Need Car-Selling Experiences

[DanStokes]

My bro has a Supercharged Pontiac Bonneville for sale - I forget the year but it's old enough to be smog-exempt in CA. Anyhow, I guy sent him a cashier's check for the sale price plus $1K for shipping. The Bro has tried to check to see if the guy and the business are real and as far as he can tell that seems OK but the car is in MI and the "buyer" is in California. The check was sent with the car sight unseen and this deal just smells funny to me. What do you guys think?

Dan

[Dan Barlow]

My bro has a Supercharged Pontiac Bonneville for sale - I forget the year but it's old enough to be smog-exempt in CA. Anyhow, I guy sent him a cashier's check for the sale price plus $1K for shipping. The Bro has tried to check to see if the guy and the business are real and as far as he can tell that seems OK but the car is in MI and the "buyer" is in California. The check was sent with the car sight unseen and this deal just smells funny to me. What do you guys think?

Dan

Dan I have no experience in this because I'm way cautious.
1. There is no way that a guy in California is that desperate to get a Bonneville that he's going to buy and ship one from the rust belt .
I have heard about the shipper losing his car and the shipping cost .
I forgot how it's completed . I'll see if I can come up with it .

[cstmwgn]

I thought Cashiers checks were golden but can he take it to the bank and have them verify they account it is drawn on? I would think he could also deposit the check with his bank and wait for them to confirm it has cleared (sometimes a week) and then arrange shipping once the check has cleared and the funds are in his account.

[squirrel]

scam scam scam....

real buyers pay for shipping themselves, they dont send extra money for you to pay for shipping.

the check is phony
.

don't ship the car!

[RockJustRock]

Smog exempt is locked in at 1975 in California.

[squirrel]

google it.

[Dan Barlow]

google it.

That looks as lot like the article I just read " 10 Ebay Scams to avoid " I found it by googling Ebay Scams .

[67 Malibu]

I have had a cashiers check + shipping sitting on my desk for a couple of months now. My banker said that they can send it in & then it goes around & around the banking system for weeks before it comes back as fake/no funds & the bank then takes the money back out of my account. It was the sale amount plus $1200 for a set of 1960's vintage Buick wheels. And of course I was expected to return the "extra" shipping cost right away. The shipper should always cover the shipping cost paid directly to the shipper upon delivery. The money should be wired directly to the sellers bank. Either that or the full amount is paid up front to seller. Even most money orders can be "payment stopped" after you have already shipped something. What I do on smaller parts type amounts is a Postal Money Order. They have to be cash purchased & you cash them at your local Post Office for cash. Keeps everyone honest.

[Deaf Bob]

Wait till the check clears...
Cash in hand, why not?

[Eric]

It most likely is a scam. and not a new one.
Also, the car is not smog exempt. unless it is a 1975 or older car. I'm thinking this is a 90's-2000's 3800 s/c v6 powered car.
If I was to entertain this. I'd goto my bank and open a separate account just for this, deposit said check if the bank states it seems good, and wait till it clears and you have the cash in hand, then close the account. this way you are not putting a phony check in your day to day account and the issues of it being a phony and bouncing can cause.
Unless your family member offered to set up shipping, and gave him/she a quote. for it.
it 99.99% most likely is a scam.. one that has been around for a decade plus.
The fact that the new owner clams it be smog exempt in cali. also raises red flags. As those in that state would know this. well one would hope they'd know this before buying it.

[67 Malibu]

Wait till the check clears...
Cash in hand, why not?

I do not have a problem with that if I talk to the buyer on the phone & they understand the rules. Most get that that goes without saying on a personal check & do not have a problem with it. Personal checks also have personal information on them. And you do not have to be super perceptive to get a good feel for what kind of person that you are dealing with during a short chat on the phone.

[DanStokes]

I Emailed The Bro that this is probably a scam and advised that he look up the scam into on Google. It isn't a HUGE amount of $$ but still it counts. Standing by......

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

Wait till the check clears...
Cash in hand, why not?

because it's a scam.

wire transfers only.

[Deaf Bob]

Boy! I got alot to learn!
Being deaf, little hard to phone somebody..

So? Wire transfers are non pull backable (stop payment)?

[cstmwgn]

... Wire transfers are non pull backable (stop payment)?

When they execute they are committed. From my experience they cost somewhere between $30 - $50 to initiate and should process in 24 hours or less.
Of course this ASSUMES you don't mind giving a total stranger your bank account info