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You were on the point of joining many others who fall for this. Read on.

Online scam reports on the rise
By John Leonidou
(archive article - Tuesday, October 23, 2007)
POLICE IN Cyprus are investigating a record number of complaints from the public who have been fallen victim to online scams.

According to police figures, 25 cases are being looked into, with figures showing that fraudsters have managed to defraud Cypriots out of around £100,000.

Investigators have said the fraudsters set up fake websites and prey on unsuspecting Cypriots wanting to buy cheaper products online.

Most of the cases show Cypriots being swindled out of money when trying to purchase luxury cars from destinations such as the UK, Germany and Portugal but also when buying furniture from countries such as Singapore.

According to Superintendent Christoforos Mavromattis of the Finance Fraud Squad, communications usually take place by email and the payments are made either through bank transactions or courier.

“Once the payment is made, the merchandise is never sent,” said the police official, who added that locating the culprits is almost impossible because in most cases, the information they give on the internet and on their bank accounts is false.

“We also know that the fraudsters often operate from internet caf?s.”

There are also cases in which merchandise is bought from Cypriots with the use of fake cheques.
Other scams include the offender showing interest in an actual vehicle for sale on the internet and then using the delay in banks clearing cheques to scam his victim.

The “buyer” would explain that a client of his is interested in the car, but due to an earlier sale that fell through, has a certified cheque for thousands more than the asking price and requests the seller send the balance via wire transfer.

When the seller agrees to the transaction, the buyer sends the certified cheque via express courier. The seller would then take the cheque to their bank, which makes the funds available immediately.

Thinking the bank has cleared the cheque, the seller would then follow through on the transaction by wiring the balance to the buyer. Days later, the check bounces and the seller realises that he or she has been conned.

But by that time, the money has long since been picked up and is not recoverable.

Mavromattis also stated that at one time, investigators flew to Latvia to investigate the case of a Nicosia man who was scammed out of some money.

After being assisted by the Latvian authorities, they discovered that a homeless man had sold his details to the fraudster who used his details to set up legitimate accounts.
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Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007

[IcyNoAngel]

I've got THE SAME thing when I was selling a car. Exactly the same. But my response was different, I just said:
"I don't care what check you send, send it to who ever you want or whoever you know, but I want CASH. You give me cash, I give you the car, No Cash => No Car".
After that he just didn't reply

[kafenes]

Thanks everyone for your responds. I knew it was a scum of a kind but dieing to know how it worked. Since he askes me to send him the ballance after his cheque is cleared.

[IcyNoAngel]

I have a question: what does it mean that the check bounces?

[Cheshire Cat]

A Cheque will bounce if there are insufficient funds in the acount to meet it.


If this were me I would hand it over to the police perhaps they could trap this scammer.

[Get Real!]

Other scams include the offender showing interest in an actual vehicle for sale on the internet and then using the delay in banks clearing cheques to scam his victim.

The “buyer” would explain that a client of his is interested in the car, but due to an earlier sale that fell through, has a certified cheque for thousands more than the asking price and requests the seller send the balance via wire transfer.

When the seller agrees to the transaction, the buyer sends the certified cheque via express courier. The seller would then take the cheque to their bank, which makes the funds available immediately.

Thinking the bank has cleared the cheque, the seller would then follow through on the transaction by wiring the balance to the buyer. Days later, the check bounces and the seller realises that he or she has been conned.

But by that time, the money has long since been picked up and is not recoverable.

This doesn't make sense because to issue a Certified cheque you need to go to the bank in person and have the cashier complete the transaction for you and the bank would cordon off the amount in your account as untouchable thus guaranteeing the remittance.

[Sega]

This is 100% a scam. A cheque can be converted to cash from a bank anyway. Cheques are always a grey area for me.

[Sega]

I've got THE SAME thing when I was selling a car. Exactly the same. But my response was different, I just said:
"I don't care what check you send, send it to who ever you want or whoever you know, but I want CASH. You give me cash, I give you the car, No Cash => No Car".
After that he just didn't reply

That's the way to do it

[mowman]

This is a VERY well known scam in the UK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No cash no deal

[beverley10]

Definately a scam.Cash only when arranging the sale of anything through this type of advertising.