Am I Being Scammed?

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Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
Had a dodgy looking/sounding chap come round this evening to have a look at my car which is for sale. He agreed to buy it and said he would transfer the money tomorrow and collect the car. I only have a mobile number for him and it seems that the address he gave me when I asked is not his (I googled the address and called the owner). He had no ID on him and the car he came in was driven by someone else and was parked round the corner so I couldn't get the number plate.
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
Sounds dodgy to me.
 
OP
OP
Thomk

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
No I didn't give him any bank details. He said he would HPI the car tomorrow, call to get bank details and then transfer the money. I did say to him that transfers sometimes take some time to clear and he said he could wait until I am happy that it has cleared. I think I may have scared him off by not being quite thick enough. Or maybe he's a dealer and didn't want to admit it, although that doesn't quite fit.
 

colly

Re member eR
Location
Leeds
Sounds well iffy to me.

Giving bank details such as number and sort code shouldn't be a problem but even so you just know if he calls back and says he will transfer money he will be on the blower giving you all kinds of bs as to why the funds haven't transferred and why he MUST have the car NOW.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
dont let the car go until you have called the bank and know the money is in the account, do not be fooled if someone calls you saying they are from the bank and the money has cleared. There was a story the other day about a diamond fraud where the buyer faked a call from the bank to tell them the money had cleared.
 
Don't let him do a bank transfer - even if the funds appear to have cleared they can still be reversed. Ask instead for a Banker's Draft and then call the issuing bank to make sure they have issued the Draft in question.
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
just be extra carefull , if he can do transfer then he could also do cash , but that could be false , so just be carefull
 
OP
OP
Thomk

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
I spoke to him yesterday. He seemed surprised that I had contacted the person at the address he gave me and found out he didn't live there. He didn't want to give me his address (he said he was only buying a car!!) but still wanted to buy the car...sort of desperately. I told him I couldn't trust him and wasn't going to sell it to him. He said I was weird :eek:
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
Yes! You did the right thing. Never, ever, give your bank details to a stranger. I had a phone call from a guy who said he was from 'The Hire Purchase company and that they owed me money as they'd taken an extra payment at the end of the term. Then he asked for my bank details so he 'could refund me'. I knew my only HP was still running (My car) and declined to give him the details. He was well miffed and ended up swearing at me. The Police, who I contacted straight after the call, were aware of the scam. This happened a few years ago and we got a second call a few weeks later, which my wife took. I stopped her giving her details just in time. I listened in to the end of the call and it was the same guy! Cheeky or what?
 
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