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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think DH was scammed

226 replies

Cath2907 · 21/05/2018 09:44

We were selling our old car yesterday through autotrader. I took out kid and dog to reduce distractions. DH was dealing. He rang to tell me car was sold for £450 less than advertised but to some lovely people.

I got home later to find they'd had trouble transferring money to our account. He'd seen them set up the transfer on their side but that the payment was delayed until today. Basically he let them drive away without paying.

No money has arrived today. Have emailed them to express concern there's been a mix up and ask them to confirm the details of the transferred money and no answer.

DH said he saw their drivers license, checked it had the same address they'd asked the car to be registered to and overall they seemed a lovely couple. He is sure the money will show up and this is all a mix up. I think they have scammed him and am quite upset and frustrated that he let someone drive away with a few grands worth of our car without actually handing over a penny.

Please tell me I am a suspicious whatsit and this is bound to be a mix up?

OP posts:
Xenia · 22/05/2018 11:23

I was reading about sensible lady today who was scammed - it was all so plausible and the fraudsters had her bank details and knew her recent transactions and called her. She should though not have believed them when they told her to transfer the money into a new account.

In fact it can be better not to take these thigns by telephone call as a lot of the scams are now moving to convincing telephone call scams. Keep your phone on answerphone. She is right though that NatWest do ask you to call them if they think a tarnsaction is fake and she showed her branch later the fake NatWest text she got and they thought it was genuine!

Failingat40 · 22/05/2018 11:24

Bloody he'll the man checked their iD, driving license matched the address the car was being registered on to.

He stood and witnessed the buyers setting up and sending the payment via their online bank and vipers still don't think that's enough!?

Once money has been sent this way it can't just be reversed you know.

I suppose he could have kept them sitting waiting in your home until the money landed physically in your account.

CiderwithBuda · 22/05/2018 11:24

Phew!

PattiStanger · 22/05/2018 11:41

Nope, fallingat40, he was still an idiot. Just because he wasn't scammed doesn't mean he wasn't extremely stupid.

If you read back you'll see that actually I said it was unlikely to be a scam.

Please dont anyone assume that because you see documents they are genuine.

Until the money's in your account don't hand over anything at all. Basic common sense.

Grilledaubergines · 22/05/2018 12:10

Findo so true. But folk do love to stick the boot in and add a bit of drama.

Grilledaubergines · 22/05/2018 12:13

patti

How does that pan out in this scenario? I wouldn’t make a transfer to a seller where there was a risk of a banking delay. Seller could be the ‘scammer’. Buyer loses money. There has to be an element of trust once usual checks have been carried out. As far as reasonably possible. Which is what the OP’s DH did. He’s not an idiot or stupid.

pigsDOfly · 22/05/2018 12:47

Glad to hear this was all genuine and resolved satisfactorily.

Don't think the OP needs to apologise to DH. He does need to learn to be lest trusting though so I think that's a coversation I'd be having with him.

Original poster
Cath2907 · 22/05/2018 13:45

No apologies were exchanged. I might have thought he was an idiot and expressed my concern that we'd been scammed but I didn't lose my shit with him (did FEEL stabby but didn't actually stab anyone). I was obviously wrong that they were scammers but I don't think I was wrong to be worried. He was as worried as I was by lunchtime yesterday and did say he would do it differently next time. We were both too relieved to worry about who might have been in the wrong!

OP posts:
PolarBearkshire · 22/05/2018 17:31

Wow... why? Why did he do that?

Dilligaf81 · 22/05/2018 17:32

Payments do get delayed especially if its for 1000s to a new payee.banks will delay for extra checks and some banks have a rep for poor time keeping regarding online payments (Lloyds we mean you). Yes he was a bit innocent but if the buyer has sent a pdf then thats good as i know my banking app will not let you take a screenshot.

cate16 · 22/05/2018 17:34

We had the opposite. Couple came to look at our car late at on a Monday night 9ish. wanted it, agreed to pay on the Friday (gave me time to sort alternative transport for work) ... chap went home 2 hours drive, I then get a message and the money is in our account by 11.30pm that night. I was a tad annoyed as I felt I couldn't drive the car anymore in case someone damaged it. It wasn't a cheap car either, and once it was paid I wanted it gone to be honest.

Cannockcanring · 22/05/2018 17:44

Once money has been sent this way it can't just be reversed you know.
You're mistaken, i've seen exactly that actually! Someone transferred a large sum to a friend's account for a course he was to run for their child, but also asked him to pass half onto someone else.

He was a bit suspicious but could see the money in his account online. He decided to ring the bank to make really sure...and they said the transaction has been reversed (and wouldn't divulge more due to dpa!).
It makes no sense that it can be reversed once it's in your account but it can happen.

J1963 · 22/05/2018 17:45

Oh dear. I hope I'm wrong and it's a genuine mix up but the word scam is looking like what your DH has fallen for. Unless someone is personally known and trusted then you want cash in hand or money clearly in your bank account otherwise no handing over the car.

Sorry to nit pick but b.t.w it's driving licence, not driving license.

tolerable · 22/05/2018 17:50

can you talk to someone at bank,is possible delay in transfer?do you have spare key.?

iBiscuit · 22/05/2018 17:52

Out of interest, what was he meant to do? He checked ID, matched that address against the one they were using for the log book, watched them set up a payment...
The alternative - he keeps hold of the car until the payment clears, would mean they were opening themselves up to fraud surely?

QuitMoaning · 22/05/2018 17:53

@tolerable. Have you read the thread?

Kursk · 22/05/2018 17:56

It’s because of situations like this we only use or accept cash for things like this.

iBiscuit · 22/05/2018 17:58

Then you have the issue of fake notes though, and there's no evidence that money has changed hands.

JustJayne1959 · 22/05/2018 17:58

Oh dear, your husband has been a victim of one of the oldest scams going. I’d ring the police if I were you but not a lot they can do... unless you report the car as stolen? It will still be registered in your name I would think, they don’t work that quickly.

JustJayne1959 · 22/05/2018 17:59

No, it’s license not licence lol

bearbehind · 22/05/2018 18:03

It's licence in this context- it's a noun- it's the actual card.

Glad it all worked out OP.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 22/05/2018 18:04

It is definitely licence with a C in the UK.

Glad it was all sorted OP.

Kursk · 22/05/2018 18:04

iBiscuit

Why do you need evidence that money changed hands? Comparatively spotting fake notes is a manageable risk.

Recently we have been accepting trades for things such as a Car for motorcycle, and a lawnmower for a rifle.

iBiscuit · 22/05/2018 18:08

That's a good question, Kursk Blush

Knittedfairies · 22/05/2018 18:12

A happy ending!