Fake Bank Draft

h755bpx

Hi All!

I am in a quandry! I was selling a valuable watch, an "Irish" buyer approached me and duly sent me a Bankers Draft for the full value (I haven't shipped the watch). I took the draft to my local money shop who agreed to advance me £1,070 and pay me the additional £2,000 when it cleared, no problem I thought.

It turns out the draft is a fake, the buyer has gone AWOL obviously and now the money shop phoned up my work and when told I was unavailable told my colleague that I had deposited a fake bank draft with him and owe him £1,070 and had 24 hours to pay back or he will phone the police!

Advice needed desperately!

frivolous_fay

Lucky you haven't sent the watch!

Tell the money shop you have nothing to hide and you had no idea the draft was a fake. Ask them to return it to you and you will give them the cash back.

You should get some kind of confirmation that it was a fake though! Could the shop be trying it on?

I'd suggest going in there to sort it out. At least let the shop know you're the innocent party.

sarahg1969

You've still got the watch, so take the man his £1070 back and you're no worse off. Make sure you get the dodgy banker's draft from him, so you can take it to the police. If he won't give it to you, get him to report it to the police.

h755bpx

Thats the quandry. The money was for a car, I put down a grand non refundable deposit, so dont have the cash! I can sell the watch still but that will take time!

frivolous_fay

Well... you could try explaining that to the shop. If they call the police, you have nothing to hide. Do your best to convince them of your honest intention to return the money to them.

h755bpx

I sent the guy a fax saying how unimpressed I was that he felt the need to discuss this with my colleague, as this could have implications, my boss is not happy and i work in financial services, so this type of thing doesnt look good!

I have offered to pay back in installments, but said I will only discuss it via written letter or email due to what he did.

mclaren_2

I took the draft to my local money shop who agreed to advance me £1,070 and pay me the additional £2,000 when it cleared

When you deal with bankers drafts, you shoudl keep the money, without spending it, untill it has completely cleared.

all i can say is go in and see the man and explain your circumstances

h755bpx

i know that now, but i thought they were as good as cash!

mclaren_2

h755bpx wrote:

i know that now, but i thought they were as good as cash!

nah, the only thing that is as good as cash is a postal order.

Bankers draft is just like a cheque to a degree im afraid

h755bpx

i wish i knew that before!!! I just dont want to get in trouble with the law! I can cope with the financial loss!

mclaren_2

h755bpx wrote:

i wish i knew that before!!! I just dont want to get in trouble with the law! I can cope with the financial loss!

if you dont have the £1070, go in, talk to the guy, explain what has happened, print off the emails you have had from the guy, and all communications from him, then talk with him. Explain to him that you are going to go to the police yourself about it as you have been the one who was nearly conned out of £3070 AND the watch