Off topic: Is this a scam or advice how to find out Thread poster: Sanmar
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Sanmar
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:01
Dutch to English
My husband put a landrover gearbox up for sale on a website. We have had various emails from 419 scammers but now we have received 2 phone calls from someone purporting to be from Barbados, working for the UN who says he wants the gearbox and other parts. He has sent an email with various phone numbers in Israel, Lebanon, NY for 'UN offices' so we can 'check him out'. He says he will send a cheque and for us to wait for the cheque to clear before sending the parts abroad. Does anyone know about ... See more My husband put a landrover gearbox up for sale on a website. We have had various emails from 419 scammers but now we have received 2 phone calls from someone purporting to be from Barbados, working for the UN who says he wants the gearbox and other parts. He has sent an email with various phone numbers in Israel, Lebanon, NY for 'UN offices' so we can 'check him out'. He says he will send a cheque and for us to wait for the cheque to clear before sending the parts abroad. Does anyone know about this particular scam if this is what it is? Or is there a website where I can ask someone since I have checked out lots of fraud and scam sites but have not seen this particular situation mentioned. TIA ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sonja Tomaskovic (X) 
Germany
Local time: 06:01
English to German
+ ...
If he is really working for the UN, the UN headquarters should be able to confirm.
Of course, it might be difficult to get through to the right person especially since this is a huge organization. However, I would give it a try.
In general, I would be very cautious if the person is from another country. The problem with checks is that your local bank might credit them before they have proof whether the check is covered or not. Once the check bounces, they withdraw the ... See more If he is really working for the UN, the UN headquarters should be able to confirm.
Of course, it might be difficult to get through to the right person especially since this is a huge organization. However, I would give it a try.
In general, I would be very cautious if the person is from another country. The problem with checks is that your local bank might credit them before they have proof whether the check is covered or not. Once the check bounces, they withdraw the money credited plus compensations for any damages occurred.
I would really play it safe and find out whether he is telling the truth or not. Or offer him to pay by PayPal or WesternUnion.
HTH.
Sonja
[Edited at 2005-08-04 17:57] ▲ Collapse
| | | | pcovs
Denmark
Local time: 06:01
English to Danish
| I think it might be genuine | Aug 4, 2005 |
because the potential buyer has told you to wait till the check has cleared!
'Clearing a check' means that your bank - after receiving the check from you - checks out whether or not there's money to back this check up on the given account (and whether or not this check is a bogus one). Once your bank has said OK, there's no problem.
Depending on the country you live in, and other factors, 'clearing' may take several days. You should ask your bank about this period, an... See more because the potential buyer has told you to wait till the check has cleared!
'Clearing a check' means that your bank - after receiving the check from you - checks out whether or not there's money to back this check up on the given account (and whether or not this check is a bogus one). Once your bank has said OK, there's no problem.
Depending on the country you live in, and other factors, 'clearing' may take several days. You should ask your bank about this period, and then you should make sure that the check has actually been cleared by your bank, before you send the part. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | SCAM - clearing takes weeks! | Aug 5, 2005 |
Sanmar wrote:
He says he will send a cheque and for us to wait for the cheque to clear before sending the parts abroad. Does anyone know about this particular scam if this is what it is?
SCAM! It can take several weeks or more for an international check to actually "clear", as in the issuing bank paying the bank where the check was deposited.
Banking regulations usually force the bank to free the funds for use after a few days ... at this point, many people assume the check was good and ship the goods. WEEKS later, the bank says "give us back our money", and your parts are gone already.
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pcovs
Denmark
Local time: 06:01
English to Danish
| That's exactly why you should ask your bank. | Aug 5, 2005 |
[quote]Tsu Dho Nimh wrote:
SCAM! It can take several weeks or more for an international check to actually "clear", as in the issuing bank paying the bank where the check was deposited.
Banking regulations usually force the bank to free the funds for use after a few days ... at this point, many people assume the check was good and ship the goods. WEEKS later, the bank says "give us back our money", and your parts are gone already.
This may or may not take weeks, all depending on your country of residence, the bank on which the check is to be drawn etc.
But you should ask your bank, when the check would be cleared.
I still don't think this is a scam, since he asks you to wait until it has been cleared. Of course you should make absolutely sure that it has actually cleared.
| | | | Hirnholz (X)
Local time: 06:01
| Over-payment by counterfeit cheque | Aug 6, 2005 |
This sounds like a well-known Nigerian "419" scam involving a counterfeit cheque, possibly for an excessive amount, and a request for repayment after the funds have been made available (but before it is discovered that the cheques is counterfeit).
[Edited at 2005-08-08 06:12]
| | | | | agree with Hirnholz | Aug 8, 2005 |
Post the letter on the 419eater.com forum - these guys have tons of experience and can tell you whether the name the guy's using and/or phone numbers have also already been used in scams. By the way, phone numbers showing up as NY or Israel, for example, could actually just be forwarding numbers all going to a different country. Lastly, whatever method of payment you actually wanted should be possible for someone "working for the UN".
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