Dodgy or what?
Discussion
I’ve been trying to sell my boat for a while now and have finally found a buyer. He’s from Northern Ireland (boat’s on the South Coast, UK) and he wants to buy it on spec having only seen some web photos, for 8.4K. So, he says he’s going to transfer the money straight into my account. As soon as it’s cleared I can send him the documentation and he’s got a guy that’ll take the boat to Liverpool docks and he’ll have it shipped to NI from there. This all sounds a bit too easy.
So anyway I give him my account details (name, number, sort code) so he can transfer the funds. Today I get a call from him saying he wants to do the transfer today but his bank need some ID from me before they’ll do the transfer e.g. passport or driving license. At first I though this was a bit unusual but I said fine no problem. However about 30 secs after I put the phone down the penny dropped and I realised my passport and driving license have my signature on them. So if I send these he has my account name and number, sort code and a copy of my signature. In other words unlimited access to my bank account. Needless to say I haven’t faxed him anything.
Now I don’t think I’m being unusually paranoid here but this looks like it’s got scam written all over it. So I’m going to phone him back and explain my concerns and ask for a cheque instead. If he’s genuine he shouldn’t have a problem. Obviously I’ll wait for the cheque to clear before handing over the boat. I’ve never had to get ID from the beneficiary when transferring money and I’ve transferred larger amounts than this on several occasions. Has anyone else heard of anything like this?
So anyway I give him my account details (name, number, sort code) so he can transfer the funds. Today I get a call from him saying he wants to do the transfer today but his bank need some ID from me before they’ll do the transfer e.g. passport or driving license. At first I though this was a bit unusual but I said fine no problem. However about 30 secs after I put the phone down the penny dropped and I realised my passport and driving license have my signature on them. So if I send these he has my account name and number, sort code and a copy of my signature. In other words unlimited access to my bank account. Needless to say I haven’t faxed him anything.
Now I don’t think I’m being unusually paranoid here but this looks like it’s got scam written all over it. So I’m going to phone him back and explain my concerns and ask for a cheque instead. If he’s genuine he shouldn’t have a problem. Obviously I’ll wait for the cheque to clear before handing over the boat. I’ve never had to get ID from the beneficiary when transferring money and I’ve transferred larger amounts than this on several occasions. Has anyone else heard of anything like this?
I’ve been trying to sell my boat for a while now and have finally found a buyer. He’s from Northern Ireland (boat’s on the South Coast, UK) and he wants to buy it on spec having only seen some web photos, for 8.4K. So, he says he’s going to transfer the money straight into my account. As soon as it’s cleared I can send him the documentation and he’s got a guy that’ll take the boat to Liverpool docks and he’ll have it shipped to NI from there. This all sounds a bit too easy.
So anyway I give him my account details (name, number, sort code) so he can transfer the funds. Today I get a call from him saying he wants to do the transfer today but his bank need some ID from me before they’ll do the transfer e.g. passport or driving license. At first I though this was a bit unusual but I said fine no problem. However about 30 secs after I put the phone down the penny dropped and I realised my passport and driving license have my signature on them. So if I send these he has my account name and number, sort code and a copy of my signature. In other words unlimited access to my bank account. Needless to say I haven’t faxed him anything.
Now I don’t think I’m being unusually paranoid here but this looks like it’s got scam written all over it. So I’m going to phone him back and explain my concerns and ask for a cheque instead. If he’s genuine he shouldn’t have a problem. Obviously I’ll wait for the cheque to clear before handing over the boat. I’ve never had to get ID from the beneficiary when transferring money and I’ve transferred larger amounts than this on several occasions. Has anyone else heard of anything like this?
Sounds a bit like the "nigeria" scam that was doing, is doing the rounds!!!
g dodgy to me. I've been wiring money all over the place in the last 2 weeks & have never heard of anything like that...It's seems well dodgy. What would the bank do with your ID ??? Unless the "purchaser" looks a lot like you it can't prove anything.
I've donemoney transfers before and if you're putting money into someone elses account you don't need thier ID, just the account details.
If he insists that this is what the bank wants then ask him which bank and branch he is using and send your ID directly to them with instructions that they should not be passed on to anyone else.
S..
I've donemoney transfers before and if you're putting money into someone elses account you don't need thier ID, just the account details.
If he insists that this is what the bank wants then ask him which bank and branch he is using and send your ID directly to them with instructions that they should not be passed on to anyone else.
S..
I think… famous last words… we’re all wide of the mark here. Just phoned my bank to ask their opinion and they told me the money’s already in my account! So maybe I was being paranoid. I told the guy on the phone my story and the only thing he could suggest is that there may be rules in place in NI directed towards paramilitary money laundering that require the ID. Or maybe the seller just wanted ID to make sure I wasn’t pulling a scam on him, although he did say his bank requested the ID. SO just got to wait for the deposit cheque to clear and it’s a done deal.
The very least you should do is ring your bank and ask them to notify you immediately if any large sums are attempted to be removed in the next 'x' number of weeks....
When i paid for my car (similar money but not as much) it was done over the phone, bank details to bank details (as in account number and sort code only) name, address etc i have never heard being needed. If insistent for want of passport, say you will take it into a branch of their bank, they will photocopy it and mark it as an official copy and send it direct to the buyers bank. No middle men, no fiddles.
Are we all paranoid? Maybe, but so many of those nigerian scams have been around lately it makes you wonder....
When i paid for my car (similar money but not as much) it was done over the phone, bank details to bank details (as in account number and sort code only) name, address etc i have never heard being needed. If insistent for want of passport, say you will take it into a branch of their bank, they will photocopy it and mark it as an official copy and send it direct to the buyers bank. No middle men, no fiddles.
Are we all paranoid? Maybe, but so many of those nigerian scams have been around lately it makes you wonder....
Have just thought - maybe we were a bit alarmist, after all everytime you buy anything online/over the phone, you have to give your name and address, postcode etc....
So probably is legit - it was just the ID bit that threw me - and he does say the cash has been deposited now....
Hope so anyhoo!!
So probably is legit - it was just the ID bit that threw me - and he does say the cash has been deposited now....
Hope so anyhoo!!
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