Buying or Selling Safely

Please read this email just sent to me!

Hi Ben,
T hank you I have just sold all my catering equipment.

Also can you advise (if you wish to) your clients that there is a scam running. I was earlier approached by e-mail from a man who wanted to buy the equipment and have it shipped. He sent postal orders which I banked and then hurried me to send the excess money to his shipper, which I would not do until the Postal orders had cleared.

The postal orders were kept by the bank as forgeries.

So I could have lost the £750 he had over paid to cover supposed shipping of the equipment he had bought from me and other things he had bought.

He used the name Tony John Rox Willian. I just felt you should know that your site is being targeted.

My advice

Don't sell any thing to any one overseas!

Regardless of what buying or selling, you are always going to be a target for dishonest people. This is especially true for online.

On no account send any one equipment or refund money to anyone who has not got a confirmed address in the UK.

If someone asks to pay for anything by credit card and post goods abroad just ignore them. Even if they send you a cheques and the money has cleared, the cheque could have been stolen and the money will be taken back out of your account anything up to six months after the money has cleared!

If you really want to accept payment from abroad speak to your bank manager before agreeing to do any deal.

Tips on staying safe doing business with any one do don’t know!

• Follow Your Instincts: Many buyers or sellers make the mistake of ignoring their gut instinct that tells them something isn't’t right. If you feel that something “just isn't quite right” about a transaction, then it’s time to start double checking everything.
• Ask for a land line telephone number and address. Then “Google” them (most business or organisations should have listings in Yell, www.upmystreet.co.uk, www.cylex-uk.co.uk, www.192.com, uk.ask.com etc.)
• If someone has given you a phone number or address that is different to one published on the web site / phone book ring the business and ask to speak to the person who has contacted you. You may be surprised when they have never of that member of staff!
• Speak to your bank manager for a safe method of payments.
• If you are really uncertain about some one or some thing make an excuse to take a photograph (with the camera on your phone) so you can mail it to a friend. I've not encountered any criminal who will let you take his or her photo next to dodgy goods.