Cashier's and corporate checks, however, are just as likely to be fraudulent as personal checks. For 30 days or more, the bank that deposits the check can reach back into the consumer's account and take the money -- leaving the consumer with a large debt

International cooperation has helped U.S. authorities put "boots on the ground," in Nigeria, said Greg Campbell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. In many fake check scams, criminals are overseas but victims are in the U.S., so it's important to convince international authorities to "protect our (U.S.) citizens and go after their criminals," he said.

'I Chop Your Dollar'
The postal service announcement at the National Press Club, included officials from Nigeria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and stressed the international nature of the crime.

The National Consumers League released data on Wednesday showing that most consumers are confused about who picks up the tab for check fraud. Only one-third of those surveyed realized that they are responsible if a check they cash turns out to be fraudulent, said Susan Grant, vice president of the National Consumers League

You might think you're too clever to fall for any of these cons, but they still work. The Postal Inspectors also announced the seizure of fake checks worth more than $2 billion from January to August of this year

With a bit of wry humor, the site exposes six common cashier's check scams: online seductions, overpayments, renter schemes, fake lotteries, work-at-home scams, and foreign business partnerships.

For years, online con artists have exploited this misunderstanding. But the United States Postal Inspector's office is launching a new campaign aimed at clearing things up. On Wednesday, the agency announced the arrest of 77 criminals worldwide involved in bank check frauds, and unveiled a new public education TV campaign and Web site named FakeChecks.org.