I had posted my mini quad for sale and got this reply. Sound fishy?

Hello,
Thanks for your mail, and i will like to affirm my commitment in the interest for your item,And will like you to know that the only Payment method i can pay for the item is via " Certified Bank Chck" and will like to tell you that after i mailed the check and you confirm you got it...i will then send my shipper to come over to your place to pick the item up.
If you are ok with this,Kindly get back to me with your Name (Payee Name On Check) and Contact Address Including a valid Phone number.So that i can send payment asap.

 

Yes.

 

Doesn't sound 'fishy', if it were the other way around then I would be concerned.
1) He is sending you the money in advance - (bank check so you know it is good)
2) He is waiting until you receive it before he sends someone to pick it up.
To me it doesn't get any better.
He wants your name address and phone just in case you try to screw him.

 

Could be sending a bogus check.
I would tell him he could have it picked up when the check CLEARED.

 

Bogus "bank checks" have been a major scam in recent years. OhHell is right - only allow the merchandise out of your hands after you bank assures you that the check is totally cleared in your account.

 

Probably the most common scam out there. Don't be surprised if you did go further in negotiations that they then wind up sending a check that is for more than the purchase amount. The plan then would be for you to refund the difference. Out of country checks can take a long time to verify. In many cases, the out of country banks are bogus or a part of the scam.

Why else is it a scam? - Think about it.......How many potential buyers make first contact by outlining their payment plan to you. Real buyers are concerned first with the product to see if it is what they want, is in good condition, how can they test it etc. Scammers play up to your greed by seemingly offering you something easy.

Walk away from this one.

Jaybee

 

I have heard stories of the bank actually clearing the check, at which point you release the merchandise, only to come back later and say it was fraudulent.

Then it's too late.

Just reply to him, "In God we trust, all others pay cash." [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: jaybeecon55

Probably the most common scam out there. Don't be surprised if you did go further in negotiations that they then wind up sending a check that is for more than the purchase amount. The plan then would be for you to refund the difference. Out of country checks can take a long time to verify. In many cases, the out of country banks are bogus or a part of the scam.



Why else is it a scam? - Think about it.......How many potential buyers make first contact by outlining their payment plan to you. Real buyers are concerned first with the product to see if it is what they want, is in good condition, how can they test it etc. Scammers play up to your greed by seemingly offering you something easy.



Walk away from this one.



Jaybee</end quote></div>

I hear ya[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

That's sounds as a classic scam, I can't see any reasonable cause why would someone be limited to only send payment by checks, when there are many other safer methods for both buyer and the seller...

Don't trust the checks even if they clear in your account, since if the check is falsified it still may use real account information of someone, and the money will get transferred from someones account to yours, and it could take few weeks until the owner of the original account notices that, and fills the procedure with the bank which will then reverse the funds...

The best and safest way would be to avoid checks and use escrow service. Not the one buyer suggest, but rather some well known service (like Escrow.com).

If you still want to go ahead and accept the check, then explain the situation to your bank, and explain your concerns. What they can to (but they are not in obligation to do so) is to see which bank holds the account specified on the check, they can do this by looking trough the routing numbers on the check (if it's a false check the bank logo and the bank account number will probably be different), call up the bank and ask them to call the account holder to confirm the payment. Again, this is not a standard procedure, but with such transactions I would use maximum caution.

Regards,
Danko