Be careful of online frauds and scams

[CBR600]

I found some sites that offer very useful information on this topic. I hope this would be useful to everyone.

http://www.cyberattic.com/articles/scam.html
http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/i...tip/inttip.htm
http://www.fraud.org/scamsagainstbus...s/bizscams.htm
http://search.bbb.org/search.html
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/commerce/
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/commerce/#cp
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/crh/respref.htm
http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp
http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/fraudtips.asp
http://www.nclnet.org/essentials/security.html
http://www.gbq.com/pdfs/204776VLBnd02.pdf
http://www.ustreas.gov/irs/ci/
http://www.ustreas.gov/irs/ci/tax_fraud/index.htm
http://www.dr.bbb.org/autoline/index.asp
http://www.bbb.org/alerts/Idtheft.asp
http://www.bbb.org/library/19990201.asp
http://www.bbb.org/library/ba-idtheft.asp
http://www.newyork.bbb.org/identitytheft/index.html
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...ctions-outside
http://www.scamorama.com/bankscam.html
http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=3...nline_Auctions
http://www.liquidationscam.org/
http://www.liquidationscam.org/modul...viewlink&cid=1
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/techsupport.asp
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/Specia...003/index.html
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/counterfeit_cashier's_check.htm
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/identity_theft.htm
http://www.bankersonline.com/security/aandc.html

At http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/counterfeit_cashier's_check.htm , it mentions that

"...a bank may make money "available" to you almost at once if you deposit a purported bank cashier's check, but that's NOT a guarantee the check is authentic. It could be returned as counterfeit up to three years later, and the bank will hold you responsible for the money..."

Does anyone know why it can take so long for the bank to find out? (It does not make sense to me) Shouldn't it be a guarantee after the cashier's check or money order has been cleared? I called a bank and they said that once the check or money order has been cleared, then it's a a guarantee that the check or money order is authentic. Can anyone verify this info?

Another site mentions that the sellers can call the bank that issues the cashier's check or money order to verify if it's authentic. But I thought this is what the seller's bank would do (when the total is over a certain amount of money)?

[CBR600]

On a different note, certain carriers/shipping companies require a signature and identification for pick-up. I think this is good. May I ask if anyone knows which companies/carriers offer both the signature and identification requirements for pick-up (besides USPS?)