Selling a car? Don't get scammed...

[VAG fool]

Sorry if this comes across as a bit of a downer, but an acquaintance recently got turned over on a car sale.
Long and short of it was this: well known online auction site sale, car got to £1600 or so, a "father and son" from central european parts turn up and did a crafty distraction while the bonnet was up.
Young man "finds" black oily mess in the coolant tank while seller is called away to look at something at.tye backnof the car and then they proceed to knock him down on the price because the engine is supposedly blown.
Dont get caught out.

 

[anthony lawler]

I remember reading a story in the mid 2000s on the BBS which was the british built sportscar website as at the time i owned a mk2 lotus elise and a member sold his Elise and accepted paypal via the well known website aka ebay and once the car left his drive within a couple of days the payment was somehow reversed because of a dodgy account and from what i remember he never seen the car again and never got the money returned once paypal put his account into minus many thousands, if it taught me one thing only accept cash or bank transfer for any motor you sell.

 

[Skipton01]

Absolutely. It happened to me, not with a car, but with a rather nice titanium watch. Buyer was in New York, paid via PayPal and I was told I was covered against fraud.
turned out that the buyer was using a stolen credit card which he’d used to open a PayPal account and the credit card company reversed the transaction. I got diddly squat back from PayPal and am still wary of them to this day.

 

[Rusty911]

I would like to point out that over the years I have dealt with lots of buyers (and sellers) from the areas implied by the OP and never had a problem.

My experience of buying and selling literally 100's of cars is that most issues arise from folk rather more home grown.

 

[TYP 8Z]

I would like to point out that over the years I have dealt with lots of buyers (and sellers) from the areas implied by the OP and never had a problem.

My experience of buying and selling literally 100's of cars is that most issues arise from folk rather more home grown.

@Rusty911 ??????

 

[VAG fool]

Not wishing to descend into into any sort of international mud-slinging episode... I merely related my acquaintances experiences and observations.
I have happily bought parts from all over Europe without a hitch and I embrace all cultures and the diversity they bring to our lives.
But...
You'd be a fool not to heed the warning.
A classic, well-rehearsed slight of hand routine by a pair of crafty types.
Not everyone has the same values in life and some are hungrier than others.

 

[Jeff Sutcliffe]

Some people don't even realise that they are guilty of, and promoting, casual racism. If your acquaintance had been 'turned over' by two people who spoke with the same accent as you, or even my broad Lancashire one, I can't imagine that you'd have mentioned it. However, thanks for the heads up about the scam.

I must say that, if I'd been faced with the same situation as your acquaintance, I'd have apologised to the father and son viewing the car and sent them on their way, promising to contact them again once I'd had the car inspected and, if necessary repaired.

 

[Darren C]

The sentiments behind the original post, warning not to be duped, are clear enough. To negate this thread from turning into something else, it is now locked.