Warning of Vehicle Thefts via the Internet

To all members and users of this website and forum,

I am posting this to warn you all of a scam going around with for sale ads beinbg placed on the internet on wesites such as this. I have been caught in it, thankfully with only the loss of va few hundrerd dollars, but several others haven't been so lucky and have lost their vehicles.

I advertised my Nissan Patrol on this website a few weeks agho and was contacted by a Julia Williams a vehicle broker fromn London wishing to purchase it on behalf of her client. After sending her some photos and negotiating a final sale price I was promised a cheque was on its way to me.

Approximately 3 weeks later a $35,000 euro cheque arrived by registered mail from the Netherlands. The cheque was a bankers draft from a Irish Bank. The euro figure converted to approximately $60,000 Australian. I was to send the balance of the money after deducting my sale price and fees for western union money transfers and other associated costs bank to a person in Amstredam.

My bank told me when I bankecd the cheque it would take approximetely 4 weeks to clear as it was an international cheque. I informed "Julia Willams" of this and she was frustrated but said go ahead and send the balance bank once the cheque cleared.

Today my bank contacted me saying if i hadn't already had the vehicle picked up don not let it go as the cheque I had banked was a forgery. This has cost me $160 euro or approximate $320 Australian in dishonour fees, but at least I've still got my car.

I'm hoping by posting this it will stop other people getting caught in this scam. So far it has caught 28 people in Australia and netted the thieves approximately $1.5 million Australian. So as you can see its well organised and quite well set up. Please everyone out there be extremely cautious if an overseas buyer contacts you to purchase your 4WD.

Regards

Don Campbell