I sold my motorhome to some passers-by (it was old, and not used much). I was knocked down on the price I asked.
They said they were "touring" to buy up unwanted motorhomes to take back (to Ireland) for Ukrainians who had nowhere to live/sleep.
They were in a big shiny brand new pick-up, and at first I was dealing with one Irish giant, then one-by-one, three more got out (all brothers). And the 7y.o. son of one of them. Sweet.
Without tax, they put trade plates on and said that they would have a lorry come to transport it, but did drive it away off down the road; it had started well as new battery in April. But I had o real knowledge of it's mechanical soundness (it would overheat if driven stop-start in heat I remember.)
Bank transfer/FP done while they were there.
Two hours later I get a call (fortunately one of them had taken my number), and apparently it had blown up on the "motorway" (I think, the A1), so the discussion was what did I want to do, but also they also spoke to someone who said it was a heap of shit, but it could go to a "yard"/for spares/be fixed (new engine, gearbox etc etc) at great cost.
They (I was not actually sure which brother I was speaking to; they all sounded like one another....) in the end, said - unless I misunderstood - that they would send it for scrap/spares to a nearby yard (with "a man") and I would send their money back - although not the full amount, "for my trouble". (Also had given me 10% in cash - which I didn't know what to do with....)
When I tried to send the agreed amount, the Bank held it up and I had to speak to Fraud - who said, 1) Buyer Beware - so I was not obliged to given them ANY of the money back (!!!!), 2) The motorhome is probably quite all right, and they are looking to get even more of a bargain.....
They also asked me if I felt intimidated or threatened, or was worried that there would be comeback if I stood my ground..... And I said I was only worried about (in my imagination) what would happen if I didn't.
Anyway the Bank lifted the fraud restriction (by now I had had three messages....) and I decided best to just send all the money back.
And I did. And got a call from one of the brothers (NOT the one who said I didn't need to give it all back) and he didn't even mention the fact I had sent everything to them, so now no motorhome (a mixed blessing, possibly?) and none of the money.... I asked him where "he" was (I think they had split up in various directions, and the one I was speaking to was not the one who had been in the motorhome), and he was on the way to Scotland, but the motorhome broke down in Yorkshire. I also struggled with the accents (proper proper Irish, which I do like), so didn't even really push it, trying to find out what and where. I know I am a fool.
Does anyone think I have been suckered? (I do. And the Fraud guy at the Bank thought I was - and that was before I returned the money.)
There is waaaay more backstory to this but I don't want to ramble, and have someone tell me it's too long, or too complicated, or simply not interesting enough to read.