July 1- Received a dealer lead from Autotrader on line. A person inquiring about my vehicle and asking for picture and mode of payment. I responded asking to clarify the information they required.
July 3- Buyer asks for mode of payment
July 4- I respond - cash or cashiers check
July 6- Buyer asks to have price of vehicle clarified so he can begin getting payment.
July 7- I tell him $11,300.00 firm
July 8- Buyer agrees to price and informs me that he will be sending $18,000 cashiers check. The remaining money should be sent back to him to handle shipping costs.
July 13- Buyer asks why I have not responded.
July 14- I send buyer my address information and state that no money will be given until funds have cleared the bank.
July 17- Buyer sends Bill of sale information, and says check should be received around the 22nd of July.
July 23- Buyer send restrictions on what agent needs to pick up vehicle, where to send money to agent and the information they need back to show that there has been a transaction. We receive a cashiers check for $18,000 via Fed Ex. Michele tkes it to the bank and is told funds are available.
July 26- Buyer asks what is going on since we had received funds. I wire $6700 to MD to agent around 9am PST. I send e-mail confirming this to buyer and agent. Buyer sends confirmation that they have received information. Buyer sends e-mail confirming receipt of funds.
July 27- Michele is reading on-line about fraud in the early am. We realize that what has happened to us is fake.in panic we take the funds out of our bank and put it in another so the bank doesn't take the $6700 back. I get an e-mail from the buyer saying that the client is really sick and has decided not to buy the vehicle and we need to return the rest of the funds ASAP. I call Citibank and explain what is going on.
After giving my initial information I speak to Heather at 760-747-0801. She in turn calls a Citibank fraud investigator to let him know what is going on and to call me. He calls me and tells me we need to return the $11,300 right away and then to pay the $6700 all at once, or since the bank realizes we are victims, to set up a payment plan.
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