Hi all,
I am not too up to date with latest scam.
I had posted an ad to sell my car. A few messages wanted to pay me via PayID or BSB/Acc before they are scheduled to inspect the car. All they want is for the ad to be pulled down after payment.
Wonder if anyone can tell me how this scam work?
Thanks!
For every legit message you will receive 10 fake ones.
It really takes any satisfaction away from the process of selling a car.
Trying to sell a laptop on FB. 8 enquiries, all scammers.
Is it still available? Can I arrange a courier to collect? I am stuck in a blizzard at the moment and can only access western union.
I guess there can be a blizzard near an off-shore oil rig.
Its an honest buyer. I hear nigeria has blizzards all year round
Wonder if anyone can tell me how this scam work?
They "pay", show you a fake (photoshopped) PayID / BSB/Acc receipt, turn up and pressure you to give car keys, usually reassuring you the money will be in your account in a couple days cause look, here is receipt (fake) ;)
These scams work by sending a fake receipt photo with the wrong price. They won't show up and say you have to refund them. The victim ends up doing a normal bank transfer with their own money.
It's a standard "fee forward" scam.
They say they will take the vehicle but need you (the seller) to pay for something, usually shipping, that they want you to pay to a third party.
They will send you a fake PayID/PayPal transfer, over pay you the amount they want you to pay the "courier" and ask you to forward that amount, with proof, back to them.
No money will EVER hit your account. At all. Only faked transfer screenshots.
The other type of scam may be the "refund scam" where they will say they will take the car and send you a fake transfer with too much ($12,000 instead of $10,200) and ask you to just refund them the amount they paid too much.
Is it a great deal? I've paid people without physically seeing things or meeting the seller.
The price isn't very sharp. A few of the messages say they will come next day evening, but want to pay ID me beforehand. When I declined and insisted cash, I seem to get blocked. So I know it is some kind of a scam, just not sure how it works.
Fair enough, does sound like a scam then. Probably either overpayment scam, or fake transaction receipt scam.
The vast majority of legit buyers will want to view the car in person, test drive it etc.
If you limit yourself to someone willing to visit you to view or pickup the car, you’ll cut out most scammers. You might miss out on the very rare buyer that wants your car sight unseen, but it’s not worth the risk IMO.
The exception to this is if you are sellinn a rare/collectible car. Some people are willing to purchase a vintage car sight unseen, but not a Camry. The legit buyer will often request extra photos or ask you to FaceTime, phone call etc.
You may even get a real transfer from a compromised account, which will include extra to forward by an even less secure means.
They won't actually show up to collect, as they are probably not even in the country.
Accept their money. Wait for money to clear into your bank account. Withdraw all cash. Close Bank Account. Open new bank account. Deposit all your cash. Allow buyer to collect the car.
Edit: accept any cash offer in the meantime because above is probably a scam.
Nobody in their right mind would give you 'real' money before even seeing the car.
Ignore them.
For payment, meet at a bank where they present you with either Cash or a bank cheque in your name. You hand over the keys and paperwork once the cheque in deposited (thereby confirmed real and funds cleared).