Am I being scammed by a buyer for my car?

Rover_Driver

EdGasket wrote: »

eh? My head hurts already; what was that last post about?

A known scam is to agree to buy the car and send a stolen/forged bank draft just prior to collecting it, then make an excuse why they can't go through with the deal and ask for their money back, but the seller can keep a percentage for their trouble.
The seller pays in the stolen/forged bank draft, sees it in his account and sends the scammer the rest of money, later the bank cancels the deposit when they discover the draft is stolen/forged, and the seller has lost the money he sent to the scammer.

spacey2012

EdGasket wrote: »

eh? My head hurts already; what was that last post about?

.

It will click in to place when it happens, these scams rely on you not wanting to lose the sale.
As soon as the tale changes, get ready for the scam.
It is wide spread, it is almost expected when selling on those sites.
The Man never arrives, the car never leaves, it all revolves around the bank deposit and refund.
Money transfers can be cancelled from banks outside the UK as they have different rules to us, this is what they exploit, everyone here knows it can not be cancelled, but it can in just about most other countries outside the EU, all they need is a go between account.
So far what you have been told sounds text book for the scam.

paddedjohn

OP, no one is ever coming to meet you at the train station, please heed the advice in earlier posts and run away from this scam.

TradePro

If you don't mind me saying, it sounds like you are going to a lot of trouble calling TS etc. because your car is too expensive and this is the only offer you've had that is anything like the high price you are hoping for?

I could be wrong, but I'm usually pretty good at reading between the lines.

If I am correct, it's almost certainly a scam.

Mini's are popular (though I personally don't understand why!!) and it's prime convertible selling weather - if you are looking for a realistic price, you should be able to get your sale without any nonsense.

Chimpofdoom

So far I'm thinking scam.. and the OP should walk away..

But I have one question.. how did he call you, was it a mobile, withheld number or a landline?

Iceweasel

Some of the finest financial brains in the world are at this very moment thinking up new schemes to separate us from our cash which they think they need more than we do.

This scam will only work because you want so much for it to be a successful sale.

This nonsense can only end in tears - walk away.

elop_htuos

They called me on a landline 0161 274 0820
Then on a mobile of 07557 968130

All of which I have googled and they have no reported info..
Anyhow an update on the story, they called me at 8am this morning (obviously rather eager!)

I took the advice of the previous reply of "why go to all the trouble" so I just sent a text to the number saying "Hi. We've sold the car now as a full cash sale to someone else. Thanks for your interest."

I then received a text straight back saying "I told your boyfriend not to sell it as I have now got a signed finance agreement on the car he said he would not sell it due to this fact"

So then I replied "It's me selling the car, not my boyfriend. How can you have a signed agreement on the vehicle before you've even seen it. For all you know it could be a scam add. It's not for sale to you either way so you're now wasting your time, it's been sold."

Then he replied with this concession of messages

"D*€k"
"Thanks for wasting my time and my customers time"
"I told your boyfriend about this yesterday"
"He said fine he would not sell it it's now going to take weeks to get this taken off your car"
"It won't show on your car till about 4.30 today but it will show up" (I'm assuming he means some finance will show up??)

Then I didn't reply for a while and received this
"Trying to cancel this for you now sorry for swearing before"

I'm just glad I have all this in text!

Surely no finance will show up on a vehicle?! I own my car outright & he was buying it to sell to someone with finance!

warehouse

I presume he doesn't know the number plate?

Chimpofdoom

Interesting..

I'd expect a car finance company to pay cash rather than have finance on a car.

Pretty sure it would have to be a personal loan rather than finacne though..

(pretty sure.. not 100%)

elop_htuos

The number plate is on the add. It doesn't show my name or any personal info other than car details & mobile number.