any one know how this scam works

[hilly64]

A mate of mine is selling an ALFA 156 @ about £2500 and advertised on auto trader.

Had loads of stupid calls re bank transfers etc

The latest is from Ireland has gone something like this:

Guy over phone says he wants it and needs to sort out shipping asks if the seller will accept a cheque.

Then offers £2500 plus will give another £2000 if he will accept deal and hold the car until he can arrange shipping. Once sorted the seller can return the additional £2k (not sure if that is in the form of cash or check)

My mate has now received a cheque for £4500 ish posted in Bristol from a bank in Birmingham.


Who out there knows what the scam is or what will happen next.


Don't think any of you are dodgy of course but I think I have come accross this one before somewhere.

Have a feeling mate has banked cheque in a sleeping account awaiting 10 for it to be cashed?

[plumb bob]

I thinkwhat happens is after he sends the £2k back the bank finds out the cheque is bogus and takes the money back out of his account.

Tell him to get written confirmation from his bank that the cheque is legit and has cleared, and the funds will remain his even if the buyer turns out to be a fraud.

Also of course he may be liable to pay 40% unearned income tax on the money if the revenue find out.

[dirtydog]

what will happen is your mate will return the £2k and then somehow the cheque he has paid in will be rejected even after it may appear to clear.

scumbags

[Albannach]

It's the Nigerian fraud. Tell him to steer well clear.

[Slugsie]

Basically, yes, it's a complete fraud. Dodgy cheques can be recovered from bank accounts for up to 6 months after they're paid in irrespective of having cleared or not. The whole 1 week to clear bit is actually mostly a waste of time.

Just remember, if it seems dodgy, it probably is.

Take the cheque, frame it, and move on.

[hilly64]

thanks all

new it was a scam but didn't associate it with the nigerian scam.

didn't realise that the banks had 6 months.

will pass the info on thanks all

[ABE]

I would have said money laundry in a way. as it looks like you have paid 4500 for a car as that is what will show up on on a single cheque then however the guy pays the money back cash or cheque the guy pockets it tax free.

but I am not up on the nigerian scam so

[Albannach]

thanks all

new it was a scam but didn't associate it with the nigerian scam.

didn't realise that the banks had 6 months.

will pass the info on thanks all

There's 2 Nigerian scams. The one that says they want to pass millions through your account and they'll give you a cut and the one with the bigger cheque that gets you to hand over the change.

The cheque one is way more successful and far more widely used, not confined to Nigeria either.

[yoshie]

A mate of mine is selling an ALFA 156 @ about £2500 and advertised on auto trader.

Had loads of stupid calls re bank transfers etc

The latest is from Ireland has gone something like this:

Guy over phone says he wants it and needs to sort out shipping asks if the seller will accept a cheque.

Then offers £2500 plus will give another £2000 if he will accept deal and hold the car until he can arrange shipping. Once sorted the seller can return the additional £2k (not sure if that is in the form of cash or check)

My mate has now received a cheque for £4500 ish posted in Bristol from a bank in Birmingham.


Who out there knows what the scam is or what will happen next.


Don't think any of you are dodgy of course but I think I have come accross this one before somewhere.

Have a feeling mate has banked cheque in a sleeping account awaiting 10 for it to be cashed?

Tell your mate if he sends the £4.5k to me through paypal I will sell him the forth road bridge which has been in my family since my grandfather built it. He will then get a cut of all the road tolls charged he will make the £4.5k back in a week and can expect the same return every week.

[Nicc]

Here is an explanatory note on how this works:

http://www.zyra.org.uk/cheqscam.htm