Possible Scam? Dodgy Emails When Selling Car

bjblackmore

Hi,

We're trying to sell our car, so we've put ads in the local paper, on auto trader, and on auto exchange & mart. Afte rplacing these ads, we got an email through auto exchange & mart asking for more details, although the details they requested were just the ones in the advert anyway. We replied with the details anyway (nothing personal/identifiable, colour, make, model etc).

We then got the below reply back, which seems very dodgy, basically saying his 'client' wanted the car, and would send a bankers draft if we could supply our name, address & telephone numbers. To me this sounds like a scam, why anyone would buy a car and send a bankers draft without viewing the car first is crazy. I always think, if it sounds to good to be true, it usually is.

So, is this just a basic ID theft scam? I could supply my name, and work address & phone number, which is nothing more than anyone could get off our company web site, or my work email signature.

What do you guys think? Scan or legit?

Many thanks

Ben

============================
Hello,

Thanks for details of the data entry and its been good read from you. I Will like you to know that your item is the kind that I was searching to buy, I forwarded the item details to my client and he is highly, interested in buying the item and he is ready to pay the amount you asked for . I would have loved to come and view the car, but due to my business, beacuse am a very busy man and where i reside is very far from where you are, i live in Aberdeen in Scotland.
I like you to know that the only method of payment my client can afford in this transaction is certified international cashier cheque or bankers draft, which will be very easy for you to cash between 2 to 3 business days at your bank, and the cheque must be valid before the shipper come for the item,after you cashed the check in your bank .So I would like you to kindly return to me with the following information regarding
the payment of the item below: --

Surname:

Name:

Home Address:

State:

Country:

Telephone Number:

Kindly get back to me with the details immediately, so that i can quickly forward your information to my client to issue the payment in your name and address. I will also like you to get off the item listing at the website and take into consideration already that it has been sold to me, because am seriously buying it from you.
... Cheers ...
Derek

====================

Backbiter

Scam, spam, call it what you like. Ignore.
Judging by the use of English the author is from the same stable as the typical Nigeria-based "please confirm your bank details" scammers.

eco

a friend at work had something similar,she was selling a car that didn't have a great value they were really interested and would send a cheque, luckily she smelt a rat when they said they had put the wrong amount on the cheque and could she send a cheque back with the extra amount,

hippyadam

Absolute 100% scam... Read the details of how it works here: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/safety_and_security/vehicle_export_scam.jsp

bjblackmore

Thanks for the replies

I thought this might be the case after reading another post on this forum involving a similar scam, after I'd posted my message.

A reply to that thread linked to a page about 'scambaiting', which sounded interesting. Maybe I could lead this scammer along a bit! Get them to send a cheque to my work address, cash it, then wait and see what happens. If they ask for a cheque back because they 'accdiently' sent a cheque for to much I'll say I sent it, but it must be lost in the post. If they actually want the car, and say they are going to collect it, I'll let the local police know, and see it they want to be there waiting for the scammer!

What do you think?

Ben

oldagetraveller

I'd reply to "Derek" advising that I'll be in Aberdeen this week with the car and could he give me his address and 'phone number and if he still wants the car for his "client" have the suitable amount of cash ready to hand over when he's happy.
I doubt there'd be much response to that.

maninthestreet

bjblackmore wrote: »

Thanks for the replies

I thought this might be the case after reading another post on this forum involving a similar scam, after I'd posted my message.

A reply to that thread linked to a page about 'scambaiting', which sounded interesting. Maybe I could lead this scammer along a bit! Get them to send a cheque to my work address, cash it, then wait and see what happens. If they ask for a cheque back because they 'accdiently' sent a cheque for to much I'll say I sent it, but it must be lost in the post. If they actually want the car, and say they are going to collect it, I'll let the local police know, and see it they want to be there waiting for the scammer!

What do you think?

Ben

BAD IDEA! The cheque will either be counterfeit or stolen. Paying this into your bank account may well result in suspicion falling on you when the cheque is discovered to be fake or stolen.

Natty082

My OH just listed his car on Autotrader - he has had repeated texts (about 3 a day!) from Julie (I can't remember the name of the company right now!) saying they have a buyer for his car and he needs to send 90 quid and they will send the details.........

DELETE...... Total scam