FRAUD WATCH!

Peter Gariepy · February 1st, 2006

Watch out for the following:

1. A potential buyer has a certified check for more than amount you are asking for the car/part
2. They want you to cash the check
3. They want you to send the overage amount to their "agent" who will pick up the car.

FRAUD FRAUD FRAUD!

The bank will figure out it is a bad check (certified or not) and when they do they will take the full amount OUT of your account.

Just delete the email! Don't waste your time.

Peter

Shop Rat · February 1st, 2006

Peter G., Bill and I were just at the bank yesterday and they have those same instructions posted at the bank to warn people about this kind of fraud.

Layden B · February 2nd, 2006

I understand that another part of the problem is a cashiers check drawn on a foreign bank. These can take MONTHS to clear ( and in the case of fraud- to bounce) and even a prudent seller that waits weeks will get burned! The fault lies in our banking system that does not inform us when a check has cleared, only when it does not!!!
Demand a check drawn on a US bank , any reputable foreign bank will have a connection with a US bank to enable them to issue a check in US dollars drawn on a US bank. Such a check will clear in days.

imported_18OLDS · February 4th, 2006

I received a similiar request about a month ago . They were replying to an ad I had in Hemmings listing a car for sale. I forwarded it to the publisher/editor of Hemmings and received a great reply thanking me for the details and outlining their on going investigations into this problem. I guess it is happening more than we realize. Sooner or later, someone will fall for the scam-----IF ITS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE---

Thanks---------Sky

imported_Julian · February 24th, 2006

You are right.. I am trying to sell my 1967 98 LTS and some guy from Nigeria wanted to get me a check through his agent and you know the rest of the story.. Cash works for me

imported_Aanderson44 · February 26th, 2006

Quote:

I understand that another part of the problem is a cashiers check drawn on a foreign bank. These can take MONTHS to clear ( and in the case of fraud- to bounce) and even a prudent seller that waits weeks will get burned! The fault lies in our banking system that does not inform us when a check has cleared, only when it does not!!!
Demand a check drawn on a US bank , any reputable foreign bank will have a connection with a US bank to enable them to issue a check in US dollars drawn on a US bank. Such a check will clear in days.

Not necessarily!!!!!!

A close friend of mine was approached by the "Nigerian Scam" a couple of years back, and decided to just "play along with it" to see what would happen. Sure enough, he got a cashier's check in the mail, drawn on a bank in Nashville, TN. His bank ran a verification on the check, it was a counterfeit check, with forged signature. Interestingly, the check was mailed from a Maryland suburb of Washington DC as well. Just because the check is "drawn" on a US Bank is no guarrantee of its validity.

The USPS Postal Inspector Service has the check now, and the envelope it came in, and given that it appeared, upon inspection by an Indiana State Police detective that the envelope was actually licked for sealing, they have the idiot's DNA as well. Haven't heard any further on it, but then, the scammer never bothered my friend any further either. I sold his '68 Javelin for him on eBay last May, and it went to an attorney in Wisconsin who is a retired state trooper as well.

Art

imported_Aanderson44 · February 26th, 2006

Quote:

I understand that another part of the problem is a cashiers check drawn on a foreign bank. These can take MONTHS to clear ( and in the case of fraud- to bounce) and even a prudent seller that waits weeks will get burned! The fault lies in our banking system that does not inform us when a check has cleared, only when it does not!!!
Demand a check drawn on a US bank , any reputable foreign bank will have a connection with a US bank to enable them to issue a check in US dollars drawn on a US bank. Such a check will clear in days.

Oh, a simple solution! Have the teller verify that any large check is good. By the way, most banks, when presented any check for a large amount, particularly if the amount is over a certain percentage of the depositor's balance, will hold the funds until that check clears--but they can, and will, contact the issuing bank for you, to determine if it is good.

Art

esp · February 27th, 2006

Here are some bad cashier checks I received for the
sale of a vehicle. I knew it was a scam from the way
the e-mail was worded, but I played along to see what
they looked like and how many they would send before
they gave up. I got seven. They look real, but I called
the banks they were drawn on, and they were all bogus.
I didn't deposit them in my bank, as I didn't want to
be charged for returned checks.

manikmekanik · March 16th, 2006

Send those checks, or copies, to:
USPS
FBI
Secret service
Dept. of revenue in the state the checks were drawn, and/or mailed from.

These scoff-laws need to be penalized for thier actions, don't sit back and ignore, they'll take advantage of someone else, maybe a friend, or fellow forum/club member.

esp · March 16th, 2006

Is this a new scam?

I've been asked to e-mail scanned pics of my old car title; both sides.
This after numerous questions and requests for photos, which I answered.
His English is good and everything is worded right. But I'm always leery.
It would be possible for someone to addvertise my car for and take payment
for a much smaller sum?
Has anybody heard anything on this type of scam?