"Sold" my car but worried this could be a scam

[03-SilverSnake]

Hi guys... I need some helpful opinions on the below email and attached image of the check i received for my car... I have this gut feeling all of a sudden this could be a scam.. i dunno... I'm hoping to get some honest feedback from you guys... Read the email i got and tell me what you think... i've been communicating with this guy for about 2 weeks.. his english is broken in the emails so i know he's foreign but i'm not sure which nationality... Anyhow he ups expressed me this check... i scanned it and blanked out the name and dollar amount as that's not really important in my overall question... let's just say the car purchase is over $10k and he's added about $4k for shipping and other fees as he puts it... i think the thing that scares me is the western union request... but here is my question... If i deposit this check and let it clear through my bank and it does... and then i deduct the extra amount beyond what the car sold for out of my account in CASH lets say and pay western union that way then would i be in the clear ??? I in no way, shape, or form would release my car until this check cleared and also if only i could pay western union with "his" extra cash and not affiliate it with my bank or routing any $ from my account.. i will NOT do that... Let me know what you think.. below is his email and below it is the check.

Thanks !

His email:

I just recieved the tracking number from the carrier.This is the tracking number I recieved: (j1869831899) It's trackable on UPS official site. You can try it out yourself in order to know when the UPS agent will come for the delivery of the payment. But right now the package still at the UPS destination. I'll like you to complete the sale immediately you recieved the payment. The payment includes the item money. Shipping fee's,commission and other miscellaneuos expenses .Go ahead and cash it.You will deduct the item money and also deduct $80 for compensating you for keeping the item for me and be honest and trustworthy to me {your money} from the total amount sent to you,You will then send the rest of the funds via western union money transfer to the information given below western union charges will be deducted out the shipping fee.. I have an conversation with the samtex courier company accountant this morning. She said they recieved
payment via western union money transfer.

Below is the shipper's information you'll be transfer thepick-up fee to.after you deduct your item fee.

Samtex Cargo private shipping company
Accountant Name; JOSEPH BAEZA
Address; 906 E Kingsley Ave
Pomona, CA 91767-5002
United State.


The shipper will be coming with a trailer . Be aware that the pick-up will be scheduled right after the pick-up fee is wired. Forward the funds through western union money transfer and get back to me with the wiring details on the reiceipt. Such details
includes.

1) Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN).
2)Sender's name and address.
3)Reciever's name and address.
4)Amount send after western union charges.

Always try to keep in touch and let me hear from you just to be sure you recieved this message.

Thanks very much and I hope this instruction is clear.

Regards.

AM ONLINE WAITING FOR UR RESPONSE

Thanks...

 

[Misfitflesh]

i didnt even read the whole thing but im pretty sure its a scam.

Edit: even if you wait for the check to clear sometimes the bank will tell you a few weeks later that the check was no good and your gonna owe that money.

Anytime you sell anything on the internet and people wanna send you way more then what your asking thats usually a pretty good sign its a scam.

 

[DanTheMan18]

If it was me, I wouln't chance it.

That email sounds a bit off. There's just too many scammers running around ripping people off for me to go through with a sale that I feel remotely uncomfortable with.

Just my two cents..

 

[Matts00GT]

It's a scam...

 

[FordMustangLove]

Screw that , ...sounds fishy

 

[divided]

Come on dude, S-C-A-M

 

[SoCalCobra]

Definitely sounds like a scam. The problem with cashing the money order is that your bank will initially credit your account with the funds. When the money order makes it's way to the supposed issuing bank, if it's fake, they won't honor it and your bank account will be debited for the funds your bank deposited in your account. By then, you would have already wired the funds to this guy via Western Union and you'll be in the hole.

Be extremely leery of shipping anything overseas, especially a big ticket item. Extra red flags should get thrown up when the payment method is a Money Order and they want you to wire them the funds back via Western Union. Also, the third and final strike in my mind is that he's sending other money as compensation for you doing this transaction. Of course he'll give you extra money, it's not his to begin with.

Here's some reading I suggest. This is snipped from Western Union's own site
The Western Union Money Transfer® service is a great way to send money to people you know and trust. If you need to send money to someone you don’t know well, you may be putting yourself at risk for fraud.

Because we care about consumers, Western Union urges you to protect yourself from fraud by considering the following:
Never send money to a stranger using a money transfer service.
Beware of deals or opportunities that seem too good to be true.
Don’t use money transfer services to pay for things like online auction purchases.
Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on foreign lottery winnings.

LINK
LINK

 

[heffs03mach1]

had a freind who was selling wheels and its the exact same setup dont do it. they send extra money and ask you to send the extra money back. take it to the bank and tell them you think its a fake and please check it out. they will know within a few days whats up with it.

