MARYSVILLE — If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

That’s the warning from Marysville police, who are worried about an apparent increase in scams.

About twice a month, police here investigate tales of woe from people who have cashed deceptively fake checks and been bilked out of money, Marysville police Cmdr. Ralph Krusey said.

“They’re the same old scams,” he said.

Here’s how it usually works:

Someone contacts the victim and offers an up-front payment, typically by check, and then requests that a portion of the money be returned by Western Union or MoneyGram. The checks turn out to be fake, and there’s no way to trace who claimed the money.

A new twist involves contacting people who advertise on Craigslist looking for roommates or advertising apartment rentals. The scammer sends their deposit check and adds money they want paid to a mover, Krusey said. Then they back out of the deal and ask for a refund on the moving costs.

People can be out thousands of dollars, he said.

Marysville detectives have no suspects in the scams. They believe the perpetrators likely are working from outside the country using the Internet, Krusey said.

The best defense is common sense. In tough economic times, people may be more willing to take risks, he said.

Remember that con artists can talk a convincing game.

“Don’t fall for it,” Krusey said.

Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.