Another very common scam involves an overseas buyer wanting to buy your vehicle for a relative. Bank cheque will be sent, but by the way, my accountant stuffed up and made it out for $5000 more to cover the freight, but now we will pick it up in three months. Sorry for the inconvenience but when you bank the cheque, would you mind transferring the $5000 back to me via international transfer. Keep $100 for your trouble.
Bank cheque arrives, your bank accepts it and credits your account, you send the excess back to the nice buyer and surprise, surprise, two months later your bank is advised by the drawing bank overseas that the cheque was stolen and debits your account accordingly.
Yes, people do fall for it and when I was looking for an OKA to buy, one seller said sorry, its been sold already to a bloke in S Africa - for his son. Luckily the scam hadn't progressed too far and thanks to my advice, they were only too pleased to back out.
