Possible Scam examples, car buying scams, car selling scams
If you think you might have been scammed and want confirmation ring Nigel, see below for number

• Scam - general information
• Reported scammers email addresses
• Example of scam like emails
• Article from Lloyds TSB on scamming
• Anti scam service offered by 4x4web

If you think you are being scammed read this

Emails in bad English offering to buy your item and paying by certified check, cashiers cheque, building society or Bankers draft for an amount greater than you are asking, then to send the balance on to their shipping agent once the cheque has cleared, usually by Western Union. This is a scam using stolen/forged bank drafts/cheques which can clear in 3 days and bounce a couple of weeks later. By then you have paid the scammer the surplus cash and your bank pulls the total amount back. DO NOT REPLY. The authorities are aware of this fraud but appear to be doing nothing about it.

If in doubt ring Nigel on 07973 214323 (Line open most days including holidays 0830 - 1800. Note this service can only be continued if we receive some small financial backing. If you think we might have saved you losing thousands of pounds to a scam then a donation of as little as £2 will help.
Make a donation by PayPal click the button below

Make a donation by credit/debit card click here

Example Emails

Dear Sir,
compliments of the season,i saw your item for sale on the internet.i am willing to buy if the condition is still okay,May i know the final price ,the pic and the weights.i shall expect your favourable response today.
Best regards, Mart.

GOOD DAY
I AM A SCOTLAND DEALER .I WILL LIKE TO BUY YOUR (Classic Series II LWB Southampton UK) PLEASE GIVE ME ADEQUATE INFORMATION REGARDING ITS CONDITION AND HOW MUCH DO WISH TO OFFER LAST,HOPE IT WILL NOT BE HECTIC CHANGINGITS OWNERSHIP.PLEASE LET ME HEAR FROM YOU.
BEST REGARD
(Eds note: email address @yahoo.com)

Hello,
I am a car and bike dealer based in Huddersfield. I saw your advert placement on the internet and I am interested in buying your Green, 1991, G registered. Please forward me your final asking price only. My shipping agent will handle the shipping and pick-up. Also indicate if you will accept a cashier check drawn from a UK. bank for payment. i anticipate your early reply .Thanks,
MARK..... (Eds note: email address @kittymail.com, Hong Kong Powered by Outblaze) Hello,
THanks for the mail,so i am o.k with the price so i will like to have your full name full address with your phone number so i can inform my client in Uk to send you to the sum of £4,900.so the rest of the money will be sent back to the shippers that will come for the pick up in your location. So i will like you to know as soon as as you get tcheque you will deduct your amount and send the balance to the shippers. mark
THANKS (Eds note: email address @kittymail.com, Hong Kong Powered by Outblaze)

Hello,
I browsed through your internet where you placed your ads and i will like to purchase your Mitsubishi Pajero 2.6 litre turbo petrol lwb 4x4 which is going for £2800 ONO, did you accept a cashier cheque?drawn from the u.k bank, if you do kindly send me your informations(name,address and your cell phone)so that the cheque can be send to you.ASAP REGARDS,
WILL. (Eds note: email address @email2me.net, Mallorca, Nameserver at Outblaze)

hello,
i am interested in buying your Mitsubishi Pajero 2.6 litre turbo petrol swb 4x4 Manchester UK ,and i will also want you to send me the total price and the pics,and present me the condition of it. Thanks,
Roland.. (Eds note: email address @outgun.com Hong Kong Powered by Outblaze) Good day,
I am a business man in Dubai, i would like to have the auto has i understand it is for sale (Mitsubishi Pajero), so then i will like to know your last offer so that i can make my payment,but if my offer is accepted by you,then i think i should i will like to see some more pics of it and i also want to let you know that i intend paying for it with a check drawn from a uk bank due to the fact that wire transfer these days is not safe for payment,so then i will kindly wait you,as you reply soon,so we can get on with the transaction immedaitely.
Thank you very much as i await your reply.
(Eds note: email address @justice.com Free email addresses from California USA

Hello,
THanks for the mail,so i am o.k with the price so i will like to have your full name full address with your phone number so i can inform my client in Uk to send you to the sum of £7000.so the rest of the money will be sent back to the shippers that will come for the pick up in your location. So i will like you to know as soon as as you get tcheque you will deduct your amount and send the balance to the shippers.
THANKS

i am interested in buying(5dr Station Wagon)which cost (?4300.00) for one of my client located in South africa first i will like to know the present condition and my method of payment will be by a certified cashiers check drawn in america funds this payment will be made by one of my contact in the U.k who is owing me sum of (?8000.00) and you are to deduct your amount of Suzuki and send the remaining funds to the shipping agent who will come for the pickup,they are shipper who take care any of my shippment and my client is ready to send you the cashier check as so! on as possible.If that will be possible for you then you can provede your name and address including your phone so as for me to instruct my client to to forward the check down to you ASAP.
looking forward to hear from u

I AM A DEALER THAT BUYS AND SELL UESD ITEMS, AM INTERESTED IN BUYING YOUR Suzuki SJ410 YOUR PRICE £750 POUNDS IS OKAY BY ME , SO I WANT YOU TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE FOLLOWINGS; YOUR FULL NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE MNUMBER: THE PICTURE: THEN I CAN ARRANGE FOR THE PAYMENT AND SHIPPING. West Africa

A follow up email after a person has expressed an interest in accepting an offer for over the asking price.
now to start with the transaction, im paying you with certified cashier check i will get intouch with my client in state to send the check of $9,000 to you along with the shipping fee im not telling you to do the shipping for me, my shipping agent will do the shipping for me, what you will do is that when you get the check remove your money and send the remaining balance to my shipping agent to do the pick up, so if you are okay with the conditon you can mail me back with this info............. YOUR FULL NAME................ YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS.......... YOUR PHONE/ ZIP CODE NUMBER.... hoping to hear from you very soon.

If in doubt ring Nigel at 4x4web on 07973 214323

Extract from LloydsTSB web site... and Lloyds article on selling 4x4s

The Nigerian money offer should be reported to the fraud squad of your local police station. If you have actually lost any money through this con, call the West African Organised Crime Section of the National Criminal Intelligence Service on 020 7238 8012. Whatever you do, do not reply to any of these communications.

How to receive payment for your 4x4 vehicle
OR
When is a Bankers Draft not a Bankers Draft?
From Lloydstsb Bank

Should you decide to accept a personal or company cheque (not recommended), be VERY aware that although your bank may confirm that the cheque has 'cleared' after 3 to 4 working days this is NOT confirmation that the cheque has not been returned unpaid. Given postal delays your bank may not discover this for 5 to 6 working days. The only certain way is to again verify with the issuing bank that the cheque has debited the buyers account. Again your bank can do this for you but they will need all details of the cheque that you paid in (keeping a photocopy is a good idea).

A more secure way of receiving funds is to ask the buyer to arrange a CHAPS payment or inter-bank transfer directly to your account. Your bank can then confirm safe receipt of the funds independantly. Be aware that 'remittance advices', 'confirmations' and other paperwork provided by the purchaser may be forged.

Finally, be advised that any buyer overseas offering to send a Bankers Draft for a greater sum than the sale price, requesting that you refund the difference is almost certainly setting out to defraud you. Sadly this type of scam costs the UK millions every year.

For more information go to, www.sucess4business.com, and type 'fraud' in the search function. This will display several related topics.

John Unsworth ACIB
Business Manager Lloyds TSB Bank PLC

The 4x4web anti scam service

Help Support our fight against Scams