There is a growing car shipping scam on the internet which has been
targeting sellers of cars, boats, motorbikes
and other single high value
items, even horses !We first came across this in January when we
were approached by a car dealer in Australia who had been
directed to a
website purporting to be 1st Move International's car shipping site.
Car Shipping Scam: The hook
Fraudsters had copied aspects of our site and were advising
potential victims that they would buy their vehicle
and ship it via their
approved shippers, pointing the victim to this so called shipping site
which they had published themselves.
Once the seller had been "hooked" the fraudster then sends a cheque to
the seller for the cost of the vehicle
and, very kindly, includes in this
payment the costs for shipping the vehicle overseas.
Car Shipping Scam: The Con.
Say the car is being sold for £ 4000.00 and the shipping costs are
£1000.00, you, the seller, get a nice little
cheque for £ 5000.00 which
you duly bank. The bank may even advise you that the funds are in your
account,
cleared and safe.
Car Shipping Scam: The Sting.
Within a few days you will be asked to send a slice of this money to
the shipping agent in order to pay for the shipping. ( the shipping costs
of £1000.00)
You are requested to send this money by Moneygram which you do as you have
been paid..
This Moneygram is untraceable and cashed immediately.
Meanwhile your bank tells you 10 days later that the original cheque has
bounced and promptly takes the
money out of your account.
You have just been conned. For £ 1000.00 !
Good advice.
Always, always, get your bank to confirm, in writing, that funds have
cleared, are available for use and cannot be taken back from your account.
Be cautious of overcomplicated transactions involving shipping agents,
business partners, middle men and so on, all designed to leave you
seriously out of pocket, and the crooks with your cash.
As with all online transactions please check the credentials of who are
you are dealing with.
If it sounds to good to be true, then it normally
is.
UK shipping companies, or Freight Forwarders, belong to the British
International Freight Association (BIFA).
You can check their site here: www.bifa.org.
Better still why not call
the shipping agent personally and check them out.
They do a good job and
will be happy to help and advise on all things shipping.
This article has been written by Jim Limerick, managing director of Moveme UK
International Removals (www.moveme.co.uk)
and Autoshippers UK (www.autoshippers.co.uk)
Members of the British International Freight Association., Membership
Number 1884
This article is copyright free and can be used by
any parties, provided acknowledgement is made to the author
and a link back to
www.autoshippers.co.uk is placed on the your web page. Thank You.
1st Move International Ltd.
International House
Chittening Estate
Avonmouth
Bristol BS11 OYB
Tel 0117 9828123
Fax: 0117 9822229
Email jim@shipit.co.uk
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