Just a note to say that I had put my Welte Vorsetzer up for sale.
I had listed it on MMDigest and the Player Piano page, therefore
I do not know at which site they picked up the reference.

I had about two weeks ago a series of emails saying this person wishes
to purchase my instrument.  I sent the details and then he said he
would despatch a cheque but would it be alright if he sent one cheque
to me which included a sum for it to be shipped and could I pay this
to his shipper.  I saw no problem with that -- a cleared cashiers
cheque is as good as cash.

The next thing was the cheque arrived.  I then received an email that
he was in South Africa on business and it would now be easier if I
could send the shipping fee to a colleague in NIGERIA.  Alarm bells
started ringing!

Now the cheque came via UPS.  I looked on that and tracked it back to
Lagos, Nigeria.  So why was I being asked to send it back to Nigeria?

You have guessed it -- a total scam.  The cheque looked right but I was
just not too sure about some of the printing.  The cheque was drawn on
a large stockbrokers account, it seemed, after I checked the 'Net.  So
I took all the emails and the envelopes and the cheque to my bank where
they were not sure but they contacted the stockbroker and the bank's
member of staff who deals with this account and, yes, it was all a scam.

So be aware of this; my bank, the National Westminster Bank in the UK,
said that they now do not send any funds to Nigeria even if it seems to
be okay as there is so much crime and money laundering.

It is good that I lived up to my surname.

Jonathan Holmes
Penzance, UK

 [ "Well done, Sherlock," said Dr. Watson!  ;-)  -- Robbie