Selling a car, payment by bank transfer. If it seems dodgy..

[EskimoArapaho]

Ilovetwiglets said:

That's the problem she had, no way of finding out who had the money and the bank can't withdraw the money without authorisation, she was advised that it could well cost her more than the £900 to sort out and probably not worth the hassle.

Advised by who? As it's a theft, did she contact the police, and if so, how did they respond?

(I'm genuinely interested, BTW. It's clearly illegal - and an easily detectable crime at that - and if banks and/or the police are ignoring it, the problem deserves more attention.)

[confused_buyer]

Falkirk are a large, legit company. Used them many times for sales to Scotland.

Last one was a £600 L-reg Volvo 940 sold unseen and picked up from Essex. (!)

[Davey S2]

996TT02 said:

Sy1441 said:

ch427 said:

There was an article on tv yesterday where someone transferred money into an account and got 1 digit wrong, someone benefitted from £900 but the mistake could not be reversed. The bank couldn't do anything about it, not the same situation I know.

My younger brother wired me £18k so I could use it to but a car until my loan cash came through from the bank. He gave me the wrong details to wire it back! Thankfully it was the sort code he got wrong and the payment was rejected, had it been the account number the cash could well have been lost.

The "Strong Scottish Accent" definitely sounds like a scam.

Wot, Scots can't have a Scottish accent?

Or, all Scots are scammers?

Yes. Especialy the Nigerian ones.

[Ilovetwiglets]

EskimoArapaho said:

Advised by who? As it's a theft, did she contact the police, and if so, how did they respond?

(I'm genuinely interested, BTW. It's clearly illegal - and an easily detectable crime at that - and if banks and/or the police are ignoring it, the problem deserves more attention.)

To be honest I wasn't paying that much attention but it looked like the financial ombudsman who advised her she wouldn't get anywhere. No police involved as far as I gathered either. I'd guess it would be classed as 'theft by finding' or similar but either way if you can't find out who took it and nobody will tell you what can you do? The solution is to match up surnames to account numbers but apparently the banks say that would be too complicated and create a whole new set of problems.

[Ilovetwiglets]

I think this was the programme, this is probably where I find out I really wasn't paying attention and got it completely wrong!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04n6l34/rip-...

[fridaypassion]

gizlaroc said:

With the small fact that info is incorrect.
If it is from a hacked account it will be recalled.





But this doesn't sound dodgy at all, just someone who lives miles away.

You can't hack bank accounts.

There is a lot of confidence fraud around where people are conned into doing bank transfers but the actual bank transactions are valid and cannot be recalled. You are not going to get a bloke in your lounge logging onto someone elses bank account to pay you for a car.

[Pet Troll]

fridaypassion said:

You can't hack bank accounts.

There is a lot of confidence fraud around where people are conned into doing bank transfers but the actual bank transactions are valid and cannot be recalled. You are not going to get a bloke in your lounge logging onto someone elses bank account to pay you for a car.

Actually they can be hacked, I am involved in an issue currently where someones bank account was hacked and money transferred out into someone elses account without the account holders knowledge of permission. But I can't go into details as it will no doubt end up in court.

I am happy that this guy is legit now but I will keep this thread updated.

[MissChief]

Pet Troll said:

Actually they can be hacked, I am involved in an issue currently where someones bank account was hacked and money transferred out into someone elses account without the account holders knowledge of permission. But I can't go into details as it will no doubt end up in court.

I am happy that this guy is legit now but I will keep this thread updated.

Except that's not 'hacked' in the sense that someone managed to gain access without knowing the details. That's more likely someone was able to get the customers details via phishing or a key logger the account owner was unaware of?

[AMDB9]

Relax this may well be genuine. I had an X5 for sale once and had very similar happen to me. The chap told me he worked for BP on the rig in the Shetland Isles and could not come down to see the car. We talked on the phone he was happy I sounded genuine, transferred the money and in a week he sent someone to pick the car up. No problems every since and it has been 5 years since the day the car was collected.

You have his name - google is your friend, facebook, Linkedin it's not too hard to track someone down these days.....all the best.

[Pet Troll]

MissChief said:

Pet Troll said:

Actually they can be hacked, I am involved in an issue currently where someones bank account was hacked and money transferred out into someone elses account without the account holders knowledge or permission. But I can't go into details as it will no doubt end up in court.

I am happy that this guy is legit now but I will keep this thread updated.

Except that's not 'hacked' in the sense that someone managed to gain access without knowing the details. That's more likely someone was able to get the customers details via phishing or a key logger the account owner was unaware of?

Correct. To me that would count as hacked, but I don't know if that is the correct definition. Anyway lets not derail the thread!

Back on topic: someone on here who lives in Falkirk pm'd me and said he had heard of the guy through work friends or similar and that he does exist. Also as mentioned earlier I rang the landline number on his business website and the correct person answered.

