Possible scam?
Discussion
Okay, so I think someone attempted a scam based on my ad on the autotrader website, though I'm not 100% sure what would have been gained. Anyone out there have any clues? All opinions/similar experiences welcome.
I got an email from a guy with German yahoo email account saying that he had seen my ad and was interested in buying the car. Unfortunately he wasn't in the UK but if the car was as advertised his UK colleague would send me a deposit cheque and they would arrange final payment when he came to the UK. His backup story was that he was moving to Aberdeen and 'my car was the one he wanted'.
What he asked me to do was to send him my phone number, name and address so that his colleague could send me the deposit cheque.
It rang a few alarm bells because, apart from the title of the email, no mention was made of what type of car it was, my name etc. The phone numbers were also clearly on the advert, so I didn't know why he needed them again.
Being cautious I sent him an email back saying that I wanted to discuss it with him further on the phone and that I wanted a contact number for him before I proceeded any further. I politely declined to give my home address before we'd spoken directly.
As yet I've not heard anything back from him which makes me think that it was some kind of scam.
I'm not 100% sure, though, what would have been gained. Is there that much power in an address and phone number, other than to locate a vehicle to be stolen to order or something? He didn't ask for bank details or anything like that...
Thoughts?
-kenski
I got an email from a guy with German yahoo email account saying that he had seen my ad and was interested in buying the car. Unfortunately he wasn't in the UK but if the car was as advertised his UK colleague would send me a deposit cheque and they would arrange final payment when he came to the UK. His backup story was that he was moving to Aberdeen and 'my car was the one he wanted'.
What he asked me to do was to send him my phone number, name and address so that his colleague could send me the deposit cheque.
It rang a few alarm bells because, apart from the title of the email, no mention was made of what type of car it was, my name etc. The phone numbers were also clearly on the advert, so I didn't know why he needed them again.
Being cautious I sent him an email back saying that I wanted to discuss it with him further on the phone and that I wanted a contact number for him before I proceeded any further. I politely declined to give my home address before we'd spoken directly.
As yet I've not heard anything back from him which makes me think that it was some kind of scam.
I'm not 100% sure, though, what would have been gained. Is there that much power in an address and phone number, other than to locate a vehicle to be stolen to order or something? He didn't ask for bank details or anything like that...
Thoughts?
-kenski
definate scam, had about of 8 these when I placed a car on autotrader a couple of weeks ago, dont bother responding or tell them you only take a bank cash transfer... he will soon go away.
The bankers draft will supposedly clear into your account you will get confirmation from your bank !, they will take the car, then it will turn out it was a stolen bankers draft and the money will be removed from your account by your bank !! so you have no car and no money, happened to a PH reader about month ago in the general gassing section....
The bankers draft will supposedly clear into your account you will get confirmation from your bank !, they will take the car, then it will turn out it was a stolen bankers draft and the money will be removed from your account by your bank !! so you have no car and no money, happened to a PH reader about month ago in the general gassing section....
There is a scam going on here i think,last year i heard of something similar where they send you a cheque for your car or whatever you are selling,they send you too much (and of course the cheque isnt worth the paper its written on)and ask you to send them the difference back.
It was on TV last year, you'd be surprised how many people sent a cheque back,basically they pray on peoples stupidity and slowness.
It was on TV last year, you'd be surprised how many people sent a cheque back,basically they pray on peoples stupidity and slowness.
vetteheadracer said:
Sounds like he will want to know if your wife is home alone any time soon next........
He'd be in for a surprise to find my 'wife' is my 'husband' and that after the sunshine on Saturday he looks like he's gone back to his redneck roots :-)
"Squeal for me" comes to mind.
Thanks for the responses. Sounds like a healthy dose of caution is called for in this selling business!!!!
Now I'm worried about accepting bankers drafts from anyone! They used to be the safe way of doing it! I guess if they have your name on it and the correct monetary sum then they're safe? Unless they're stealing blank ones in which case what consumer protection is there for you?
Ach...
-kenski
Only safe options is cash, but then you have to be sure the stuff is not forged, or electronic transfer to your account which can be done instantly from one account to another using a CHAPS transfer. If it is an international buyer they can still do a CHAPS transfer they will just need your IBAN account number, which your bank can supply to you for your account. It is usually the sort code, account number, etc. as an identifier.
