To the Editor:

My wife recently listed an ad for to sell a table and set of chairs. She got a prompt response from someone who offered to buy them, sight unseen, and would send a cashier's check. 

The check was slow in coming, but finally arrived. The first thing we noticed was the check was for $2,195, rather than the $200 agreed on. 

When my wife contacted him by text, he said it was a huge mistake by his secretary, but to go ahead and deposit the check and send him a personal check for the overage amount. Alarm bells started ringing. My wife called the bank and they couldn't find a record of the check number plus the routing number wasn't their bank. 

When she texted the guy asking him to call, he said he was hearing-impaired and could only use texts. A search online revealed that cashier's checks are a popular scam. There was even a second person wanting to send a cashier's check. The phone number for the guy was from CA, not surprisingly. Warning to all classified ad listers - don't deal with anyone wanting to use cashier's checks to buy anything, particularly sight-unseen. Thanks.

Bill Amberman

Norwood