Bill:
I do not think that you are being paranoid, smart and on guard are better descriptions. The letter looks suspicious to me for several reasons.
First, you may receive a check from the respective purchaser, and if I under stand correctly, you are being requested to forward a balance of $1,000 to an address in Canada. Should the first check be fraudulent, you could be out of a $1,000. Timing is important for this fraud to work. If you receive a check on Friday, deposit it on Friday or Saturday, you could discover that the check is bad after you have issued a check. Several car dealerships in this area have been burnt in the manner. A well groomed and dressed purchase(s) consummate the purchase a car on a Friday, after the banks are closed. A bogus Cashier?s Check is presented as payment, and the purchasers drive off the lot with the new car. The new car will like have it?s VIN changed during the weekend, and could be exported by Monday morning.
If the first check is good, a second check maybe tendered at time of purchase. The second check could be bogus. Good luck trying to locate and sue a hard to locate target in Canada. The defense argument would be that the purchase price was the value of the first check less expenses. The second check? Heck, we don?t know anything about it. It would note even get that far due to the expense of trying to recover a smaller sum of money.
It is also very troubling that there is a stipulation that only your home address be used. A threat to persons in their home by unknown persons can be intimidating.
As an after thought. In many parts of the world the benefits of the electronic age has been used to perpetrate fraud. A lot of very bright persons with lots of skill, knowledge, and time on their hands spent lots of time dreaming up way to obtain bank accounts and other ID information. A very good living could be made if the stolen sums are below the floor where the Feds will become involved. The chance of getting caught are reduced when international boarders are involved and the identities of the perpetrators cannot be adequately determined. Authentic looking ID?s are another dark benefit of computers and sophisticated home office printers and copiers.
My gut instincts tell me that this is a CON, be careful.
Please keep us informed.
