Community Forums

colobear · 09-10-2020, 04:35 PM

Hi, recently my wife and I were scammed out of $3500 by a guy calling himself "Ray Ferguson" (apologies to any real Ray Ferguson's out there) who offered with lots of complexity and detail including a fake transport and inspection company, to buy our RV and truck. He is scamming RV sales. Another person in Indiana got the same "offer to buy" so I know the scammer is targeting RV sales. The guy in Indiana had his RV on RV Trader. Ours was here on IRV. The scam involved a fake cashier's check that our bank accepted. The issuing bank in TX confirmed the check was fake. Lesson: Don't automatically trust cashiers checks. You can call the issuing bank and they will verify if funds are available. If anyone wants gory details email me.

Barry Daniel

arcaguy · 09-10-2020, 04:45 PM

Never, never trust a Cashiers Check unless you call the bank it is drawn on via a number you looked up yourself. I used to work at a bank and when the bank changed its name the folks we hired to destroy all of the old forms stole some blank Cashier's Check and were selling them for about 50 cents on the dollar. I was the guy who used to have to tell the folks the Cashier's Check they had for several thousand dollars was no good. Generally not a friendly conversation. If you want to make sure you are getting your money insist on a wire transfer, even offer to pay for it if necessary. Once the wire transfer is in your bank account it is almost impossible for the sender to get it back. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

Winemaker2 · 09-10-2020, 05:01 PM

My take is NEVER TRUST A CASHIERS CHECK - PERIOD.
I have used wire transfers Bank to bank and have been assured by my bank they are secure. Anyone that doesn't have a bank that can / will do wire transfers is not worth dealing with!
Just my opinion and practice.
Not saying all che KS, even personal are bad but wire transfers best / only way to protect yourself and be sure.
I have sold a toad to a iRV2 member " sight un seen" other than photos and telecoms and had a transporter do a pickup after confirmed wire transfer.
I have to admit I was skeptical when purchaser said "I'll arrange for someone to pick it up" without an in person inspection but with wire transfer the deal went through and a car transport truck stopped at our house to pick it up.

kcdogger · 09-10-2020, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcaguy

Never, never trust a Cashiers Check unless you call the bank it is drawn on via a number you looked up yourself. I used to work at a bank and when the bank changed its name the folks we hired to destroy all of the old forms stole some blank Cashier's Check and were selling them for about 50 cents on the dollar. I was the guy who used to have to tell the folks the Cashier's Check they had for several thousand dollars was no good. Generally not a friendly conversation. If you want to make sure you are getting your money insist on a wire transfer, even offer to pay for it if necessary. Once the wire transfer is in your bank account it is almost impossible for the sender to get it back. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

Calling on it does nothing. The scam is getting a real cashier's check, then making several copies, changing only the payee. When someone calls to verify, the numbers are correct, because they are duplicates of the real check. They use the fake checks at several locations and never actually use the real check. Cash money on small transactions and wire transfers on large transactions are the only ways to transact with strangers.

Arizona · 09-10-2020, 05:51 PM

Sorry you got scammed. I was talking to a used car salesmen that told me people were getting a clean duplicate title, getting a payday car loan, then selling the car giving the clean title to buyer.
He also said used car places are using floating loans to get vehicles on the lot, sell to you then give you temp registration while they don’t process your title papers. They don’t pay the loan and you have to give the car back.
Go to DMV and bank with sellers and get a clear title they hand you the clear title while you give them the cash.

Old-Biscuit · 09-10-2020, 07:06 PM

Sorry you fell for the scam
Scammers are very sophisticated these days

Just curious
RV & Truck ---- $3500?

Ljwt330 · 09-10-2020, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Sorry you fell for the scam
Scammers are very sophisticated these days

Just curious
RV & Truck ---- $3500?

Could be the scam where buyer “pays” with an amount that includes transportation costs and asks seller to pay the transporter out of the excess amount. Seller sends money to transporter who never shows up. Days
later, bank rejects bogus check and money sent to “transporter” is deducted from seller’s account. Truck and trailer never leave seller, only his $3500.

hohenwald48 · 09-11-2020, 08:25 AM

I only trust a cashiers check if it is handed to me by a bank cashier. Otherwise it's no better than a personal check.

I'm amazed that folks still get caught up in these scams. With all the publicity you'd think folks would be more cautious by now.

KanzKran · 09-11-2020, 08:58 AM

The dealer who sold me my virtually new Class B wanted a photocopy of the cashier's check two or three days in advance of pickup day. They only had my deposit, and I wasn't going to wire transfer unless and until I looked it over thoroughly, but they were happy with the check. With enough advance notice to (fill in the blank) before I flew 1600 miles to get it.

But if and when I sell anything big, like this van, I'll insist on wire transfer only, or I'll go with the buyer to their bank and watch them cut the check right in front of me. But I like wire transfers, even with the fee.

Gary RVRoamer · 09-11-2020, 09:19 AM

Many people don't realize that their bank accepts a check deposit "subject to collection", meaning they will remove the funds from your account if the check doesn't clear through the issuing bank via the ACH. If you release the goods (car, RV, whatever) before the check has been fully processed (typically 48-72 hours), YOU are taking the risk of a phony check. And there are many ways to make phonies these days. Your bank doesn't care and seldom makes any extra effort with cashier's checks but they aren't risking anything themselves - it's all on you.

The bottom line is that these days a "cashier's check" isn't any more reliable than a personal check.

creativepart · 09-11-2020, 09:25 AM

No one should place a For Sale ad anywhere - on any online media - without knowing in advance that many if not all initial contacts they receive will be from “over pay” cashiers check scammers.

The other contacts from those ads will be guys that sound like legitimate buyers but suddenly change to “pay me $400 and I will sell your RV at full asking price GUARANTEED.”

If you are not up to speed on all of these online scam operators and their schemes then you should seriously consider selling or trading at a large well known dealership. You’ll still get kind of ripped off, but not left holding a worthless cashiers check.

shootist · 09-11-2020, 09:29 AM

It takes about 10 days for a check to clear, any check. Until your bank shows the funds are deposited in your account nothing should move. Don't sign the pink, nothing more than a receipt should be given, the check number on the reciept and the fact you've only recieved a check, not real money. Even if you call and verify funds any check can have a stop pay put on it.

hohenwald48 · 09-12-2020, 07:44 AM

At what point does a check (any check) actually become yours? In other words, at what point does it become impossible for the writer or the writer's bank to recall the funds?

And how does the "check acceptor" know when that point is reached?

JDT · 09-12-2020, 08:23 AM

I feel for op. This is the very reason we traded our last fifth wheel instead of trying to sell it ourselves. I lost money by trading but I didn't have to deal with the scammers. We listed a motor home in 2012 and even then the only calls I got were not legit. Finally did a consignment with a local dealer who sold it the first day for my full asking price less his commission.

It's amazing how rampant this is. I listed a Trailer Saver hitch for sale on Craigslist earlier this year and out of ignorance showed my phone number. Almost immediately my phone blew up with text messages saying they want to buy my product, will I take a check. The phone calls were no different. Stories of I don't have access to cash right now but will give me a check. Finally sold it on Facebook Marketplace which I have found to be the most legit place to list things. I know thieves have been a part of society since we invented the word but it is just so much easier to fleece someone using our modern day electronics. No physical effort required.