Gone Fishing?

Jesus H. So i am looking for a subletter for my house in Dinkytown this summer. Naturally, i have posted ads on Facebook and Craig's List. I was sketched out posting on Craig's List in the first place and then i got this email.

Hello,
I'm Colly Dave of smith Ventures from United Kingdom.I came across your profile for your place to be rented out.I am interested in renting your place for my neice who will be coming to the US.Please answer my following questions below:
1) I will like to know if your appartment is still available
2) I will like to know the rent fee per month and if you require deposit.
3) I want to know if you accept cashier check for payment so I can make an advance payment before her arrival that will stand as commitment
4) Lastly, I will like to know more about you.
I will be very glad to have all this questions answered.
NOTE;REPLY TO collysmith2006@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you soon
Best Regards
Colly

Horrifying grammar mistakes aside, it's not such a far fetched story. I emailed back asking a few questions about the potential subletter and how we would handle the situation considering the fact that we wouldn't get a chance to meet before she moved in. This is the email i got back:

Hello Amanda ,
Thanks for your response.Its okay by me and am paying 3 months rent upfront.My neice name is sarah kelly.She is 22 years old student of Universty of East London.she is responsible,neat,non-smoker and easy going.I will send you my US cashier cheque of $3650 which i bought the last time i visited U.S.I am sending you that much money because my dad is very sick at the moment and i need to go out of town to take care of him and i need to go with all the money i have with me because i dont know how much money am going to spend for his hospital bill and take care of neccessary things.The cashier cheque is for US which is cashable at your bank and its not cashable here in UK.I made promise to my neice that if she performs very well in her Final year exams in the University that am going to send her to the US for her vacation.she has performed very well and i dont want to dissapoint her.So once you receive cashier cheque,take it to the bank and cash it,remove the 3 months rent payment and Send the balance down to my neice through western union money transfer so she can buy her ticket and buy necessary things she will need to bring along because i will be away from town to take care of my dad because he is sick at the moment.Send me your name, address and phone number so i can write the cheque payable to your name.

Hope to hear from you as soon as possible so i can send the cheque to you before i leave town to my dad's place

Regards

Colly

Can you say MONEY LAUNDERING?! Good lord! Thank god i have half a brain and didn't fall for this crap. Needless to say i wrote back explaining that my roomates and i were not comfortable with this transaction and her niece was going to have to find a different living situation. Sketchy as hell, but a little bit exciting!

Word to the wise; If you want to successfully launder some money, avoid these two things:

1) A sob story about your sick dad

2) The words: CASHIER'S CHECK.

My years as a Rochester, NY drug lord and mafia boss have trained me for these types of things.