You might be a fitness trainer and you have your business advertised online, on websites like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
One day you get a message from a beautiful girl from a different country, saying she is coming to town for a fashion show (or any other real event that might take place in your city, which in some way requires physical training – eg. pageant contest, athletics, etc).
The girl says she needs to stay in shape for the competition and to be more convincing she is even more specific. “I need to look firmer and tighter, with major concentration on my thighs, shoulders, bottom, arm biceps and stomach”.
After she has given you all the believable details and you have agreed on a price, she sends you a money order or check just a couple of days before she is supposed to arrive.
Then, right on the day you are expecting her, she tells you she got injured or sick and is not coming. She will “allow” you to deposit the check, since is too late, ask you to keep a portion of the money for your trouble, and require you to wire her the rest.
Similar to the Music instructor or Vacation rental scams, this one comes as a bounced check a few days after depositing it in your bank account, by which time you have already wired her the refund.
How to avoid: never agree to pay anyone a refund until you are sure that their check has been cleared.