The only issue now is making sure I am protected against him claiming the vehicle is not as described. I have detailed all faults with the car and he said he was happy but I can't write a 'sold as seen' receipt as he hasn't seen it, nor can I get him to sign it as I won't ever meet him. Any suggestions as to what to do?

[MissChief]

It's possible he may ask the haulier to have a quick look round but that's the chance he takes buying something unseen?

[Ilovetwiglets]

Pet Troll said:

The only issue now is making sure I am protected against him claiming the vehicle is not as described. I have detailed all faults with the car and he said he was happy but I can't write a 'sold as seen' receipt as he hasn't seen it, nor can I get him to sign it as I won't ever meet him. Any suggestions as to what to do?

Not sell it to him? Seriously, you sound like all you're going to do is get stressed about it, re advertise and sell it to someone who can come and sign a receipt.

[surveyor]

Pet Troll said:

MissChief said:

Pet Troll said:

Actually they can be hacked, I am involved in an issue currently where someones bank account was hacked and money transferred out into someone elses account without the account holders knowledge or permission. But I can't go into details as it will no doubt end up in court.

I am happy that this guy is legit now but I will keep this thread updated.

Except that's not 'hacked' in the sense that someone managed to gain access without knowing the details. That's more likely someone was able to get the customers details via phishing or a key logger the account owner was unaware of?

Correct. To me that would count as hacked, but I don't know if that is the correct definition. Anyway lets not derail the thread!

Back on topic: someone on here who lives in Falkirk pm'd me and said he had heard of the guy through work friends or similar and that he does exist. Also as mentioned earlier I rang the landline number on his business website and the correct person answered.

The only issue now is making sure I am protected against him claiming the vehicle is not as described. I have detailed all faults with the car and he said he was happy but I can't write a 'sold as seen' receipt as he hasn't seen it, nor can I get him to sign it as I won't ever meet him. Any suggestions as to what to do?

Let it role. Every car I've ever sold I've been going to download a 'perfect' receipt. Have yet to actually remember to do it 23 years later.

[AMDB9]

Pet Troll said:

MissChief said:

Pet Troll said:

Actually they can be hacked, I am involved in an issue currently where someones bank account was hacked and money transferred out into someone elses account without the account holders knowledge or permission. But I can't go into details as it will no doubt end up in court.

I am happy that this guy is legit now but I will keep this thread updated.

Except that's not 'hacked' in the sense that someone managed to gain access without knowing the details. That's more likely someone was able to get the customers details via phishing or a key logger the account owner was unaware of?

Correct. To me that would count as hacked, but I don't know if that is the correct definition. Anyway lets not derail the thread!

Back on topic: someone on here who lives in Falkirk pm'd me and said he had heard of the guy through work friends or similar and that he does exist. Also as mentioned earlier I rang the landline number on his business website and the correct person answered.

The only issue now is making sure I am protected against him claiming the vehicle is not as described. I have detailed all faults with the car and he said he was happy but I can't write a 'sold as seen' receipt as he hasn't seen it, nor can I get him to sign it as I won't ever meet him. Any suggestions as to what to do?

Relax mate - the risk is his as a buyer not yours as a private seller. If the car falls apart on the way home he really can't do f all!

[garycat]

I would write "Sold as seen" anyway. It is the buyers responsibility "caveat emptor" when buying privately so if they choose not to view they vehicle it is their problem.

I also put "no warranty implied or given" on the receipt as I saw that somewhere and it tells the buyer they have no comeback on faults they discover after the sale.

[Pet Troll]

The car was collected today by Falkirk car carriers, no problems. I got a receipt to say they have collected it. I have filled in the V5 (and kept a photocopy) but left the new keepers signature blank and written a covering letter explaining that the new keeper wasn't present to sign it. Hopefully they will understand!

[Rick101]

Pet Troll said:

left the new keepers signature blank and written a covering letter explaining that the new keeper wasn't present to sign it. Hopefully they will understand!

Now that is likely to cause a problem! DVLA we're talking about!

[confused_buyer]

Pet Troll said:

The car was collected today by Falkirk car carriers, no problems. I got a receipt to say they have collected it. I have filled in the V5 (and kept a photocopy) but left the new keepers signature blank and written a covering letter explaining that the new keeper wasn't present to sign it. Hopefully they will understand!

You could sign both sides with Mickey Mouse they wouldn't notice.

[Rick101]

Aye, but the fact it's not signed means it's quite possible they won't process it.

[Pet Troll]

Rick101 said:

Aye, but the fact it's not signed means it's quite possible they won't process it.

I agree, however I don't feel comfortable fraudulently signing someone else's name so am going to take the chance and hope it reaches someone with a hint of common sense, unlikely I know!

The DVLA must realise that people buy cars without being present to sign the document? It must happen fairly regularly and their own advice states not to post the V5 to the new keeper but to send it directly to them (DVLA).