Please help - selling a car

Bebsie

Please, please help. I have advertised my car on the Autotrader (for £5000), I have had an email from an interested party and he is really interested in buying the car. He does not want to view it as he said he is hapyy with the photos he has seen and he has asked what is the best price I cn give him. I have said I would reduce it to £4900 and that's it. Anyway to cut a long story short he wants the car, he wants to send me a cheque and then he has said once the cheque has cleared he will get someone to pick it up. The detail he wants is my name, address and telephone number. Do you think this sounds legitimate? Is there anything he can do with the details he is requesting? I feel a bit nervous about this as his writing is quite bad and I think he lives in some African country. He said he is buying the car for his wife - please help I'm scared!

harveybobbles

For a start, I'd delete the email. Then carry on advertising the car as normal...

Bebsie

Do you think it's a con? What would happen if I sent my address can this person do anything?

iolanthe07

You need to be very careful here. Some people have been caught out by a cheque 'clearing' after a few days, and then the bank coming back at them months later when the cheque has turned out to be fraudulent after all. I would be suspicious of anyone buying a five grand vehicle without even seeing it first. It's up to you, of course, but I think I would insist on cash. Even banker's draughts, which used to be considered cast iron, can be forged.

There are some notorious scams coming out of Africa, especially Nigeria.

G-G_4

DO NOT ACCEPT A CHEQUE!

It will come back and bounce in 2 months time..

Get cash, or a bankers draft that you confirm with the bank

x

Inactive

Bebsie wrote: »

Do you think it's a con? What would happen if I sent my address can this person do anything?

Of course it is a " con " where have you been?..these scams have been widely publicised on Watchdog etc.

You will lose your money 100% guaranteed.

Move on, wait for a real buyer.

Bebsie

Inactive wrote: »

Of course it is a " con " where have you been?..these scams have been widely publicised on Watchdog etc.

You will lose your money 100% guaranteed.

Move on, wait for a real buyer.

Thanks, you hardly made me feel thick!

Bebsie

Thanks guys for all the advise, I guess it just seemed too good to be true! I will ove on and wait for a REAL buyer, thanks for helping me see the light! I think I am too trusting....

Inactive

Bebsie wrote: »

Thanks guys for all the advise, I guess it just seemed too good to be true! I will ove on and wait for a REAL buyer, thanks for helping me see the light! I think I am too trusting....

Well done, as the old saying goes; " if it seems too good to be true, it probably is ".

At least you have not lost your money.

Good luck with the sale of your car.;)

Bebsie

Inactive wrote: »

Well done, as the old saying goes; " if it seems too good to be true, it probably is ".

At least you have not lost your money.

Good luck with the sale of your car.;)

Yes you right! I'll sit back and see what happend! Thanks :T

Hintza

Remember banking rules have changed once a cheque has cleared now it is safe (might want to double check that though).

The other point is if you are selling a car the person needs your phone number and address to arrange to see the car. I would not be keen on buying a ca from a bloake in a carpark.

But you are probably right to be cautious in this instance.