Cyber scammers target bikers

Emails attempting to obtain thousands of pounds are being sent indiscriminately in response to classified ads for second-hand bikes.

Biker sellers are sent cheques for thousands more than the asking price and told to pay the difference to a third party to cover shipping to a foreign country.

But after initially showing on their bank balance, the cheque bounces, leaving victims thousands out of pocket.

An MCN reader told how he lost thousands after being first emailed and then phoned by scammers. Lindsay O’Gorman, 53, an engineer from Kyle of Lochalsh in Scotland, said:

“I got a phone call from a foreign sounding man who said he wanted to buy the bike for his son as a graduation present. He said he was in Australia doing a job.

“He sent me a cheque for £7,600. The £4000 was meant to pay for the bike and the rest I was to pay into an American account for the shipping.

“I took the cheque to the bank and they said it looked fine but give it three days. Three days later I transferred shipping fee to this American account. The next day the £7,600 cheque was returned unpaid.

“So basically I’ve been conned out of £3,600. I’ve since learnt you should wait 12 days for a cheque to clear.
“The police have more or less said there’s nothing they can do.”    

The Association of Chief Police Officers’ Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) said the full extent of the problem was hidden because victims are likely to be too embarrassed to report the matter.

AVCIS head, DCI Paul Lambotte, said: “It seems fairly obvious but in these difficult financial times, if you get a buyer you want to keep him.

“Unfortunately people still fall for it and very often don’t report it to police. In the cold light of day when they look at the circumstances, they can’t believe how silly they’ve been.

“Our advice is always think about the risk of fraud, never make any payments or deal with third-party payments in any way and bear in mind that if you are scammed it’s unlikely you will be able to make any insurance claim.”
More tips to stay safe:

• Don’t reply to emails offering to pay more than the value of the bike.
• Insist prospective buyers make their own arrangements for transporting the bike including any associated costs. Never make any payments to a third party on their behalf.
• Never part with your bike until you have payment. Wait at least 12 days and check with your bank before assuming a cheque has cleared.   
  If in doubt, contact MCN before proceeding.