is this a scam ???

[myzeneye]

is this a scam ???
i think probably, but i suspect everyone and trust no one. maybe paranoia???

im selling my car, its on the auto trader. ive had a few calls, but they were all miles away from me ....
anyhoo, most of the calls ive had have been from other so called "advertisers"...
now, i got messed about by a company called motor search international years ago, they tried to take me to court as i refused to pay for them advertising my car in their imaginary magazines.... managed to speak to one of the directors and ended up threatening to drive to sheffeild to pay them a visit with a can of petrol. ( not an idle threat either.) any ways, they soon lost interest and dropped the court sumonse.... load of crap really, however, its left me paranoid.

the doozey is, i got a call from a lady saying she had someone interesed in buying my car, and that she worked for a finance company... she said she would give her client my phone number and that they would call to arrange a veiwing of the car.
i said i would only accept a cash payment, she said no problems, if the buyer wanted the car, he would get the cash off them and would then pay me for the car as normal.
dubious, i asked what their charges were for this "service", she said there was a charge, but it is to be paid by the buyer, as part of their finance fee.
i asked what would i be charged, she said nothing.
so she's gonna give the buyer my phone number to arrange a viewing and all i have to do is take the cash.

this cant be right ???
i smell a rat.
anyone else heard of this or know anyone who's sold a car this way ???

the bottom line is, the car only goes when the cash is in my pocket. so im not overly concerned at this stage.

please be hasty with your replies, let me know what you think.....

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif

 

[imported_Wicked666]

doesn't sound dodge on the face of it. They get paid the interest they get on the loan to pay for the car. Had she just given him your number you'd be none the wiser. You''ll obviously be selling to the buyer, not the company.

 

[OutLore]

Does sound a bit dubious - but so long as you follow the normal guidelines - dont meet them at your house, pick an open, well populated spot. Take a couple of buddies with you (especially if you sell the car, helps to get you home, lol) and make sure they are insured on the car before you let them drive it.

Also - take a camera with you and take a pic of the buyer if they do buy it.

Never leave the car with the keys in it while you are not.... Even if you drive it first and then swap, take the keys with you and give them to the buyer once you are in the car. Get someone to follow you in their car if you go for a test drive with the buyer.

Good luck...

 

[IanL-RS3]

never heard of that - but sounds like a dodgy finance company at best. and think about the kinda person who may use such a service.
if you want to be parnoid but safe..../

dont show the car at your house. meet them in a car park somewhere.
make sure you know who you are selling to.
check id.
take a photo of seller
and put their name on the new owner registration doc - dont let them say they'll do it.
get a mate to come along with you.
oh and worth checking the cash if its cash. might be duds/fakes. and there have been fake drafts. too
might just be easier to keep the car!!!

but best of luck.

 

[imported_Wicked666]

take a pic? meet in a car park?
good thing lee never did this to me else i'd have been too scared to buy the car off him!

safety does come first though.

 

[myzeneye]

daft question, but what are the risks of selling it from my house ??
i persaonally, wouldnt buy a car fro a person unless i new where they lived.
ill have my mate with me who looks like ram man from he-man. plus, i have an electric catle prod.
i have no way of checking cash ??? some fakes are good and whats more, some genuine crispy new money looks dodgy as it is !!!
i think ill have to steer clear of this one.
auto trader's out again tomorrow, ill have to be patient.

 

[imported_Wicked666]

[ QUOTE ]
daft question, but what are the risks of selling it from my house ??
i persaonally, wouldnt buy a car fro a person unless i new where they lived.
ill have my mate with me who looks like ram man from he-man. plus, i have an electric catle prod.
i have no way of checking cash ??? some fakes are good and whats more, some genuine crispy new money looks dodgy as it is !!!
i think ill have to steer clear of this one.
auto trader's out again tomorrow, ill have to be patient.

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly. i wouldn't buy anything off anyone in a car park - proper dodgy and no come back. plus they'd prob got me there to fleece me.

Go to your bank with him to check the money or ask for a bankers draft (won't bounce)

 

[richy]

if they know where the car is parked at night then they just break into your house.. get the keys and steal yours car. Simple...

 

[IanL-RS3]

if the guy is serious about buying the car...has the cash..the money checks out (try depositting in bank)..then you can go back to your house where the v5 is...fill in the docs and voila.

as richy says.....lots of cars are stolen to order, so by knowing where yours resides overnight.......

as for taking someone to car park..make it a well populated car park...another one is a petrol station..as they have cctv /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

i guess if you can get the guys home phone number and the number of the company lending him the money a lot of this can be skipped. providing they check out.

