Possible Fraud... what should I do ???

[fifthearth]

In the process of trying to sell my car, I've ran into a couple of these so called "agents" representing buyers trying to buy a car. In most cases it just sounds overly obnoxious and dumb... but I got another email today that actually made me think "what will I loose if I played along for a bit" ??

what do you guys think ???

Here's what I got from the "potential buyer's agent", I replaced the price with XX, YY, and ZZ. ( YY is my asking price for the car , he wants to send me XX amount of $$ (more than my asking price) and for me to refund him ZZ dollars after I cashed the checked, ZZ = XX - YY )


Mr. Fifthearth
I have spoken to my client who is with me now and concluded arrangement
on the payment.He has instructed me to inform you that
payment will get to you in a cashier check of $ XX k dollars which is a
refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by him.
Due to company policy this check has to be made out in
this amount to you ,because company policy only allows a refund
payment on one cashier check,so you are required to deduct cost of
the car $ YY k dollars when payment gets to you and refund
balance $ ZZ k dollars to my customer via western union money transfer/MoneyGram for
him to be able to upset shipping charges.After payment has reached
you and balance sent back to him,our agent will come pick up title
and drive to a prepaid shipper to be shipped to my customer,while
title papers and other necessary documets will be sent by you via
fedex courier to my customer.
Confirm this and provide name, address and phone
number for check payment to be delivered to you via fedex courier.
We do our business with trust and worthy, but i have to let you know that
i am located from german but i have agent who can take care of the car about
the pick up and shipping arrangement so get back to me now with your full
informations needed ok.
Thanks and remain Blessed.
Best Regards

 

[NsXMas]

Fraud. Cashier's check is a fake, a la "Catch Me if You Can" movie type of check.

I say play along, get the check (have it mailed to some place other than your home so they don't have your home address).

When it arrives, take it to the FBI to check/follow up/ prosecute.

 

[AutoEuphoria]

Scam. definitely.

Here's a giant giveaway: "My client...". The person buying the car should DEFINITELY contact you themselves if it was legit.

Also that cashier's check will be good until you give them the car, then after that it'll be found to be a fraud and you'll be responsible to repay the bank the amount owed. So you're out the car and the money.

That is a classic scam, btw. Markers are:
"my client"
"cashier's check" or "escrow service"
pay you excess and you keep the rest

 

[NsXMas]

...so you are required to deduct cost of
the car $ YY k dollars when payment gets to you and refund
balance $ ZZ k dollars to my customer via western union money transfer/MoneyGram for
him to be able to upset shipping charges....

This is the fraud. They want you to wire them money back via Western Union. They don't care about the car at all.

 

[Casper91]

This is the fraud. They want you to wire them money back via Western Union. They don't care about the car at all.

fifthearth,
Maybe you can get them to wire you the money...see what happens :tongue:
But everyone is right - total scam. Be careful.

 

[Hrant]

It always amazes me how people keep falling to these types of hype

Fifthearth, playing along is not as innocent and risk free simple as you make it sound; it will make you vulnerable to other risks such as a serious virus in the e-mail, etc., a personal info though not intended but might lead to identity theft when corroborated with other info ........ Before you think you can outsmart them and string them along, ask yourself, why can't the buyer offer a clean transaction? Unless of course they have ulterior motives.

Sure, there are at times legit issues where the buyer may have to use certain financial arrangements because of his "risk". But then again, you don't have to assume that risk. There are banks and financial institutions that charge a premium for that risk and the buyer pays for it and not the seller.

 

[hlweyl]

Here's some great ideas as to what you can do with these scammers: www.419eater.com

 

[KGP]

Do as hlweyl suggests. Read some of the 419eater stuff. Maybe you can have some fun with the guy.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Lots of past threads on this topic. Do what you want with it, report him, play him, scam him back, but no authorities will pursue him.

BUT DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ACCEPT A CHECK FROM HIM. YOU WILL BE LIABLE FOR ALL THE FRAUD AND DEBT.

My best advice is to not sell your car on the internet and to ignore the scam responses (that you will continue to get for months down the road).

 

[fifthearth]

Thanks for all the response... I replied the "agent" back requesting more information... haven't heard back from him yet.
However, it IS sad that I get just as much scam offers than real potential buyers.... :frown: