Used Car Sale: Checking The Dosh?

dahamsta

There's a lot of incredibly good quality dodgy €50 notes around at the moment, how do ye go about checking them? Do the banks check notes automatically when you lodge cash? Credit unions? If those are closed have ye ever tried getting a pub to check them for you, and will the new notes even be flagged by the UV machines?

colm_mcm

you can get a pen that checks them.

gyppo

dahamsta wrote: »

There's a lot of incredibly good quality dodgy €50 notes around at the moment, how do ye go about checking them? Do the banks check notes automatically when you lodge cash? Credit unions? If those are closed have ye ever tried getting a pub to check them for you, and will the new notes even be flagged by the UV machines?

Tough one. Banks and Credit unions do check notes when lodging cash, and will confiscate any dodgy ones, so the person that tenders them is at a loss.

Happened me two years ago when I was passed 4 dodgy 50's in a wad of cash after I sold a car. The counterfeit notes were practically indistinguishable from the real ones, save for being 1mm smaller all round. I asked the branch for a photocopy of the dodgy notes, and got them to stamp the copy.

Rang the buyer, and told him the story, and told him that until the rest of the money was paid I would not be posting the VLC. I also gave him 3 days to make up the difference, otherwise I would be reporting it to the guards, so as to cover myself against any road fines, tolls, etc..

I got the rest of the money the next day.

dahamsta

colm_mcm wrote: »

you can get a pen that checks them.

I'm really hesitant about consumer-level gadgets, particularly with the current notes. They have them in the cash windows in Musgraves, they're incredibly good quality.

gyppo wrote: »

Rang the buyer, and told him the story, and told him that until the rest of the money was paid I would not be posting the VLC. I also gave him 3 days to make up the difference, otherwise I would be reporting it to the guards, so as to cover myself against any road fines, tolls, etc..

I got the rest of the money the next day.

That's good to know anyway, but of course if they're truly dodgy they won't care about the VLC.

Interesting that you held onto the VLC, I've often wondered about people's policies on that too. Last time I sold a car, some time ago, I filled it in with the guy present but I left him leave with it.

unkel

If you're unsure if the notes are fake, let the buyer pay you cash inside any bank branch and let the bank check it

dahamsta wrote: »

Interesting that you held onto the VLC, I've often wondered about people's policies on that too. Last time I sold a car, some time ago, I filled it in with the guy present but I left him leave with it.

The seller is supposed to keep it and post it!

Alanstrainor

I always thought the best way of checking any note is to check the piece of the note, on the side with the two arches, and in between the blue star and the 5 there's a red shape. Run your finger nail over the top of it, it should have tiny ridges on it. It's very hard to fake this afaik. It's on all the notes btw.

coylemj

I'd never accept cash, those Bank of Lagos drafts are much safer.

naughtysmurf

If you are badly stuck, looking at the front of the euro notes, just to the left of the big 5, 10, 20, 50 etc, there is a rectangle with the bottom piece missing (I am sure there is a proper name for this shape)

Run your fingernail across this shape, it should feel rough / ribbed, the texture should be different to the rest of the note which is smooth.

dahamsta

dahamsta wrote: »

............


That's good to know anyway, but of course if they're truly dodgy they won't care about the VLC. ................

If they're truly dodgy they have better things to be doing than buying cars with fake €€s That's the sort of potential hassle folk can do without.

If you verify their address with their passport or drivers license and recent utility bill and don't post of the VLC until you have verified the cash is ok that's a decent safety net, if they are dodgy they will have issues with the demands, if they're above board they'll understand.

Atlantic Dawn

Best bet is to have them meet you at the bank and lodge the cash there and then, bank will check it and once they have checked them in front of you it's their problem if they later turn out to be duds. Sun cream can be put on notes to get around the UV pens.

coylemj

Even better, meet them in their bank, building society or credit union. Stand at the counter with the buyer, he or she then applies for a draft made in your name, you stand there and the official hands the draft over to you.

This means that (1) the money is there to cover the deal and (2) there is no risk of forgery.

dahamsta

As I said, the buyer will have cash, so there wouldn't be any point in converting that to a draft. And I may not be able to get to the bank, although I've checked my credit unions and they're open until 5, I'll give them a ring in the morning to see what their policy on cash is. Obviously I would need to bring the buyer with me, otherwise the purpose would be defeated.

RoverJames, that's good simple advice, I don't think I'd be able too get a utility bill off him as he's travelling early but I reckon a snap of his licence'd probably keep him honest, and I'll explain exactly why I need it.

In hindsight on the VLC, that's what I did when I sold the e34, but I remember thinking when I was/buying/ it that I really wanted to /see/ it go in the postbox so there could be no funny business.

unkel

BTW you're not selling the 740i are you? :eek:

dahamsta

Not yet. Wife won't let me.

unkel

Hang on to that wife of yours

Compton

Use one of the decent UV lights, they work really well, don't use the pens they're crap.