Scam?

[GrandAlf]

I recently advertised my LS430 on Autotrader. I received an email from someone claiming to be from Canada, and that they would like to buy my car. They did not even ask about condition etc. When I replied asking why they wanted a RHD vehicle as an import, rather than purchasing a LHD locally or from the USA at lower cost, I received the following "standard" email.

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Hello,

Thanks for your respond and you're appreciated in all ways by our ***. Because of Fraud Act by the Africans before i can wire the money to your Bank Account one of these following below:-

International Passport.

OR

Driver's Licence.

And also this information will be highly needed to speeding me to wire the money immediately to your Bank Account and my Shipper can come for the picking up of the immediately as soon as you confirm the Payment in your Account and is also below:-

Social Security #.

Back Up Signature.

Refferal Letter From your working place.

Either your International Passport or Driver's Licence one of the two is also needed, all you will do is to Scan them as i told you in the first information i sent ot you earlier.

Because these will be add to the letter of transaction to your Bank Account without that nothing will be done.

Less i forgot the Bank that i want to do the tranfer will call you to confirm maybe you're the one that give me all the information am using in secret they will not let me maybe they're calling you so that if am there to do fraud i will be caught on aware.

Everything you need to do is to SCAN information to me not you sending it, that will cost more all they need to see is for them to believe that you're the owner of the Bank Account. Get back to me asap.

Best Regards,

Fese....

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This of course rung a lot of alarm bells. It seems like a scam to try and obtain peoples identity, presumably for nefarious purposes.

Of course it may be legitimate, but unlikely.

Just thought I would share this one with you, What do you think?.

[Claire G]

Sounds highly dubious to me!!!

[Jimmy Ten Toes]

When I was selling my IS, I got a similar E-Mail from someone in Nigeria. Didn't want to ask about the car and offered me asking price immediately. I left it well alone ;)

[stevenage_saint]

My brother in law was selling his Maganne and someone in South Africa wanted to buy. The fool agreed and was sent a cheaque, fortunatly the cheaque bounced before he arranged the transport of the car. That was november and the car is still sat on the drive!

[GrandAlf]

Kind of confims what I was thinking

[tdiplc]

We probably get around a dozen emails a week regarding this and other scams.

What really makes me angry is that a lot of these (originally from Nigeria) are now coming from the UK and mainland Europe. We give sactuary (and no doubt a house and plenty of social security) to these vermin, and instead of gratitude we get :tsktsk: :tsktsk: :tsktsk:

In my view there is too much PC and not enough honesty in this country - and the vermin will take advantage.

[tony_hetherington]

tdiplc

couldn't have put it better myself. stay well clear, grandalf!!

[GrandAlf]

Thanks everyone, at least I know I have done the right thing. :D

[Steve]

hmmm did I bet he will send you a cheque for 3k more

asks yo to cash the cheque... then place the extra 3k in a western union account (not sure why)

do not accept anything apart from cash in ya hand a gents handshake mate!