I have hopefully sold a car on Leboncoin after the usual hours spent answering questions from time wasters. It is always hard to sort the wheat from the chaff.
I had specified payment via the Lbc secured system or by virement but the potential buyer is asking if I would accept a cashiers cheque.
Years ago this would have been acceptable to me but now with such sophisticated scammers around I am wary. If he can go to the bank to collect a cheque I would have thought it easier to utilize either of my preferences.
My understanding (and that’s all it is) is that a cashier’s cheque is quite normal for buying a car and you should call the issuing bank to verify its validity. No idea about the other options you mention.
I was worried about that too when I sold a car in December, so I used an agent who also gave a short guarantee and did all the paperwork. His fee wasn’t large and I felt happier leaving the whole thing in his hands.
I understand that John thank you. Maybe I should have been more explicit.
I am wary because the buyer wishes to collect on a Saturday and it will likely be almost impossible to speak to a real human to verify. Its hard enough at the best of times.
I would then have to sweat it out until Tuesday.
I have sold several cars here and generally people are trustworthy but Lbc is renowned for scammers.
I think I will just insist on a virement. When I see the money in my account they can have the keys.
I think the Lbc secured payment route is pretty failsafe as an alternative.
One of the things at play here is that France is stuck in the Victor Hugo days, like it being normal to pay in a supermarket with a cheque when the rest of the world does not know how to write a cheque, and placing the date an place when signing anything; the way to buy a car here is with a cashiers cheque!
I take your point re fraud. Heaven only knows what the fraudsters are up to on this, but like you, my cynical mind says there must be something. Maybe stand your ground and tell him/her that a bank will not write a cashiers cheque without funds in the account, why not do it properly and ask the buyer to tell the bank to do a transfer…?
If both you and the buyer are with certain banks they can do an instant payment to you via the bank. My CA account and Revolut accounts can do this. The sender may need to set up the payment destination a couple of days in advance.
Hi Mat…I appreciate that which is why Im wondering why a ‘virement instantee’ is not possible?
We will either get there or it will prove to be another time waster.
Interesting. Thank you. Therefore in this instance a cash payment is not legally possible.
It is aggravating though. I made a 200 euro deposit in La Banque Postale last week and had to declare the source. One day my patience will fail and I’ll get myself in trouble.
My Bank is open Saturday mornings, may be yours is too?