Am I unnecessarily suspicious/paranoid?
Discussion
Have a rather rare to this country car for sale. a few £ under £8K.
Potential buyer asked for more photos, made an offer close but not close enough.
Since then there's been a number of texts and phone call almost to the point of pestering me. This alone causes me concern as it's a regular scam trick but usually for selling not buying.
Today he offered to split the difference, to which I reluctantly agreed. He's asking for bank details and address, wants to pay a securing deposit then arrange collection.
Claims to know a friend of mine, including details but said friend has no recollection.
Scam?
Potential buyer asked for more photos, made an offer close but not close enough.
Since then there's been a number of texts and phone call almost to the point of pestering me. This alone causes me concern as it's a regular scam trick but usually for selling not buying.
Today he offered to split the difference, to which I reluctantly agreed. He's asking for bank details and address, wants to pay a securing deposit then arrange collection.
Claims to know a friend of mine, including details but said friend has no recollection.
Scam?
Knows a friend but friend doesn't remember him ... uhm ... and he chooses to tell you this. That's a bit odd. Does sound a bit like an inept attempt to build credibility based on knowledge they've acquired from the internet. Could be genuine, but this would raise some doubts in my mind too.
Discendo Discimus said:
How could we know? It sounds like the guy really wants your car, put in a cheeky offer which was rejected then agreed to meet you in the middle.
It would be difficult to send you a deposit and pick up the car without your bank details and address.
Agree but having recently escaped a scam when purchasing something I'm extra cautious. He lives a couple of hundred miles away, "will arrange transport today". Knows roughly where I live as he was asking questions, homing in as it were.It would be difficult to send you a deposit and pick up the car without your bank details and address.
If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.
I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
I sold a car this year, a couple of months of lowball offers and vague interest. Then, all of a sudden, someone calls up and after a 5 minute chat wanted to transfer the full amount to me (nearly £15k) without seeing the car. It felt very suspicious.
A week later he showed up as agreed and drove the car away. It turns out that not everyone is a scammer who's out to steal from you, sometimes people responding to your Car For Sale advert just want to buy your car that is for sale.
Your buyer, like mine, is probably just very keen on the car.
A week later he showed up as agreed and drove the car away. It turns out that not everyone is a scammer who's out to steal from you, sometimes people responding to your Car For Sale advert just want to buy your car that is for sale.
Your buyer, like mine, is probably just very keen on the car.
itcaptainslow said:
If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.
I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
Man puts car up for sale.I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
Man receives offer to buy the car.
Man finds this creepy and refuses.
Ok...
I suppose you don't have to like the person you're selling to. Your buyer sounds annoying, but also comes across desparate for the car with the pestering and bonding with you in desparate forms (i.e. knows your mate, but not well enough for your mate to remember).
I'd hold firm and not split the difference.
I'd hold firm and not split the difference.
If it’s a rare car, I’m not surprised the buyer is “keen”. Probably doesn’t want to miss it but can’t stretch to the asking price.
The “friend” thing could very well be legit, we forget more people than we remember and there is bound to be some cross over where one doesn’t remember the other and visa versa.
If they want to pay a deposit, let them, just tell them they have X days/week to collect and deposit is non-refundable as you’ll be removing it from sale etc. If money lands, happy days.
The “friend” thing could very well be legit, we forget more people than we remember and there is bound to be some cross over where one doesn’t remember the other and visa versa.
If they want to pay a deposit, let them, just tell them they have X days/week to collect and deposit is non-refundable as you’ll be removing it from sale etc. If money lands, happy days.
Tiglon said:
itcaptainslow said:
If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.
I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
Man puts car up for sale.I had similar a little while ago selling a shed, a chap was too full on and pretty much bombarded me about the car, offering a deposit without seeing it and then full up payment. He may have just really wanted a Toyota Starlet, but I somewhat doubt it.
Ended up doing a deal with a thoroughly agreeable gentleman on here, who knew how to not creep someone out
Man receives offer to buy the car.
Man finds this creepy and refuses.
Ok...
Thanks Guys, seems about 50:50
TBH, I do think it's legit, but the buyer says he's a big collection, wants to pay and just get it collected. Now I'm used to viewing a car, offering a price and maybe buying but more recently I've bought a couple of cars "blind", some I've had collected, others I've travelled long distances to collect so should accept it's the norm, it's just I've read of scams where the "buyer" says he'll arrange collection etc and the car goes without payment. I'm old and paranoid, watched too may Scambuster TV programmes...
Cheers
TBH, I do think it's legit, but the buyer says he's a big collection, wants to pay and just get it collected. Now I'm used to viewing a car, offering a price and maybe buying but more recently I've bought a couple of cars "blind", some I've had collected, others I've travelled long distances to collect so should accept it's the norm, it's just I've read of scams where the "buyer" says he'll arrange collection etc and the car goes without payment. I'm old and paranoid, watched too may Scambuster TV programmes...
Cheers
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