give your name, scams, etc, etc...
I used to come over here and recognize the issues
Now, can't really understand what the problem is or why
Being doing this for more than 3 years
NEVER had any issues
Suppose it's just about selecting the right girls
And don't be overly sensitive about the money
LOL

Any person who falls for such a stupid act.........That person is as stupid as they look. Sorry for being so blunt, but I see it this way. If a person approaches you through email & Etc. & asking you for $$$$$MONEY$$$$$ for whatever reason. This should have set up a red flag in your head. You should have threw a ton of questions their way then notified the police.

Thanks for chiming in, Kitty.  

If you would reread the OP I am sure you will realize that it was written largely "tongue in cheek" and that there was ZERO chance of the OP actually falling for any kind of scam of this (or any other) nature.

... But my message lacked your inestimable style and razor-sharp edges.  

Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments a lot!