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Original poster

Any mners who understand bankers drafts..I think I have been very naive!

93 replies

angelsmummy · 13/08/2006 16:44

Can anyone offer me any advice?

I sold my car to a guy who lives in Hull (I am in Derbys). He came to view on his way to his job in London, the following day made me an offer, sent ?75.00 through paypal as a deposit, then promised to collect the following Saturday with the remaining cash.

Me, being helpful! offered to drive the car to Chesterfield as this would basically cut around 3 hours off his journey, to meet his train.

He arrived with the cash, and a bankers draft for ?150.00 which he said was because the bank wouldn't allow the full amount in cash. This would have been fine but he had "mistakenly" had the draft made payable to my email name not my true name. He apologised and it did seem a genuine mistake to make, so I let him take the car, and I rang my bank on the Monday morning.

My bank told me that I would ghave to get it changed to my account name, So I rang the guy who told me to send it back and he would get it changed.

I sent this back to him, well over a week ago and he is saying that he hasn't received it??

How do I stand? Can bankers drafts be stopped on his behalf?

I am very worried I have lost this ?150.00.

I was so trusting that I didn't even record delivery

Any advice?

OP posts:
jamiesam · 16/08/2006 14:08

unattend sounds dodgy doesn't it? Is it really just an 'email address' rather than a place of work? Guy lives in Hull but works in Ealing? Also, watch out for how much that phone code will cost you (recent article in Good Housekeeping - sure 0871 is 'expensive)

CountTo10 · 16/08/2006 14:10

I would definitely contact the DVLA and explain the situation and get them to block his request. Essentially the car is still yours as he has not completed the payment or upheld his end of your verbal contract. My partners mother had a situation when her son's girlfriend registered her vehicle to their address without permission and then got a speeding fine and parking ticket. She let the dvla and police know and got it all resolved. I appreciate the police have said its a civil matter but the car on papework is in your name and as he hasn't paid it, he's stolen it so it should be treated as such - have you got legal advice on your car insurance, it might be worth giving them a call???

foxinsocks · 16/08/2006 14:11

give consumer direct a call - they can be quite helpful in matters like this (and if they can't help, they may know someone who can!)

consumer direct

Original poster
angelsmummy · 16/08/2006 14:12

He actually came to view the car around 11.30pm on the Sunday night as he was travelling back to his place of work.

He said he was trying to get a transfer to Hull with the same company.

He seemed so genuine, only about 23, quietly spoken, student type.

There again a con man hardly has it tatooed on his forehead!

OP posts:
UrsulatheSeawitch · 16/08/2006 14:18

I assumed from the type of company that all its people will work remotely iyswim - it's an internet company - so prob just on contract. Doesn't mean they wouldn't be interested that he has conned someone using their email address.

rabbitrabbit · 16/08/2006 14:23

Hello,

Here's the Unattend Website - though it does list the same contact details.
There is also another email address on the "email us your questions" link - you could try a contact through there?

hth

NotQuiteCockney · 16/08/2006 14:29

I would email them. Go to this cite, and you can find out the name of the owner of the company. I would try to reach him, probably by email, and let him know that a member of his company is using his work address to defraud people.

SaintGeorge · 16/08/2006 14:36

angelsmummy did you get my email?

I am happy to make a couple of local calls for you but really would like the extra bit of info first.

Original poster
angelsmummy · 16/08/2006 14:53

Just emailed you stgeorge.

I was cleaning my dd up to take her to see her nan for an hour.

Thanks again for all the advice. I hope this ends in a result...mumsnetters 1 conmen 0!

OP posts:
SaintGeorge · 16/08/2006 15:11

Have spoken to him and replied to your mail.

Pixiefish · 16/08/2006 15:35

www- stgeaorge- am intrigued to his reply.

really hope you get this sorted angelsmummy

Fimbo · 17/08/2006 09:37

Bump for the nosey ones amongst us, who have been following this thread.

Original poster
angelsmummy · 17/08/2006 09:59

Latest news......

StGeorge spoke to him yesterday, he said he was no longer working for the company in London,he wasn't ignoring my calls but he doesn't answer number witheld {my mobile isn't witheld}

He said the bank won't do anything about the missing draft, and he has spoken to me on Monday and told me the car has cost him £750 up to now in repairs. This I find very hard to believe as my dh drove the car 30+ miles to meet this guy.

He certainly didn't speak to me on Monday, I've had no response to any of my ways of contacting this guy.

I'm going with Georges advice though at the moment, which is to hang tight as George believes he will pay me once the draft issue is sorted, and if I push too much he may withdraw as he feels fed up with the repair costs.

I hope I've just about covered this conversation, thanks George.

I'll keep this thread updated, if I was reading this as an mn I'd want to know the latest news!!

Thanks again for all the help I received yesterday.

I'm feeling a little more positive about it all today, fingers crossed.

OP posts:
CountTo10 · 17/08/2006 10:05

Glad to hear you've got somewhere at last even just a little bit. Hope it gets resolved soon - hang in there - look forward to hearing how it works out.

SaintGeorge · 17/08/2006 11:50

Yep that about covers it.

Please call me Saint or StG though - keep thinking you are talking about some bloke I vaguely know when you call me George

MarsLady · 17/08/2006 12:08

Oooooh I'm intrigued.

StG................. my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fimbo · 17/08/2006 13:16

Well done StG. God how I love this website!

mazzarella · 17/08/2006 13:44

good job saintgeorge!
If your fancy hunting down bigfamily she ripped me off £50 on here!

Original poster
angelsmummy · 17/08/2006 14:29

Thats awful Mazz, was it someone you had talked to? Seems worse if its someone you think you know.

I wonder how these people sleep in their beds at night.

OP posts:
mazzarella · 17/08/2006 15:06

i was buying some phil and teds stuff off the sale board off here and as soon as she had my paypal payment she emptied her account and i heard no more!
She didnt respond to emails or a paypal dispute so I won the paypal claim but shed already emptied her account! So i get nothing back!!!

Original poster
angelsmummy · 17/08/2006 15:37

Thats awful, I thought paypal was safe for buyers, I once sold a Burberry girls winter coat to a German buyer through Ebay, the buyer wouldn't pay the extra for the insurance, I obtained proof of post as I always do, yet they filed a non reciept, and paypal favoured them and took the money back the next time I sold something. I was fuming, but learnt the lesson that unless the buyer was prepared to pay insurance in future, they shouldn't bid.

Its a shame theres always someone out there to spoil things for genuinely honest people.

OP posts:
Orinoco · 17/08/2006 22:32

Message withdrawn

SecurMummy · 17/08/2006 22:44

A bankers draft only shows that you had the money in your account when it was issued, it does not reserve the funds so there is nothing stopping you taking the money out as soon as you have the draft - that is why you should still treat them as a cheque and not release goods until they have gone through the usual clearing cycle.

Sorry you are going through this - and well done stg!

BTW I didn't know you were so close to me STG!

SecurMummy · 17/08/2006 22:44

A bankers draft only shows that you had the money in your account when it was issued, it does not reserve the funds so there is nothing stopping you taking the money out as soon as you have the draft - that is why you should still treat them as a cheque and not release goods until they have gone through the usual clearing cycle.

Sorry you are going through this - and well done stg!

BTW I didn't know you were so close to me STG!

SecurMummy · 17/08/2006 22:45

Sorry - just incase you missed it the first time I posted