Warning after family are conned

Jun 18 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

SANDWELL Council trading standards officials are warning consumers to beware a "criminal cashback" scam after a Smethwick family were conned out of almost £5,000.

The family advertised their car for sale in a national magazine.

They were contacted by email from someone who claimed to be a businessman with links abroad.

He said that he would send them a bankers' draft for the full asking price, plus an additional sum of £4,700, which they were to forward to an agent to cover the costs of shipping and insurance.

The bankers' draft was paid into the family's bank account, and appeared to clear five days later. They then sent the £4,700 by money transfer to an address in London.

The bankers' draft was later found to be fraudulent.

Under banking rules, if you have accepted a cheque or bankers' draft that turns out to be fraudulent, the bank is entitled to reclaim the funds, even where they have been credited to your account.

Coun Mahboob Hussain, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: "Consumers should be very wary of accepting a cheque or bankers' draft as payment for high value items from someone they do not know."