It sure sounds like one. Selling my 964 thru internet and got the following email and follow-up. This is a good warning to all sellers that if it sounds too good and easy, it's probabaly a scam.

HELLO,

I SAW YOUR ADVERT ON THE WEB AND I'M INTERESTED IN BUYING IT FOR £20,800

SO I WILL REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME IF THE CAR IS STILL AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS BETTER.

I WILL WANT YOU KNOW THE DETAILS AND CONDITION OF THE CAR AND I'M ALSO OKAY WITH HE PICTURE .

I'M BASED IN HOLLAND BUT NEVER MIND ABOUT SHIPMENT BECAUSE I'VE A SHIPPING COMPANY THAT WILL COME FOR THE PICKUP.

PAYMENT WILL BE IN BANK TRANSFER.

I WILL BE WAITING TO READ FROM YOU SOONEST.

REGARDS,

DAVID HAAFKENS..


DEAR CHRIS,

HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TODAY? GUESS FINE.

THANKS FOR YOUR MAIL,I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

UNFORTUNATELY I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COME FOR THE TEST DRIVE AS I AM A VERY BUSY MAN WITH SCHEDULE BUT MY SHIPPING AGENT WILL COME AT YOUR CONVINIENCE.I WOULD WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M GENUINELY INTERESTED IN BUYING THIS CAR BECAUSE I 'M BUYING IT FOR MY SON, SO KINDLY SEND ME SOME PICTURES OF THE CAR ASAP FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

I WOULD WANT TO KNOW IF THE CAR HAS AIR CONDITION AND ALSO IF HE ENGINE I WORKING PERFECTLY OKAY?

I WILL BE WAITING TO READ FROM YOU SOONEST.

HOW IS FAMILY ? GUESS FINE.

REGARDS,

DAVID HAAFKENS.


Chris Au <cau@matrixcap.net> wrote:
David, you sound like a scam.


THIS IS NO SCAM

I DONT MIND THE FUNDS TO CLEAR INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BEFORE I GET THE KEYS TO THE CAR.

KINDLY GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS MAIL.

BEST REGARDS,

DAVID.

Hello - Chris Au,
Thanks for your reply,i am okay with the price and the car as well but
this is how i will want us to seal the transaction because i dont want
any delay at all and since i am buying it for my son's birthday.So, all
i am going to do is to contact my associate in the UK to wire transfer
the sum of £20,800 into your account and as soon as the funds clear i
will want you to contact me so that my shippers will come for the
pickup of the car at the ppresent location and also the signing of all
documents. So all i will want you to do when you have confirmed that the
funds is available in your account, is to mail me and let me know as soon
as possible so that i can send over my shipping agents for pick up. So
if this terms are okay by you i will need your
Sort Code...
Account #......
Name on account...........
Name of bank............
Address of bank.............
Bank postcode..............

So that i can forward to my associate who will be wiring the money into
your account.
I look forward to your reply.
Thanks and Regards,
David Haafkens.

 

you could probably kiss your money good bye if you give out the bank info!

 

I'm interested to know how they can access my fund with such info. All that info is available on any check.

 

Scam.
I've heard of these where they transfer the money into your account and you give them the car, but then it turns out the money is fake or something and you're left without a car and just 20,800 fake pounds in your account that suddenly disappear. I'd say, talk to your bank and see what they say. If they say it sounds legit, let the guy put the money in your account, but start a completely new account so that he doesn't have access to an account you normally use. Then wait and see if the bank says the money is good. I would think that they could tell you if you actually have the money or not. If you think it's fishy though, I wouldn't do it. Better safe than sorry. Good luck.
Brian

 

Don't do this!

 

I have no intentions of proceeding with this scam. I already told the guy I only accept cash and we can meet at my bank for the handover.

 

This sounds like a classic scam that has been circulating. I think there can be hitches so that even though you get a transfer, you could still be responsible to return it to the bank later when they learn there was a problem. Plus, you may not have heard the end of it - possibly at the last minute they will suggest sending you more than the cost of the car and getting a cashiers check back from you, which means eventually they get your car and your money. The emails "read" like many similar ones I have seen. RUN AWAY from this one!

 

as everyone else has said BIG SCAM. Once they have your details you would not beleive what 'they' can do with it. Can't beat cash!!!!!

 

I have to agree, also.

 

also... i believe a transfer does take time for funds to be available to you as well... as i've had wire transfers from overseas. but all i had to do is give my acct' # & that is it.

you let someone take you car & then it turns out they've used another fools acct' to pay you with... hello! bank fraud! u get royally screwed.

 

Chris,

As an ex-auditor the exchange of mails you have had with this guy does not leave me with a warm and squishy feeling.

I would stick to the safe and simple. Cash payment for your car.

Take care

 

Most scammers dont like talking on the phone beacuse they are really on the spot if they are guilty. Im some cases people are innocent but its rare, however in any circumstances I would always speak in person to them. if they dont want to then you know for sure.

 

It must be different in the US then. Every time I have sent money transfers to Europe, HK etc. from the UK I have always needed the Name, Acc no., Sort Code, Branch Name, SWIFT code and all that sort of stuff. Anyway, of course Bank Transfers are a legitimate way of paying for a car, and I guess if I was buying your HK based car then I would not expect to have to travel 5000 miles to meet you at a bank to hand over £20K in small unmarked bills. Also, as someone else has pointed out, the information he is asking for is on every one of your cheques.

The problem for me is that the guy doesn't seem to care whether he can trust you or not. I certainly would tread very carefully, but if you only want cash for the car then its going to have to be a local buyer. No one in their right minds is going to travel to HK from Europe to hand over cash. Thats crazy.

 

And who in their right mind sitting in Holland is going to buy a used car in Hong Kong, sight unseen, when there's a hoard of them within a few hours driving distance? This is a classic scam that is being replicated frequently with cars found on the auction sites, sort of like the Nigerian scams, where these guys send out thousands and thousands of letters, hoping to hook one fool in and play him.

 

You mean I am not going to get the 10 million I was promised from Nigeria??