 

[EnglishAdam]

You gotta be kidding me oke:

This is absolutely a SCAM

The cheque or money order sent to you will be stolen or fake. Your bank may well cash this and release the funds to you early on. THIS IS THE BAD PART.
Your bank will not have adequately investigated the cheque and when it eventually proves to be stolen/fake, will demand the money back from you even when it appears to be their fault. This is how the scam is able to work.
You will lose your car and money if you go ahead with this.

If you want to see how legit this deal is, ask your buyer to pay the cheque to his shipping agent instead. Let him deposit the cheque to his account, deduct his fee and then give you the 10k in cash when he picks up the car.

Then watch the excuses roll in :kaboom:

Cliff Notes: Don't do it.

 

[gotwood]

I would say that it is a scam for sure! When I had my 99 Cobra for sale, This ass clown sent me a cashiers check that looked 100 % original. I called the bank to verify the check before he took posession and it was a fake. That is why I will never sell another car outright again. There are too many professional scammers out there to deal with. I currently have my 03 Cobra on consignment at a local dealership and it is great. I don't have to deal with any of the bs and I get my asking price. Good luck!

 

[!!!PainTrain!!!]

I would walk away from this one as well. Just too many odd things in that email to feel comfortable with and when it comes to a big ticket item its better safe then sorry. JMO.

 

[RDJ]

There is no question that this is a scam. If you go through with it don't come in here crying the blues about how you lost your car AND your money.

 

[03-SilverSnake]

I appreciate the feedback guys.. I just wanted to see if anybody had gotten anything similar and such... I don't plan to do anything with this deal now.

 

[Steve@TF]

straight up textbook scam man. everything Socalcobra said is spot on. could be stolen or counterfeit and your bank wont know until its waaay too late. exactly how he splained it.

dont fall for this :nonono:

 

[shhak]

Dude, that's the oldest trick in the book. You send him the extra money and then his check bounces. Even after your bank tells you it clears. Then, your bank will charge the entire check amount to your account.
I've had 3 different experiences with scams just like this one. One was on my old 03 Cobra, one was on a turbo hayabusa I sold and the other was on a Honda 4 wheeler. All 3 sent checks for between $2,000 and $5500 over the purchase amount for "shipping and other fees". All 3 had "broken english". And all 3 requested I use "Western Union" to send them their extra money back.
If you hadn't asked on here and they scammed you, shame on them. But since you got all of our opinions, if they scam you now.....shame on you...LOL..

 

[03-SilverSnake]

Definitely sounds like a scam. The problem with cashing the money order is that your bank will initially credit your account with the funds. When the money order makes it's way to the supposed issuing bank, if it's fake, they won't honor it and your bank account will be debited for the funds your bank deposited in your account. By then, you would have already wired the funds to this guy via Western Union and you'll be in the hole.

Be extremely leery of shipping anything overseas, especially a big ticket item. Extra red flags should get thrown up when the payment method is a Money Order and they want you to wire them the funds back via Western Union. Also, the third and final strike in my mind is that he's sending other money as compensation for you doing this transaction. Of course he'll give you extra money, it's not his to begin with.

Here's some reading I suggest. This is snipped from Western Union's own site
The Western Union Money Transfer® service is a great way to send money to people you know and trust. If you need to send money to someone you don’t know well, you may be putting yourself at risk for fraud.

Because we care about consumers, Western Union urges you to protect yourself from fraud by considering the following:
Never send money to a stranger using a money transfer service.
Beware of deals or opportunities that seem too good to be true.
Don’t use money transfer services to pay for things like online auction purchases.
Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on foreign lottery winnings.

LINK
LINK

Actually, my bank puts a mega hold on anything i deposit over a certain dollar amount, especially if it's outta state... the funds wouldn't be mine for the taking until they said it was clear... but at any rate i'm not going to chance this anyway.

 

[whtgt02vert]

i work for wells fargo and can try and help you out. pm me if you want me to and help

 

[floyd4ford]

Good thing! Its a scam!

 

[oldmodman]

Easy solution. Go to a Wells Fargo office and pay the $5.00 check cashing fee. If they cash it, and you walk out of the bank with the loot. It's all good. Don't worry about the bank, there is no way that they will cash it if anything is fishy.

I just sold something on Craig's list and the person came by with a Wells Fargo bank check. Since it was for a very expensive watch I told him that we would drive over to the bank and cash it. He of course said "it's a bank check you don't have to worry about it". I told him that if there was nothing to worry about then he would have the watch in about ten minutes. He said he would go get a cup of coffee and come back in half an hour. Of course he never showed up again since the check was, of course, phony. I gave the bank the check, a copy of his e-mails and the plate number off of his car. If they follow up on it I will post and let you know what happened.

 

[Steve@TF]

Actually, my bank puts a mega hold on anything i deposit over a certain dollar amount, especially if it's outta state... the funds wouldn't be mine for the taking until they said it was clear... but at any rate i'm not going to chance this anyway.

i have wells fargo. they told me it could be well over a month before they discover an out of state (or foreign country) cashier's check is bad. although they'd certainly release the funds after about a week. :kaboom: