I've reluctantly put up my 2004 F-150 for sale. Anyway, I've had five people call me for more details. Here's what I'd like some input on. This guy from some 'procurement' company in Australia emails me on behalf of his 'client.' He asks for the selling price, which I gave him, and immediately he responds and says the client has agreed to the price. Apparently, his client has a $35,000 cashiers check prepared for a vehicle he was going to purchase but the deal fell through due to shipping disagreements. So he wants to send me this $35k cashiers check, and have me wire his client the difference, which is about $5500. I told him I'll need to have my bank verify funds prior to me doing anything. Here's why I'm suspicious: 1) He never even tried to haggle the price. 2) I gave him my phone number, and said he can call me to finalize things. He has just been emailing me. 3) Why can't his client just cash the check and wire me the funds? Of course, there's nothing for me to lose by accepting his cashiers check. Unless I have funds, my truck stays with me. So, has anyone ran across this sort of thing before? Any other potential pitfalls that I'm missing? Thanks in advance.
Coma, FYI, I've heard of a scam making the rounds on sites such as CraigsList where the cashier checks aren't any good. If memory serves, the check will be accepted by, let's say, your bank but when your bank attempts to recoup from his bank the check turns out to be no good. So the fallacy seems to be the assumption that most of us have had for a long time that a cashier's check is as good as gold all the time. I think they even have a disclaimer mentioned about this on CraigsList so you might want to check it out. Good luck.
The day that a guy trusts me with $35,000 just like that is the day I become the head of Microsoft. And yea, don't send that $5500 if you plan on not getting scammed.
Becareful, I had this happen to me but i called the bank on the cashier check when i received it. The bank told me it was a countefiet so I sold the car to someone else I use to work at a bank and sometimes if you just deposit the check, your bank will give you credit for it the next day (well maybe not $35K unless you keep a load of money with that bank). You might think the check is good because your bank has credit your account but your bank in good faith to you has just temp. gave you the funds. When the check gets rejected they will retract the money from you account.
Damn, people! Let him have fun with this. Sound really excited about this. Have him send the check over here immediately. Let him know that you are really interested. Then, as soon as the Cashier's check gets here, sit on it. When he asks why, tell him that you've seen scams like this, and need to hold onto the cashier's check until it clears. Then watch him get really pissed off.
Well, as the saying goes, if it's too good to be true, it usually is. Oh well, I'll have to settle for haggling with the locals then. Thanks all!
An acquiantance is also selling his truck and he had the same offer for his truck, the only difference is that the amount was 32,500 and the wire amount difference was $3600 give or take a couple of K. He promptly replied and has been talking to the guy. He accepted the cashier's check and is sitting on it right now as we speak. He is working with the local authorities as the cahsier's check will take a week to clear (his sister-in-law works at the CU where he banks). And rather than wire the "client" the money, he told him that he would be more than happy to give him the money in person, to which the agent or messenger was not too happy about. Its a total scam, don't go for it.
Yuppers. I'm going to try and have some fun with this guy. Once I get his information, I'll tell him I can't afford to wire any money, so I'll send him something via the return address. How about some sticky mail?
