Reported in this week’s MCN, it has come to light that individuals advertising used bikes for sale online are being approached by scam artists who plan to swindle hundreds, if not thousands of pounds from unknowing sellers.
The scammers offer to pay remotely for the bike in a bankers draft, plus extra for the payment towards the ‘shipping company’. No sooner does the seller pay the ‘shipping company’, than the bankers draft is cancelled and the unaware seller is left hundreds out of pocket.
Dodgy. Anyone who is web-savvy will see the scammer’s email a mile off, but unfortunately, those who are not used to seeing a dozen spam emails a day might be drawn in.
Sellers should watch out for emails which read to the tune of:
“The price is fairly ok, and the payment will be written to you in bank transfer….Also you don’t have to bother about pick up because I have a local shipping agent that will come to your place after the transaction is done.”
So sellers beware! There are scammers on the prowl for YOUR cash!