Irish bank drafts

CivilServant

I received an email about an item I had for sale. The person said that they would like to buy what I offered and would like to pay by bank draft. He also said that he couldn't meet me in person, but could arrange a shipper to deliver the draft and take my goods.

Anyways after hearing some trouble about bank drafts I was wondering what would be the best way to proceed? I searched through this forum and found this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=105342&highlight=drafts

Bazooka says the scammers were from the netherlands and this guy emailing me says he's from holland! :eek: I want to sell my item but I also don't want to get screwed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ballooba

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Even if it's an Irish draft you have no guarantee that it's not stolen.

lomb

email him the article about the dodgy draft. i know in the uk when u buy a car and they dont know u they get u to photocopy the draft b4 sending the real one and fax it and then they must ring bank to confirm the authenticity of it.
if i was u id get him to wire transfer the money but even that isnt without fraud read up on that.
the safest way is paypal but check the registered address and as long as u ship to the registered address of that paypal member then ul b fine. good luck

Gandhi

Wouldn't the bank draft have to be made out to you? And if this dude is sending someone over from Holland, would it not be easier for them to pay in cash, as it's both Euros?

Tell them you will not send the goods until the draft is PAID (not CLEARED - there is a difference). See e-bay scam below:

The Scam: Company Check Crumbles

Scenario:
Winning bidder informs seller that bidder doesn't have personal checkbook handy, but is willing to send seller a recently-issued company check. The company check's dollar amount is much greater than the auction amount, but the bidder tells seller that the bidder will trust him to refund the difference with a money order, after check clears.
Check appears to clear seller's bank. Seller ships widget and money order. Soon thereafter, bank informs seller that the check is fraudulent, and has not been paid to the bank, so the money is deducted from seller's account. Seller loses widget, money order, and full amount of check!

Protection:
Do not take third-party checks! If you do accept checks, and if the dollar amount is high, wait for the check to be PAID rather than just to CLEAR (talk to your bank representative for definitions of these terms). Do not exchange "good as gold" money orders for possibly fraudulent checks!

antoinolachtnai

You think some guy from Holland really wants to ship your second-hand stuff over there? It's a scam. Forget about it.

CivilServant

Well I was believing all of it til he said he would be paying by bank draft and he's from holland.

fintan

What he will tell you next is the shipper who is picking it up owes him money so the bank draft he will give you will be more than the price for the goods and he will want you to forward him on the rest of the money.

So you cash the bank draft, (probably drawn on a foreign bank) and you see the money hit up straight away in your account, you then send him on the money. A couple of weeks later you get a polite letter from the bank saying the draft couldnt be cleared and they will take the money back out of your account.