Car Selling - Can Anyone Spot A Scam?

[1186497]

Hi All

 

If you have a spare few minutes I was after some advice/reassurance

 

I am selling a Smart Roadster and I have a the below email conversations and with all the scams that exist I am after some reassurance that no one else can spot a scam. Basically it is a guy from Ireland who has haggled on the price and phoned to discuss (not common signs of a scam!) . He hasn't seen the car which is a bit weird but there were a lot of photos. He will send a deposit via paypal and i'm insisting on cash on collection, unless bank transfer is safer?

 

Attached are the emails we have exchanged, scroll to the bottom and read up. Can anyone spot anything that may sugeest a scam? Or do you think this is a genuine buyer?

 

Thanks for any advice

Simon

emails.doc

[Guest richardw1984]

Well all i can see is that his english grammar isnt the best! If paying cash and paying a deposit i shouldnt see a problem. Just make sure you get him to sign something to say he bought the car then at least you wont be liable if its involved in any crimes haha. Im always wary when things arent straight forward but i guess you have to way up the risk/reward and go for it.

[geoff shep]

My gut reaction would be to very careful - the only reference I have found on the web to that name is this - I don't read the language but it appears to say he is from Vilnius. HERE

[Guest timswait]

As long as you get cash IN FULL on collection (and no assurances that oh yes I'll pay pal it to you when I get back) then I can't see what the problem would be.

The only thing I can see is if he starts trying to get more money knocked off for whatever reason and you start feeling guilty that you've already taken his deposit, but if that happens then just refund his deposit and find another buyer. It seems basically fairly genuine to me. I'd say cash on collection is safer than bank transfer as bank transfers take so long to clear, so who has the car while it's clearing?

[ibrooks]

Paypal can be iffy as they can still take the money back long after it's "cleared" so be wary that he could possibly get the paypal deposit knocked off the price and you've little comeback.

 

Cash on collection is OK but....... Can you spot forged notes? I've had mates stung on stuff this way and the forgeries really did look good. About the only way around that one is for him to go to the bank with you and deposit them there - that way aither they spot any problems with notes or it's their problem (if they've accepted them they would have to prove collusion on your part to take the money back from you).

 

Iain

[Andy Spencer]

Sorry to be negative but I had a similar experience selling my beemer last year. Similar emails, didn't take it quite as far as you but it was definitely a scam.

Proceed with extreme caution. It just doesn't look right to me. As others have said, you can reclaim money from Pay Pal.

[Dave R]

if you do end up taking cash, mak sure the mates you have with you are bigger than his

 

dave

[1186497]

Thanks for the responses, a bit mixed so not really reassured, but i think i'll proceed but carfully. I am going to ensure the deposit through Paypal is quite small so if he does reclaim it then it wont be then end of the world. I'll also borrow one of those pens that detect fordged notes. Lets just hope a car full of peoplee don't turn up!

 

Thanks

Simon

[Guest peter2b2002]

don't take £50's lots of iffey ones around, and take a picky of just him + any car he came in,ask for ID passport etc just to be safe

pete2b

[Guest salty_monk]

You can also use UV light & one of the hardest things to fake is the feel of the paper & the raised lettering etc.

 

Dan

[Guest pwlcarz]

Personally I would be very, very wary.

 

He's buying a UK car and going to use it in Ireland? So, expense/trouble of re-registering? Speedo reading in MPH whereas Eire is KPH?

 

Unless for some reason Smart don't have any dealerships in Eire, I can't understand why he would want to do it, unless you are virtually giving the car away! Seems very iffy to me.

 

Potential scams include:

 

Asking to take it on a test drive and at some point you get out (what's that funny noise? You had better check). Zoom, away with your former pride and joy.

 

At some point he gets hold of the keys and manages to palm/swap/copy the key. then declines the sale and returns at his leisure to take your car.

 

Feeds you a bunch of forged notes. £5800 in cash???? Even if genuine could be money laundering and lead to potential awkward questions from the banks and the old bill ("so, you sold a car to a foreign person you don't know, can't now contact, paid in cash and now expect us to believe this is genuinely come by? A likley story sir").

 

Gives you cash on a day when he knows you can't bank it so it has to stay in the house. Returns that night to turn your gaffe over (having cased the place already). Goes away with your cash plus TV and prized CD collection!

 

There may genuinely be an honest Lithuanian living in Ireland and wanting to buy a UK car with the cash available, but......

 

I know what my reaction would be.

[Guest SteveL]

I would say that the fact that you're uncertain enough about this to ask people on a forum would be enough to make you back out of this deal. If it looks, feels and smells like a scam, then it normally is!

 

Steve

[Guest scottie686]

If it were me i think i would probably knock it on the head!! Something def smells fishy!! Better to loose a sale than loose the car!!

 

Scott

[swan]

hi

 

swan jnr sold his focus last week.

 

and got the buyer to transfer the cash to his bank

 

and cleared before the car was released.

 

The guy viewed the car and the money was cleared the next day.

 

swan

[1186497]

Cheers for the responses! After much contemplation I think i'll give it a miss! Could turn out to be far too much hassle for a price that i think it would easily make on Autotrader!

 

Thanks

Simon