Bank Transfer Scam

Jewelscollectingdust

I often advertise same item in multiple places - in the antique centre where I trade, on eBay plus on website etc etc.

So yes the item was on eBay - but none of the communication was done via ebay 
it’s technically was not an eBay sale in any way. 
Communication was done by email. 

Had any of the communication come through eBay requesting off site sale  - I would not have done it. 
My account is too important to me to risk strikes for fee avoidance.
This is my livlihood.
I treated this sale the same as a website sale would be  - which I have done many times by bank transfer

brianposter

pbartlett said:

the branch are by law prohibited from talking to you about this matter.

Which law is that ?

Shakin_Steve

brianposter said:

pbartlett said:

the branch are by law prohibited from talking to you about this matter.

Which law is that ?

Anti money laundering, often referred to on here as AML. 

Shakin_Steve

To be honest, I'm quite surprised that the OP has managed to get as much information as he has.

pbartlett

brianposter said:

pbartlett said:

the branch are by law prohibited from talking to you about this matter.

Which law is that ?

well google is your friend but see for example

https://www.stuartmillersolicitors.co.uk/why-bank-account-frozen/

Jewelscollectingdust

Believe me - multiple phone calls ands hours on hold wait and then speaking to several agents - allowed me to piece it together. It wasnt easy 

naedanger

Provided your account was a business account and the transaction within the range of your normal business transactions I am fairly sure your account will be unlocked when the bank completes its investigation, especially if you are a long established account holder.

I am not sure who will get to keep the money. I think it is easier to look at it from the point of view of the person who paid it to you (i.e. the other victim). She did mean to pay it to your account. So on that basis it was a valid payment. But on the other  hand it was paid based on a deception and it is her money. It was never your money by right. So I think they will reclaim it from you and return it to her. (That said she did mean to pay the money to you, and you did expect to get money from her. So on that basis you should keep the money.)

How to avoid this in the future? It seems to be impossible to prevent your account being frozen while an investigation takes place. Your account could be frozen if you completely unknowingly receive money from a crook e.g. by a crook doing a legitimate transaction or a crook paying it into your account without your knowledge as part of another scam. So perhaps we all need a alternative back-up account with an unconnected bank.

As regards avoiding the scam, it perhaps depends to some extent on who ultimately loses the money. If it is you then presumably you will want all details from a customer to match, although the scenario that was presented to you would usually be genuine i.e. someone buying but another paying (so you might lose business).

xlnc99

Just a thought - maybe worth getting a prepaid bank account like cashplush for future transactions. You can transfer the money out straight away to a proper bank account

Thrugelmir

Jewelscollectingdust said:

The scammer was also in contact with another person whom he pretended to be doing a property deal with and asked her to pay a deposit to secure the deal they had done.
He gave her my bank details to pay the deposit - so the payment that comes into my account (the bank only give you name details)  The exact amount as agreed for gold items   I was selling - she other person thought she was paying deposit on property deal. 

Possibly collusion between the parties. Rather too convenient. 

Keep_pedalling

Thrugelmir said:

Jewelscollectingdust said:

I was contacted by a friendly person asking if he could buy them direct from me with a little discount 

Was this to avoid paying Ebay fees? 

Looks like it, and that was the OPs first mistake, they lost all protection doing a back door deal, then compounded it by accepting the having to use their partners account to transfer the money story.

The money will almost certainly be returned to the originators account.