I'm selling my RRS and have had several calls from 2 Asian sounding chaps, calling from London.

I spent considerable time trying to talk the guy out of 'getting on the train right now and paying cash' as I don't like doing deals over the phone. I asked for a holding deposit, but just before handing out my bank details, stopped, realising that probably wasn't a good idea. Anyway, I eventually capitulated and he said he was on his way, desperate for my car as another sale had fallen through.

He didn't arrive. Didn't answer my calls or text messages either. (I didn't give my address out, just the local train station I'd be picking him up from.)

The next day, I get a call from a 'Mr Reid' (or Reeve), this time a caucasion sounding chap. The same questions are asked as the Asian chap, requesting a bottom price, and he'll travel from London today with cash. He would ask his wife first if the price was OK (is she a car dealer?!)

10 minutes later, Asian chap no2 calls, asking the same questions. I can hear Asian chap no1 in the background. I put the phone down.

3 hours later, the SAME Asian chap who didn't turn up the day earlier calls me, saying I'd agreed a price with Mr Reid, and when could they come and pay cash for the car... I challenged him about his failure to arrive the day earlier, to which he denied all knowledge, saying I'd never spoken to him before. His phone number was exactly the same number he'd been calling me on! I chucked some f**ks at him, and put the phone down.

'Mr Reid' calls back 10 mins later, 'there must be a misunderstanding...' is the message he leaves on my answer-thingy.

In total, there were 4 numbers used to call me, 1 landline, 3 mobile.

I have no idea what scam is going on here, any ideas or similar experiences? Sorry this is long winded!

Next time they ring, tell them, sorry its sold, its sounds far too dodgy to me, just aswel you didn't give them your address, they may well of just come round and took the motor anyway when you are asleep.

google the phone numbers see if you get any joy

smurf wrote:

google the phone numbers see if you get any joy

You should also remove the link to your location on the location in your avatar (even if it isn't really your address, you could be directing them to somebody else's expensive car!) 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Tim in Scotland wrote:

.... you could be directing them to somebody else's expensive car!

So difficult selling your car these days! I had a similar experience a few years ago when selling my Grand Cherokee again Asian guys with cash wanting my address! After asking them some very searching questions I realized what was going on and told them to off but they were very persistent!

I then had an email from somebody abroad asking for more photos of the car. The next day they agreed to give me asking price for it and told me the car was going overseas. (This is a good one) They wanted my bank account details so they could transfer the money plus a grand extra which I needed to withdraw in cash and give to the guy picking my car up as it was payment for the shipping costs to where ever it was going! This is a great scam!! You do get the money transferred in to your account, guy turns up you give him your car plus a grand in cash wave goodbye as he drives off in your P&J with a pocked full of your money only to find out a few days later that the bank wants all the money back as it was stolen from another account! You lose your car and a grand!! I didn’t get cough out but i bet some people have!! Cheers Laurence.

Very interesting story Buster, indeed sounds like an amazing and very convincing scam! Thank you for the info. Vadim A.

Same as Buster, But i was paid with a stolen cheque, which cleared with the bank, The day they wanted to pick the car up (5 days later) i decided to ring the bank and air my views that it didn't seem kosher, The bank said they would get in touch with the Account holders bank, Turned out to be a stolen cheque from the middle of there cheque book,  2006 S/C Bonatti Grey, OEM Steps, LAND ROVFR Mud Flaps, Soft/Smooth steering wheel, 2010/11 HST Wheels.

Yep had a client who got a 'bankers draft' sent to him for £2k more then was asked.
He banked it, but told them what was going on, they put a 'trace' or marker on the amount, and three days later called him, saying do not release your merc to anyone, the bankers draft was a forgery!

I sell client's cars all the time, and get a lot of dodgy phonecalls. I am asian and my family are of Pakistani origin, and although i like to do business as honestly as possible, and to do business with people who are of the same school of thought. I have to say, i get people generally asian which im sorry to admit, trying to run all kinds of scams and trying to have one over on someone else, usually a bank or insurance company!

The latest scams seem to be: Accident management or claims assist, credit hire/hiring of prestige vehicles was something that was the flavour a few years ago, and previous to that it was mobile phone scams.. they seem to come round all the time, but lately everyone seems to be trying to get into website/SEO work and taking direct debits for guaranteed google positions and the like..

Also recently, i was selling my cousins Polo and it was only a 53 plate run around, and we were selling it for £2800 or thereabouts, and i've never sold a car of this price range out on the public domain, but my God, had probably 20 calls a day, running up to 10pm at night! most of the calls were a waste of time, and i would say about 30% of them were someone trying something on or a scam. The best being a lad who sounded like he was of African origin, saying he was too busy to come up from London because of his job, but kept making offers on the car for cash etc, and he'd come up.

Then he said, nah i don't know who you are, so you bring the car to me saturday, or get it delivered and i'll pay you cash on delivery.
I said no, and he had to come to us, pay cash / bacs into our bank then he could take the car. He persisted to call me for two weeks making similar offers, or trying to wangle something, offering people to come check the car for him etc. In the end i told him to go away in not so nice words.. a couple of asian doctors from Leicester ended up coming over an hour after calling, paying cash and driving it away. When selling any car, i always ask to see some ID or if the cash is large, i always insist on a BACS transfer or if they need some security, i say for them to come down see the car, then drive them to the bank and they can do a chaps in front of me, or they can pay cash out of their account into one of mine, that way the bank verifies it on the spot and no dodginess for anyone..

what is funny Kam is that someone posted something along the lines of "i dont deal with asians they just scam me" but that got deleted (maybe by them, maybe by site admin) then you've come along and more or less confirmed it! from the POV of an asian!

This is why I always sell cars for CASH ONLY.....thing is buyers always question it as if I'm the dodgy one....."Can I just ask....why is it cash only?

Because of all the con artists in the world!! And If you get cash you don't have to scratch your head thinking how this could be a scam.....

I get cash and go to the bank while they wait, or with them to make sure cash is kosher.

Done this 5 times in past 6 weeks and always fine

Jonny Fresh wrote:

This is why I always sell cars for CASH ONLY..... I get cash and go to the bank while they wait, or with them to make sure cash is kosher.

Good advice, that.

I've sold a fair few cars myself and mostly they've been for cash. From now on, it's all cash, always.

After posting this, I took the rangey out at the weekend to get the wheels changed back to my 20"ers, and the frickin power steering is like moving a fridge! I'm taking it off sale til it's fixed.

Yea i agree might be a well planed scam, as they seem to invent new type of scam every year or two, so please gents if you will be so kind send them my way specialy if they from London, some beautifull farms down my end, sorry am russian cant help it, hate fraudsters with passion as much as Cccp hated Adulf.

Yea i agree might be a well planed scam, as they seem to invent new type of scam every year or two, so please gents if you will be so kind send them my way specialy if they from London, some beautifull farms down my end, sorry am russian cant help it, hate fraudsters with passion as much as Cccp hated Adulf.