Beware selling scam

[flt.eng]

I have recently been trying to sell my 2 cars. First was my merc. here & in our local paper, which included 5 outlets. One turned out to be an internet. I received a very quick reply with an email address of :walkersmith@gmail.com : asking for further details. The text contained grammatical errors, which set alarm bells ringing. Finally
after accepting a very close offer. He asked me for payment method,
I replied bankers draft . To which he said "I only use paypal ,so please
send me details of your account" Fortunate. I'd heard of this scam so
said "no way". End of transaction. (I informed the internet co. of this.)
I then put my wife's car for sale in the same local paper & low & behold
I get the same sort of email but this time it was from smithallan@gmail
Get the picture.

 

[horgantrevor]

I'm based in Ireland I got a email from a guy called McCauley Mark Anthony At this email [email protected]

Saying the same I was selling a car on a web site called Donedeal.ie

He didn't get upset when I said I new it was a scam
I got one more offer from him like as if he never got my reply and I warned him never to reply again or I would contact the police which I did any way

 

[Ierton]

Happens all of the time unfortunately. I've sold 5 cars in the last year and had scam emails for all of them.

 

[gIzzE]

Part and parcel of selling a car these days.

Reckon I get around 3 or 4 scammer trying it on every time.

Pretty easy to sort the genuine buyers from the scammers.

 

[brucemillar]

Only ever give out your private details to genuine Nigerian Princess's. you will be surprised to find that you are related to many such members of royal families.

 

[Carrsey]

Think i am missing something, does it matter if he payed via paypal as long as payment is as a gift and cleared before collection..

 

[Carrsey]

I know someone who was had over with a bankers draft as well so i wouldnt trust one of them until its cleared..

 

[Ierton]

Think i am missing something, does it matter if he payed via paypal as long as payment is as a gift and cleared before collection..

Gift payments can be reversed after the transaction.

 

[Carrsey]

Gift payments can be reversed after the transaction.

There you go, learn something new every day..

 

[John]

...and a Banker's draft could still be cancelled after it has cleared in exceptional circumstances so I wouldn't rely on it clearing either.

Two different banks have said the same thing to be historically.

 

[rascalmaster]

cash in hand or bank to bank transfer over the phone where you can confirm that money has come in to your account etc. is how i've always done it. also get a signed piece of paper saying vehicle bought 'as seen' etc.

 

[Spinal]

This actually raises a good point... historically, I would only accept cash (for higher value transactions; cash in a bank. So they count it, hand it to my bank's teller, who counts it, verifies it and pays it into my account. V5 is signed and handed over at the bank)...

I would be interested in hearing if there are alternatives...

M>

 

[Charles Morgan]

Cash in hand or bank transfer that you check has been received. Banker's drafts & building society cheques can be revoked, as in fact can irrevocable escrows (don't ask).

Nothing else is close to safe.

 

[gIzzE]

Cash in hand .....

You're the scammers ideal target.

I would never take cash unless the bank is open, and we paid it in together.

Some really, really good fakes out there at the moment.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I always pay for our family cars by cash and request the same payment when I'm selling.

Never had a duff note yet.

 

[Charles Morgan]

You're the scammers ideal target.

I would never take cash unless the bank is open, and we paid it in together.

Some really, really good fakes out there at the moment.

Always paid in the bank in front - unless it is someone I know. The latter have never been a problem.

 

[gIzzE]

I always pay for our family cars by cash and request the same payment when I'm selling.

Never had a duff note yet.

I agree, but everyone I have dealt with so far have been genuine, I wouldn't have a clue if I was given dodgy notes.

 

[John]

I requested cash or bank transfer 'whilst in the bank' once for an £18k car I sold privately.

Buyer opted for cash but I made him pay it straight into my bank account so I could sign over the V5.

Then the three bent 20s he tried to pass off got lifted and he had to cough up 3 more.

Then he asked for them back from the bank cashier and "now there's a surprise", she said no...

:fail

 

[E55BOF]

If there were only three duff twenties in £18K in cash, the buyer may not have known they were duff; I would have thought there would have been more than three if he was passing counterfeit money professionally, as it were.

Maybe I've always been lucky; I've never had a problem. Then again, I've never sold a car for £18k....

E55BOF

 

[dan1502]

I've used internet banking faster payment system bank transfers both ways and when selling have checked the amount is in my account before handing over the keys etc. Is this ok?