Thank you for responding. A few questions if I may?
It is extremely unlikely anyone would have turned up to inspect the horse -
That's what I thought, too, but after talking to the local Atty. Generals office they stated a women had lost her horses too. Where'd they go?the scammers are just interested in getting you to cash the check (which will be for more than the agreed price), and send the overage by either Western Union or Moneygram to an alleged 3rd party, such as the horse inspector, or maybe a shipping agent, who they say need to be paid in advance for their services.
Shipping agent, yes, since the "intent" was to ship the horse overseas. Money sent by WU or Moneygram is completely untraceable - the scammer just turns up at the WU agent office quotes the money transfer number, and his handed the money.
Is there an amount limit? They hand them only cash? Bank transfers are sometimes requested, but this is the exception, not the rule. There is no hard evidence to suggest the money fraudulently obtained is used for terrorist purposes, probably only lining somone's pocket, but you cannot say for sure.
I absolutely agree about no hard evidence. But I also know that these scams evolve, do they not? They could initially line one man's pocket and change toward funding a group. Totally feasible. As a writer, I'm trying to devise that "hard evidence".