Its probably a con but what happens next

[Jim@sea]

I have had a reply from my advert for my boat for sale.
Its probably going to be a con, but where do I stop.
With my last boat I had an enquiry from Poland about how to pay and what was my bank account, initially I was inclined to tell them to go forth and multiply, but I persevered, when I said I was going to my house in France they asked if I could take it there and they would collect it in France, anyway I gave them my address in the Lake District and a few days later having made a 2000 kilometer trip to see the boat they paid Cash, hitched the boat up and towed it back to near the Lithuanian Border.
So with this boat the person (Korean Dr ?) has asked all the right questions and is "About to proceed with the transaction"
Is this where it goes "Pear Shaped" and I have to face up to reality.

 

[RobWales]

Unsure as to why it should go t8ts up...just wait until the cleared funds are in your mitt or bank account and hand over title....YES/NO?

 

[rbcoomer]

The usual scam is for 'cleared' funds to be recalled a few days later, so if you get that far, I'd check the origin with the bank and establish when any funds would actually be properly cleared. It can be longer than the 4 days that the bank's systems 'assume' and thus you don't want to let it go until 100% certain. The 'cleared' funds that you or the banks cashier see are meaningless! Also, don't be taken in by any scam that asks you to pay transport from any inflated payment - that would set alarm bells ringing for me!

If possible, see if you can find a number for the local plods hi-tech crime unit if they have one or the trading standards - both usually have good intel on current scams... I have spoken to our local guys a few times in the course of my work and they couldn't have been more approachable/helpful. They may have some guidelines on the methods used and how not to get caught out in a scam? (Some forces are more pro-active than others however)

Sale will probably be fine however, so don't lose out by being too suspicious either...

 

[elioti]

wouldnt risk taking a payment into the bank! they use other peoples bank accounts an eventually you will lose your money if it a scam. a friend has lost a few thousand to online fraud and the police didnt do nothing!

 

[rbcoomer]

wouldnt risk taking a payment into the bank! they use other peoples bank accounts an eventually you will lose your money if it a scam.

Open a separate deposit account and close it after the transaction...

 

[PaulGooch]

I have had a reply from my advert for my boat for sale.
Its probably going to be a con, but where do I stop.
With my last boat I had an enquiry from Poland about how to pay and what was my bank account, initially I was inclined to tell them to go forth and multiply, but I persevered, when I said I was going to my house in France they asked if I could take it there and they would collect it in France, anyway I gave them my address in the Lake District and a few days later having made a 2000 kilometer trip to see the boat they paid Cash, hitched the boat up and towed it back to near the Lithuanian Border.
So with this boat the person (Korean Dr ?) has asked all the right questions and is "About to proceed with the transaction"
Is this where it goes "Pear Shaped" and I have to face up to reality.

Post the email here, minus personal details. If it's a scam, someone else will have had the same email.

 

[prv]

The usual scam is to pay you way over the agreed price for some cooked-up reason, asking you to give "change" for the difference. If they say anything along those lines, it's a scam without a doubt.

Otherwise, I'd suggest you hand over the boat in person in exchange for cash. Most scammers seem reluctant to deal face to face.

Pete

 

[beejay190]

Would the purchaser be a Dr P***** J******. If so, he is very interested in buying my boat too.

 

[davidej]

When I last bought a s/h car privately - about £5K - the vendor wasn't very keen of cash.

He semed to be concerned about counterfeit notes and I had to go to his bank with him and he only gave me the bill of sale etc when his bank had accepted them.

 

[thomshap]

Phone your bank and ask them, they will not give you an opinion, they'll tell it like it is.

I took £5k for a cat as a transfer and, like you, was worried I was going to get fleeced, I called my bank (First Direct) and asked if the transaction could be reversed - In my case they said no, once it was cleared into my account it could not be taken out again, unlike a cheque that can take years to clear.

You're not dealing with PayPal here, who can whip funds out when they please and leave you high and dry.

 

[Sneds]

Five grand for a cat?