Scam, Scam, Wonderful Scam

Is it just me, or is the scam desnity of the internet increasing? We are all used by now to the plaintive letters from widows of African dictators or high government officials looking for a trustworthy soul to help them get a few dozen million dollars out of their country, for a sufficient renumeration, of course.
Then there are the internet lotteries you won (even though you never entered them) and the utterly unknown relatives who died and left you millions. We can consider these classic scams part of the fabric of the internet, unfortunately.
However, the scammers are getting more sophisticated. Recently, there was a scam in which a bishop (sometimes a "prince", or even a "prince bishop") supposedly from Ghana wrote interpreters, asking for their services, as he was visiting the US, and his wife only spoke (insert language interpreter works with). This is how the scam then would proceed: Bishop sends forged check, bishop decides to stay only half the planned time, bishop asks interpreter to wire refund.
This indicates that the scammers are focusing on narrower targets and their stories are becoming somewhat more believable. Of course, eBay sellers are also a target. I have witnessed the following scam: Seller wants buyer to send item plus check for $500 to friends who are getting married in county X. Seller will be wired the money and paid $200 extra for his troubles, all he has to do is send item and check for $500 to friends right away...
Well, the scammers are not standing still and are changing their methods, so we have to keep informed. There are useful websites here, here and here.

Stay safe, and have great Thanksgiving!
Cyberbeader
http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com