Some kind of scam?

sarahg1969

I can't help but think there's something not quite right...

My hubby's car is advertised for sale online. He's had an enquiry from an Eastern European-sounding guy in London, who has told him he's coming to look at the car tomorrow and that he's very interested in it. We are in the north west, and he's asked my husband to meet him at the train station. He said if he likes the car he'll pay cash tomorrow and take it straight away.

The car is nothing particularly unusual, but the man said that this is the particular model he's after.

Could there be a problem, or am I just too cynical? Are there ant particular precautions we should be taking?

TIA.

scheming_gypsy

hard to say... He could be genuinely interested in it or he could turn up with a bundle of fake twenties or offer to pay by cheque / etc which will bounce.
You could arrange to meet him at a bank to pay cash where you can stick it straight into the bank


although i thought it was a bit dodgy when i got to 'eastern european'

sarahg1969

I've already said that he should take the guy to the bank with the cash if he does want the car. If he's genuine, he won't mind, will he?

scheming_gypsy

He shouldn't but if he starts making excuses, such as he's in a rush etc then the alarm bells should start ringing. What car is it and how much is it up for?

sarahg1969

It's a diesel Saab, about £4k. That's all I know. I just ride in it and drive it occasionally! lol

vax2002

Sounds like an opening dialogue, he may call and say he can not travel but will pay you by bank credit and his agent will collect next week .
Money Shows in your account !!
Then says he doesn not want car now so will let you keep some money for messing around then asks you to refund him the rest.
The first Bank credit is withdrawn/ cancelled and you are left out of pocket to the tune of the refund.
It all starts by making you think you have sold it and dont want to miss out on the money.

mikey72

There was another thread similar to this not long ago.
Buyer showed up, paid cash, took the car away, back to Kenya or somewhere similar.

vaio

or maybe he's an ordinary bloke who wants a car or is trying to make a living buying & exporting.

Whatever, you should be just as carefully no matter what the apparent background of your buyer, native brits have been known to pass dodgy notes too.

At £4k I'd be expecting cash rather than anything more complicated

Hintza

mikey72 wrote: »

There was another thread similar to this not long ago.
Buyer showed up, paid cash, took the car away, back to Kenya or somewhere similar.

Think that was my old 230 Merc. It went straight to Nigeria.

The guy arrived paid cash and sent his man round that afternoon. I just went to the local shop and popped a coupe of the £20s through their UV light. (Mind you the amount wasn't huge)


I might add that if you ever bid on Copart you will be fending off the Eastern Europeans in droves there is a big trade shipping older UK cars East.

sarahg1969

Hintza wrote: »

Think that was my old 230 Merc. It went straight to Nigeria.

The guy arrived paid cash and sent his man round that afternoon. I just went to the local shop and popped a coupe of the £20s through their UV light. (Mind you the amount wasn't huge)


I might add that if you ever bid on Copart you will be fending off the Eastern Europeans in droves there is a bi trade shipping older UK cars East.

Thanks. That's why I mentioned he sounded like he was from Eastern Europe. I thought it could be relevant (re exporting, etc).

If he does turn up, I'll make sure all the cash is checked, etc.

Thanks everyone.

Ebe_Scrooge

To add to all the previous caveats that have been posted here .....

Assuming he's genuine, turns up with the cash and buys the car - the safest thing to do is ask him to come to the bank with you, you pay the cash in over the counter. Once you've got the receipt from the cashier, you hand the keys over. If any of the notes later turn out to be dud, that's the bank's problem, not yours.