ran across the following on a BMW board -- a useful warning. This scam
hadn't occurred to me.
--Graham
We recently were notified by one of our members that someone with the email
address 'zainaboutfits@yahoo.com' using the name of 'Hassan Zainab'
attempted to purchase a car offered for sale here.
The seller's bank received a bank check for an amount several thousand more
than the asking price of the car. The buyer said that his bank inadvertently
sent the wrong amount and just to send that amount back to him plus the car.
This is unfortunately a very common scam going around right now, so everyone
should be aware of it. What happens is that a very official-looking check is
forged. The check will have a valid account number on it, and that account
can often be verified to have enough funds to cover the check.
The way the scam works is that a bank will accept this forged check, turn
over the 'extra' amount to the seller of the car, and then the seller sends
that amount back to the 'buyer'. But, a week or so later after the check is
processed, the banks involve discover it is a fake. When this happens, the
banks are not at fault--the seller is, and they owe the cash back to the
bank. If they have already sent it to the 'buyer', they are in trouble.
Please be alert for this type of scam. As usual, if it seems too good to be
true, it is. Be very careful about the people with whom you deal and do your
best to ensure they are who they say they are
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