Question about not getting scammed selling my jeep

[Metro]

So i have a guy in San Diego that wants to buy my jeep and have it shipped out.  He's already sent me a $250 Paypal deposit.  His plan is to mail me a cashier's check for the remainder of the balance.  I told him that I would not even think about loading it up on a trailer until I was %100 certain that the check was good and I wasn't geting scammed somehow.  He said he was OK with that even if it takes a week or two.  I don't have any reason to think it's a scam but I don't want to take any chances with such a large sum of money in question.  My question is, what is the best procedure to make sure the check clears and is good?  What security precautions should I take?



Thanks.

[Do Work 93 YJ]

I would make sure the money had cleared and been in my account for a full day before I ever shipped it out.

[DOUG]

Easy.
get the bank.contact info where the check is coming from and confirm the check is authentic and good.

Wait 2 weeks after deposit and ship vehicle.

Wait another week and fedex the title.

[Trailabite]

^ What he said!

[Metro]

If he's using a bank that has branches here like BOA or Wells fargo, can I just cash the check and send the jeep right after or should I still wait two weeks?  He didn't seem to mind waiting but I don't want to hold the jeep any longer than I have to.

[ranger11]

Have you talked to him on the phone or just in email? I would request a bank transfer. Those scam checks take at least 2-3 weeks to get caught by then the item for sale is long gone. Scammers dont care about the title its just a piece of paper like there check. Why doesnt he want to paypal the rest of the money? Man sure sounds like a scam. Lets send my xj in the place of yours just to see what happens.  

[ranger11]

 {pm}

[Metro]

I've talked to him several times over the last few days on the phone and by email.  It doesn't seem fishy at all.  He seemed very understanding of the fact that I was going to proceed with caution on the payment and making sure everything was legitimate. 

[DOUG]

If he's using a bank that has branches here like BOA or Wells fargo, can I just cash the check and send the jeep right after or should I still wait two weeks?  He didn't seem to mind waiting but I don't want to hold the jeep any longer than I have to.

Even banks wont cash their own checks these days. 3 day hold. I carried a check from a bank of america branch to another BOA and they put a 3 day hold on it, so I said give it back, and went back to the 1st branch and cashed it and carried cash back.

FYI a fraudulent wire CAN be reversed later.

[Do Work 93 YJ]

Make sure that if he isn't using a national bank that the info is legit and not just a number to one of his buddies thats going to say the checks good. If he is using a national bank most want verify it instead they'll just put a hold on it. So I think waiting for everything to clear is your best bet.

[tjsahara00]

Just call me old...but I don't like the sound of it.
Just be careful. I know when I was buying my daughter
another car (Wreck Queen) some people tried the I will ship
it to you thing on Craigslist which I read was a total scam.

[Huntingman2706217]

i buy and sell all the the time... craigslist... ebay... forums (classifieds mod for cherokeeforum)... im in a $5,000 paypal club that i didnt even know existed just because ive bought that much over paypal the last year... lol...

him talking to you on the phone and using paypal are two signes to me that hes for real... if you have his name then facebook him... see if hes on there... in the location youll be sending the jeep... im in Sacramento as we speak but SD is like forever hours... if it was closer i would drive there and meet him for ya but thats a bit far... i would take a bank check from his bank if his bank is also near you... go there and they will pull up his account and check to make sure the funds are REALLY there before they cash the check... ive cashed many bank checks with the bank that wrote it and as long as its there check they cash it then and there... maybe ask the bank while your there how long the account has been open...

if it was me then i would think its for real... also transfer the $200 out of your paypal account...

someone said something about paypaling the whole cost of the jeep but with paypal taking nearly 3% that would be nuts...

tell'em you got a Ex Marine friend in san fran thats willing to make the drive if he has too... knowing that as much as id like to help i really couldnt... lol...

oh and im not a friend of cashiers check or money orders... banks checks, paypal, cash... only...