Selling car privately.... am I being OTT?

colino

Couple of points on this thread, real traders have already sussed you out before they ever let you have the keys to a car. They are rarely insured fully comp., and not everyone passes the attitude tests and those refused ("it's going into the workshop, it's just been valeted etc., etc.) then go online with the idea that some garages never give test drives!
Secondly, while everyone is careful of security, what's the easiest way to get the biggest discount from a privateer selling a car? Turn up with fresh £100 notes. All thoughts of correct procedures go out the window when they think they see real cash walking away from them.

shaun_from_Africa

colino wrote: »

, what's the easiest way to get the biggest discount from a privateer selling a car? Turn up with fresh £100 notes.

If someone tried buying my car and offered me fresh £100 notes, the first thing I would do is to call the police.

colino

Why would you possibly waste the polices time like that?

londonTiger

bank transfer is so !!!!ing risky.

if scammers want to mess you around they can produce fake checkbook/bank statement as proof of your bank ID, and get you to transfer the money to the account. Then after the transfer is made the "seller" will log into their online banking to check the funds have been received. possibly bait and switch the chequebook/statement for something else.

Make it look like the buyer has transferred the funds to the wrong account and refuse the sell the car.

It's really risky for the buyer. I would not bank transfer 4K to someone I never met before.

shaun_from_Africa

colino wrote: »

Why would you possibly waste the polices time like that?

Why is attempted fraud a waste of the police's time? (unless of course you can think of another explanation of why someone would be trying to pay for a car with fake banknotes)

EdGasket

londonTiger wrote: »

bank transfer is so !!!!ing risky.

if scammers want to mess you around they can produce fake checkbook/bank statement as proof of your bank ID, and get you to transfer the money to the account. Then after the transfer is made the "seller" will log into their online banking to check the funds have been received. possibly bait and switch the chequebook/statement for something else.

Make it look like the buyer has transferred the funds to the wrong account and refuse the sell the car.

It's really risky for the buyer. I would not bank transfer 4K to someone I never met before.

Surely if they were going to scam you, they could just say you never paid after you handed the cash over. At least with bank transfer the money has to have gone to an account and there has to be an owner of that account; presumably traceable, yes?

Minrich

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

If someone tried buying my car and offered me fresh £100 notes, the first thing I would do is to call the police.

£100 notes are available in Scotland .

colino

Oh dear, international jet setter has never heard of £100 bank notes. You must have the police on speed dial too.

EdGasket

Minrich wrote: »

£100 notes are available in Scotland .

I wouldn't fancy trying to change one at Tesco's.

londonTiger

EdGasket wrote: »

Surely if they were going to scam you, they could just say you never paid after you handed the cash over. At least with bank transfer the money has to have gone to an account and there has to be an owner of that account; presumably traceable, yes?

well then the buyer will turn violent. There's a reason there are scammers and there are smash and grab robbers. The potential buyer will feel like they've made a genuine mistake. It could be crafted to look like they've got one digit wrong.