Money from Germany!!

[13 DJP]

Evening Chums

I`ve just done a deal with a chap in Germany to buy my friends car. He wants to do a bank transfer and has asked for my account details and IBAN, SWIFTBIC codes.
Is this safe? He can`t get into my account and steal my hard earnt £4.57 that`s there can he?
Thanks in advance, i`m sure it`s fine, but just got that nagging doubt as I was about to e-mail all my account details!

Cheers
Dave

[k3ybo]

I live in Germany and those codes are definitely all normal ones you need to send money internationally. Can't comment on possible misuse but sounds alright to me! As long as it's with a big bank and you have a promise to buy the car I can't imagine it going horribly wrong, but then I am naive...

[MondeoMan1981]

I'm assuming the chap will call personally with ID etc in the UK to collect the car ?

Just watch for dodgy bank transfers - make sure for example that the name on the payment remitter matches the buyer etc - all to easy for it to be fraudulent funds.

[13 DJP]

He`s a classic car breaker, has 100% feedback on ebay, but won`t be coming himself to collect the car, he`s sending a carrier to pick it up.
I did say I only wanted cash, but he said the carrier wouldn`t carry cash and was suggesting possibly posting cash! I suggested bank transfer, but am now worried I`m going to be cleaned out
How to fraudulant funds work? Can they be re-called?

[RedWhiteMonkey]

You'll have to decide if the deal is legit but IBAN and BIC codes are standard things for bank transfers, they are the international branch and account identifiers.

[RWD cossie wil]

just set up another account, HSBC did it there & then for me for the same reason, then leave it empty after.

[Heyrick]

It's no biggie, it's more common over there than here and I get a few customers wanting to use transfers over paypal to buy our toys. I was worried at first too but when you realise how common it is you don't worry anymore. Don't know about other banks but Lloyds statements have the interbational codes already on them.

[davidjpowell]

RWD cossie wil said:

just set up another account, HSBC did it there & then for me for the same reason, then leave it empty after.

Only going to work if a different bank, otherwise they would just nab any out of pocket funds from your normal account.

[13 DJP]

Ok, I`ve just sent them, fingers crossed

[FreiWild]

Don't worry, have done similar things already, never had a problem