Flat Four Impreza Club

Has anyone else had the same?
Been speaking to a good scooby mate of mine (POC ) and he suggested i put this query up here for some response as he thinks he has seen a thread like this one before.
My scoob has been up for sale for a small while now, and last week i got an e-mail from a Mohammed in Dubai. (He see advert on a dax website which is correct) Quoted:
"Am Mohammed. and am interested in buying your car. Please its very urgent that you get across to me so that i will know how to get the vehicle. I urgently await your reply. Best regards. Mohammed "
Now. Im not an easy push over and found this a little strange to say the least. To cut a long story short i have e-mailed him now for a week, got his phone number (His from Dubai uae) rang, e-mailed etc and he is buying the car, or sending a cheque, without even seeing it! Hasnt even asked for a photo!
Apparently, he his sending a cashiers cheque to me this week. He doesnt want the car till its cleared, he is arranging Shipping etc.
Im still in 2 minds here. It may be legitimate, i dont know, hence the thread.
Has any decent scooby owner had the same, or can you throw some light?
Cheers. It may be me, i dont know! aaaarrrhhhhhhhhhh

Abbylad

iTrader: (4)

there was a thread on here about a similar type of thing a few weeks ago, i think what happened was that the cheque cleared 'in principle' but about 3 months later, it bounced! I`ll have a search and see if i can find it

Abbylad

iTrader: (4)

double post

[Edited by Abbylad - 10/20/2003 6:09:54 PM]

Boro

iTrader: (1)

I remember a couple of similar threads but....

They stated that the buyer would pay you MORE for your car and this would include the shipping fee. YOU then had to pay the shipping fee from this end.

His cheque bounces

Yours clears

Hence the scam

Yours doesnt sound quite the same but id be extra careful anyway

Abbylad

iTrader: (4)

Ta-daaaaaaaa!!!!!!!

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?ThreadID=249154

mr smash

i used 2 live in dubai and these guys are nuts 4 there cars and some are seriously loaded.as 4 bying the car without any info i just braught mine from japan with only 2 photos and a general description only........although i payed 4 this becuase the clutch was gone when i picked it up from the docks...dohhh.if its a cashiers check its as good as cash i believe so as long as it ends up in your acount its ok right?.........hope this helps m8....thats the pros of the situation im sure some1 will point out the cons 4 ya:}

greasemonkey

Ta-daaaaaaaa!!!!!!!

jmk

No such thing as a free lunch - stay well clear.

Danny B

Stay well clear of him.
http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=256049
They are using stolen cheques.

mista weava

dodgy as..............

stay well away!

Weava

Scooby Soon

I deal with transfering small(ish) amounts to and from the far east, and i have never ever used foreign cheques etc as they are a complete nightmare! They do take a very long time to clear (i have been told they can take up to, and sometimes even longer than 2 months if its not a mainstream currency.

My advice would be:
Just tell this guy to do a "International bank transfer" directly in to your bank account (you will need to ask your bank for there swift code and IBAN number etc but its pretty easy).
This means that the money is taken immediatly from his account in dubai when he sends it,about 1 week later it arrives in cleared funds into your account. Theres normally a small charge for sending (around £15) and you may have to pay around the same to receive it.

I know what its like when you need to sell a car and its not shifting (especially recently) dont let people possibly take advantage of you!

Scooby soon

POC

humm as I sad on the phone, taking the guy at face value would be somewhat risky, judging by the responses here I would defo play the cautious card with this scenario.

I hope that it is all infact legit and above board, chances of this seem to be unlikley though

How about mailing the guy, teling him you will not release the car in any way until 4 weeks after full payment has been cleared, his response should dictate his intentions.......... 4 weeks should give the bank long enough to find out they/you have been diddled?

Flat Four Impreza Club

What a great help! Thanks to one and all.
Ill have a look at old thread just incase. He did ask me if i wanted as bank transfer, but i wouldnt give out my bank deatils, hence the cheque being sent. All shipping is done his end as far as im aware. He is not asking me to let the car go until cheque has cleared. If it does clear and i move money into another account (Or by a car poc ) how can that be a problem? No one can ask for the money back. Can they?
I know Dubai is loaded with money, but still sceptical. Ill keep all posted.
Surley, no one in dubai, if doing the scam, would give out numbers etc and names.
Ill keep all posted, and if a scam ill do my utmost in warning everyone!!!!!!

Flat Four Impreza Club

Just read old thread. It isnt the same as this one. Different senario... i think!
I cannot see how the banks can demand the money back if all goes wrong. Its not the customers fault.surely!
Reckon its worth giving out bank details for a transfer?
Ive heard of the scams where they ask you for your details to deposit money into, then clear your account. Dont want to go through that!!!!!!

Gangsta Smurf

Transfer all of the money from one of your accounts into another one. Then give him the details for the account you have just cleared. You cannot lose any money that way! When the cheque has cleared draw it immediately.

vindaloo

All IMO...

It does sound similar to the "Nigeria" scams reported recently though.....