 

[jungle]

Slightly different, but this happened to a mate recently.

Advertised his old Mondeo at £2k, expecting to be knocked down to at least £1,700. Anyway, someone bought it off him without really checking it over for the full whack.

My mate saw it for sale again the very next week for £1k.

And a month later the police were on the phone. The scam is, the car is bought on finance and sold again for a knock down price before the finance can be traced via usual HPI checks. Not the same as this situation, but thought I'd tell you all anyway.

 

[myzeneye]

ill sleep with the key tonight then......
curiosity question.... do insurers pay out for hook key/ burgalry style thefts ???

 

[jungle]

[ QUOTE ]
ill sleep with the key tonight then......
curiosity question.... do insurers pay out for hook key/ burgalry style thefts ???

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes - my Golf TDi was nicked using a fishing rod. Left my keys on the hallway table. 4 Cars taken from my village the same way that night. Obviously I keep my keys by my bed nowadays, and only have duplicate CDs in the car.

 

[imported_Wicked666]

so the guy borrows the money, sells the car then doesn't repay the finance?

 

[myzeneye]

[ QUOTE ]
so the guy borrows the money, sells the car then doesn't repay the finance?

[/ QUOTE ]

surly that wouldnt be my problem once id been paid in cash..........????? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile_smoking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile_smoking.gif

 

[IanL-RS3]

i cant imagine it would your problem.........
as long as you see proof of id, new owner section filled in and sent and you even go so far to take a photo of new owner with your car.
the police may come to you and ask for this information should the above happen. but as long as you have followed the selling process as detailed on v5 and cash is in your account, with the bank having checked it. you have done your best to sell the car as required by law.
if the person then defaults on their finance - its not your problem.
plus i'd be suss buying a car with a 1 week owner or no v5 doc. which is why its very important to fill in the forms and send off. dont ever fall for the i'll send it to save you the hassle nonsense.

 

[TDI-line]

All sounds to suspect Myzeneye, theres got be a catch, funny money, casing your house, etc.

Be careful, and any meets go with another bloke.

If your go your doubts about all this, just say you've changed your mind, deals off.

 

[MikeA3]

sounds unusual, might be funny money?

Mike

 

[Leon]

Companies like these have been operating for quite a few years. When I was selling my last car two different ones rang me and were charging a rate of £50 to advertise through them. They added, that if the buyer took finanace through themselves, I would be refunded either all, or part of the £50 (can't remember).

I was tempted but looked at their websites, and noticed both were very similar. I then checked companies house and they were literally around the corner from each other. I made up my own mind and told them no thanks.

In this case it sounds like they are just trying to push finance, and not bothering with the advertising. It's probably legit although the car buyer will be getting ripped off with interest charges.

Personally, if you check that the company she works for is valid (a search on google should give you enough info), and you have a contact name and phone number for them, I'd say it's more secure than any normal purchase. I mean, anyone can buy autotrader and come round with false money.

With respects to payment always follow the same rules. I'd ask for a cash deposit, then bankers draft for the remainder. The day they are due to collect the car, ask them for the reference number on the draft, you ring up your bank and validate it and your all set. Otherwise, get them to meet you outside your bank with cash and deposit it. Anything else and your risking it.

 

[jdp1962]

Don't fall into the trap of thinking a banker's draft is "as good as cash". It isn't. Drafts can be forged, or stolen And please remember that just because a cheque has spent three days in the clearing system, even if your bank describes it as "cleared", it doesn't necessarily mean it has been "paid".

This has been discussed in a previous thread (see below). Read it, and also click on the link to the Financial Ombudsman Website to read more.

http://www.audi-sport.net/ubbthreads/sho...rue#Post122923.

 

[TDI-line]

And as Mulder says, trust no one.

 

[Khufu]

I was going to mention that too about the banker drafts being dodgy too. Doesnt that happen on ebay?

 

[IanL-RS3]

the one on ebay is where they send you a fake cheque - for more than your product is worth and usually for a client that has some trouble getting access to uk funds or some crap excuse.. you bank cheque and send the item after waiting for it to clear. two weeks later you get a letter from your bank telling your the cheque is a fake and the bank take their money back!

 

[myzeneye]

conclusion drawn chaps. thanks for the advice.
if they call agian, ill just feck them off.

 

[TDI-line]

Good to hear mate.