turnerrd

Just so this stays in the archives even though I wouldn't think these guys would use the same names and email address twice.
He responsed to my ad on boat trader inquiring about buying my boat. He says he works with a procurement outfit in the UK, but no company name or phone # listed. Just a gmail account ([email protected]). I sent him a bunch of pics and info, after some negotiations we struck a deal and he said he would take it. Got him all set up with money transfer info and he said his shipping agent would be in touch soon to do the inspection. Then he disappeared for a week, then came back and said he was out of town and the money would be transfered later in the week, He confirmed it a few days later. That was 2 weeks ago, no money.
I kind of thought all along that it very well could be a scam. However, what I know about these guys is that they work with bad certified checks or money orders, This guy offered to do the money transfer to me, which gave me hope he was legit as I don't think they can get away with fraud on a wire transfer.
Just wanted to share my experience to help others, especially if he's dumb enough to use the same name twice.

Chris Sunkin

I assume you sent him your banking information to do the transfer. If so, they're using it right now in an effort to drain your account of funds. With your account number, routing and ABA, a person could clean you out. They can do an EFT or a facsimile draft with that information. Call your bank.

long duck dong

Chris is right, they can ach debit or draft your account....

Chris Sunkin

I owned an interest in a business in the 90's that was time-sensitive. The customers would pay by check, same-day. They would fax us two forms. One was an authorization for our records, the other was account information- the identical information one would use for a wire transfer. Anyway, they would take that info and plug it into a program that would print out a check on bank check stock- just like you'd use with Quickbooks. The check would have the account, ABA and routing numbers. In the signature line was printed authorized draft or something close- I don't recall the specifics. The banks took dozens of these every day for years without ever questioning it once. The checks ranged from $5,000 to $50,000. They were drawn against the accounts of large businesses that most likely had six and seven figure balances for operating capital. I questioned one day what would prevent "someone" from fashioning one with a hundred-thousand or half-million dollar amount. My banker told me "prison- lots of prison".

It's tough to put an African national operating as an illegal immigrant from London in prison. Not impossible, but tough. And unlike here, you'd have no one to go back upon.


... I just called my former partner- they're called demand drafts. Search online for "checks by fax"

turnerrd

Its a Charles Schwab account. I was also very concerned about that posibility. I checked with them and they assured me there was no way they could make a withdrawl from my account as long as he just has the specific instructions for a wire transfer.
Even if they could Schwab insures against fraud or any other thing like that.
It's been two weeks and they havn't got it done yet so hopefully I'm in the clear