Business Opportunity to Become the "Middleman"

Have you ever been offered a job to become the middleman for a person / company looking to expand into North America? Sounds like a good business opportunity!

The scheme might unfold as follows:
You may be solicited by e-mail, while checking a website, by regular mail, telephone or by responding to a newspaper advertisement.

You respond to the ad. Your only involvement is to deposit cheques for the person/company. What could possibly go wrong?

You receive a cheque for several thousand dollars. Retain a 10 per cent fee for yourself. Then repay the balance using your own money to a person or company located outside North America. Sounds like easy money!. You feel good until your bank notifies you that the original cheque you received was fraudulent. In this case, the criminal(s) defrauded you of the money you sent them. You are also on the hook for the fraudulent cheque you deposited in your account!