Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 12:48
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - James49

Hi Everyone. I am in the process of trying to sell my car, and have received an email from someone who wants to buy it. Sounds good. However, the buyer wants to send a 'shipping agent' to pick it up and sort out the paperwork - Is it possible to sign all the paperwork without the actual buyer present, bearing in mind I wouldn't even know if the buyer is who he says he is?! He has offered to send a cheque covering the car and the cost for the shipping (I don't know if this means abroad), and 'any other costs', and has asked me to clear the cheque, take the cost of the car and then send the excess money to the shipping agent who will then come and pick it up. It all sounds a bit wierd to me, but can anyone see any problems with doing this? Thanks.

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 13:33
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - daveyjp
Its a scam. Ignore any more emails from similar 'buyers'.

Edited by daveyjp on 14/01/2012 at 13:35

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 13:37
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - dieselnut

This is almost certainly a con.

You will probably find that the cheque is not from a UK bank. After the usual 3 days your bank will clear the cheque, but when the cheque is presented to the foreign bank in a few weeks time it will probably bounce. By this time the car will be gone & your bank will grab back its money from your account. Don't do it.

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 13:47
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - RT

It has occured in the past that even after cheques have been cleared that the money is clawed back a week of two after - don't ask me how but that's what been reported.

As said, it's a scam.

Edited by RT on 14/01/2012 at 13:48

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 13:50
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - thunderbird

Get as many details as you can and take them to the police, it attempted fraud is it not.

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Sat 14 Jan 2012 21:20
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - Rashid

Definitely a scam, unfortunately I don't think the police would do much, I would just ignore further correspondence

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Mon 23 Jan 2012 10:31
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - James49

Thanks for the advice everyone - I just ignored the emails.

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Mon 23 Jan 2012 14:57
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - MikeTorque

Contact Trading Standards, they will be very interested in this case.

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Mon 23 Jan 2012 21:42
Ford Focus - Selling a car without the buyer present - martint123

Contact Trading Standards, they will be very interested in this case.

I doubt it, normally out of their geographical jurisdiction.

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