Sorry about the "wife" bit but it was more meant as an example of the sort of things you need to be aware of! I recently sold my RumbleBee and they guy that bought it gave me the money in cash! This was particularly scary as he wanted the truck there and then and we had agreed to meet near to my work. So had to wait for lift home with large amount of cash which made me very paranoid of all humans within a 100 yard radius!
Sorry about the "wife" bit but it was more meant as an example of the sort of things you need to be aware of! I recently sold my RumbleBee and they guy that bought it gave me the money in cash! This was particularly scary as he wanted the truck there and then and we had agreed to meet near to my work. So had to wait for lift home with large amount of cash which made me very paranoid of all humans within a 100 yard radius!
The trouble is that the euphoria of making the sale often clouds our judgement. A bank to bank transfer is the safest way but they do not happen instantly as suggested by Nige. In fact you can instruct a payment at your bank at 9.30 in the morning and they will not guarantee that it will reach the beneficiary the same day. It should do but there is no guarantee.
A stolen or forged bankers draft is useless and anyway how many of us have seen enough of them to be able to detect a dud from a genuine draft. Also, you would expect us to be familiar with our own currency yet forged notes are around everywhere. Very risky this selling cars game ...............
A stolen or forged bankers draft is useless and anyway how many of us have seen enough of them to be able to detect a dud from a genuine draft. Also, you would expect us to be familiar with our own currency yet forged notes are around everywhere. Very risky this selling cars game ...............
It’s a scam
You get a 3rd party cheque from some bloke that owes him money or will deal on his behalf, turns out to be stolen cheque (get it cleared in the bank first) or forged draft, then the balance to be sent back to them through a national money transfer (cant be traced) or for you to pay direct to a shipper or transport firm, you never get to meet the bloke your dealing with only by phone or mail, because he is the one doing the scam he is the guilty one but you have face to face contact with him and he cant be traced.
OR
they get all your details and try to get a copy V5 before stealing the car and moving it on quick with all the necessary docks.
Cash then take it to a bank to get it into your account and make sure its not moody or a CAHPS payment direct into your bank. I never like giving out my home address as they know where the car kept (and the keys) it’s a thankless job selling a car I try to use a frind in the motor trade and leave it on there forecourt SOR and it’s a safer place for someone to look at the car
Sam
You get a 3rd party cheque from some bloke that owes him money or will deal on his behalf, turns out to be stolen cheque (get it cleared in the bank first) or forged draft, then the balance to be sent back to them through a national money transfer (cant be traced) or for you to pay direct to a shipper or transport firm, you never get to meet the bloke your dealing with only by phone or mail, because he is the one doing the scam he is the guilty one but you have face to face contact with him and he cant be traced.
OR
they get all your details and try to get a copy V5 before stealing the car and moving it on quick with all the necessary docks.
Cash then take it to a bank to get it into your account and make sure its not moody or a CAHPS payment direct into your bank. I never like giving out my home address as they know where the car kept (and the keys) it’s a thankless job selling a car I try to use a frind in the motor trade and leave it on there forecourt SOR and it’s a safer place for someone to look at the car
Sam
Definate scam. You dealt with it well and gave nothing away regarding address etc.. I've sold loads of stuff through ebay including a pretty pricey item (not a car though)and a similar thing with the winning buyer in the US wanted to organise a friend from Germany who owed him money to send me a Sterling £'s cheque for way over the sale price and then send him the item plus the balance. He/She must have emailed me 6 or more times from different email addresses. Lost loads of money on a duff sale due to re-advertising/genuine buyers buying elsewhere etc.. I really hope people don't fall for it, but I guess they find a dopey bugger every now and again.
I had a doge caravan and advertised it on the net got a cheque for 2k over the amount and it looked real it was from Royal Borough of Lambeth Council, I though it was some kind of benefit scam so I banked the cheque and asked for it to be express cleared, anyway I get this call from the coop bank fraud department saying it’s a forged cheque, and I tried to help them catch the buggers but they wont let on any personal information or even give out a number to call them back on, never mind.
Sam
Sam
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