A family in Jefferson County has become the victim of an internet/email scam that is sweeping across the United States.  The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and law enforcement agencies across the country are unable to locate and apprehend suspects of some internet scams.  Authorities believe hundreds of thousands of dollars have been lost by Americans to suspects in England, Canada and as far away as Nigeria.  United States law enforcement is limited due to jurisdictional restraints.

The scam works like this.  A posting of something to sell or rent on the Internet by the victim is acknowledged by a foreign suspect.  The payment is agreed upon and a few days later the victim receives a cashier's check or money order in the mail.  The check is in excess of the agreed upon amount.  An email from the suspect tells the victim it was a mistake and for the victim to "refund" the excess back to them.  The reasons for the overpayment vary from mistake to shipping cost or travel agent demands.  The overpayment is requested via Western Union to expedite the money back.

Without waiting for the cashier's check to clear, the victim immediately sends the overpayment to a Western Union office in another country.  The victim emails the code number for pickup to the suspect.  The original cashier's check is fraudulent and the victim is taken for however much was sent via Western Union for overpayment.

The basics of the scam are the same; however, it has evolved over time.  Following are a few tips to help prevent people from becoming a victim.