If in any doubt about the banking side of things I would speak to your bank. Tell them your concerns and ask how the money transfer can be set-up to avoid you/them getting screwed. At the end of the day you will probably end up with the money faster and Mr UAE will get the car quicker.


Vindaloo.

rb5 286

iTrader: (2)

Dal,

I agree with wot one of the other guys said.

tell him you want the transfer of money via the IBAN, i called my bank up and in 2 minutes i had all the details and account setup, money took about 4 days to transfer.

this way when it clears u r in the clear, so 2 speak.

after reading the other threads i would go this route or no route.

r32

This type of thing seems to be happening more and more, my son has a bunch of stuff for sale on e.bay and he gets this type of thing from all over. The Bank can claim the money back even three months later, even if you move from account to account. Be wary, I would ask for an International Money Order. It happens on motorbikes quite a lot.
STEVE...............

3times

Dal,

I agree with Vindaloo. Speak to your bank. Go for a money transfer, as far as I am aware this is the same as cash paid into your account.

Tony

ps. One decat centre for me please!

Dream Weaver

Why go throgh the hassle, even if it is genuine? Just sell the car here in the UK and save yourself the worry.

Graz

Don't see a problem giving out your bank details, account number and sort code anyway. It's printed on the bottom of every cheque you write! They can only pay money in not take it out.

Redkop

Try asking BuRR on 5ive-O, I am sure he will be able to advise you

Dave!

I used to get this all the time when i owned and ran a website selling Playstation consoles,games etc.
I would get these Africans (Always Africans) wanting to order 100 consoles and pay by cheque, they were quite prepared to wait for the cheque to clear and even to pick up the goods! (Don't ever give these ******s your address).
So i contacted the local department of trade for advice as some of these scams seemed very genuine, and was basically told not to touch them with a bargepole.
In the end i insisted on them making their enquiries on company headed notepaper with full company details and that they would have to make the payment by electronic transfer. Needless to say not one came through.
The banks can reclaim this money from your account many months after the transaction - even cleared funds.
Stay well clear mate.

Dave.

Scooby96

This is most likely a con man - do not go anywhere near a 'deal' like this! I got the same sort of email after putting my Saab for sale on a free site.

And a very similar email following an ebay bid that I lost.

[Edited by Scooby96 - 10/21/2003 10:49:32 AM]

Flat Four Impreza Club

To many tyre kickers here
OK. Up date.
I was originally thinking about a bank transfer, but i did not want to give out bank details of accounts and so forth over the internet/e-mail.
Cheque has arrived today, £2000.00 over the asking price. I took this cheque (Made in us dollars) to the bank and explained concerns. It takes between 6 and 8 weeks for it to clear and once it is cleared, sterling is mine. Even if the bank makes a mistake and it is a fordgery they have no powers to demand money back. I cannot lose and i have this in writing on a form i filled out in the bank today.
Ive just got in and got an e-mail from the sender explaining that the cheque has been overpaid. He has requested that once funds are clear and in my account i forward the excess to him. I cannot see that being a problem if i have the funds in my account. According to the old thread they asked for the excess money to be used in the shipping, but i will not do that and it has not been asked either.
I must admit it all sounds a little strange, but as i see it, i am not paying the bank anything to cash the cheque( Only when its cashed. .25%), If the cheque is a forge i have not lost (Only the sale) and the banks send the cheques direct to the issuing bank for clarification (Not done over the phone, only the exchange rate on the cashing day).
If it clears, the moneys mine to do what ever i want (According to the bank, and form clarifies that) And if it doesnt i havent lost.
What could possible go wrong now?

Flat Four Impreza Club

Oh, and i have been told that if i do give details for a transfer there are ways of debtiting from your account not paying in!!!!
Ive taken your advice Rob and cleared out the account ready for the cheque to clear.
I also have phone numbers, address and all contact for parties involved.
Even recipts from the courier that include address of the sender match up.
The only thing that niggles now is that the cutting edge of the bankers cheque wasnt straight!!!!!
More thoughts please.

Beemer_Deano

With the overpayment, that sounds exactly the scam I've seen elsewhere - the overpayment is so that you give him the cash back, he gets your goods plus your money, and when the bank wants the money back you're left without your car or the cash.

You'd think that your letter from the bank would make it bulletproof, but I'd seek further confirmation of what would happen - if I remember correctly in all other cases the banks recovered the funds.

Be careful!

Deano

Scooby96

Does any of this transaction involve Western Union Bank?

Beemer_Deano

Just search google.co.uk for cheque scam - you'll find plenty of very similar cases - This one on Warwickshire Council's site sounds exactly the same to me, and almost all say that it was the seller, not the bank, left with the funds to find.

Deano

[Edited by Beemer_Deano - 10/21/2003 12:16:55 PM]

Flat Four Impreza Club

No it wasnt western union.
My bank has ASSURED me that there is no way that they can get the money bank from you. If the bank clears it (They send all now not done over the phone because of these problems). Even 1 year later!
Cheque was from Sun Trust bank. Sarasota, FL.
If i have all the assurities from my bank, what have i got to lose?
Ill have the funds, ill have the excess money to send.
I could do the same, clear the money and not send the car Just a thought