Maccos Felix Fraud bank draft Paris, France

I posted on Vancouver Buy and Sell some items for sale. Received an email from vettyvee@yahoo.com saying they are interested in some items, total C$500. They sent a bank draft of US$5,000, saying that the balance is to pay the shipper, to ship to France. Ask me to send the balance to the shipper via Western Union. I check the website, using Felix Shipping, found nothing relevant.

Later used Bidex Road, found this website and found a similar case. I sent the bank draft to the bank and the bank checked the branch supposedly issuing this bank draft, indicated that it is a fake bank draft.

If I put the bank draft in my bank and waited for it to be cleared while I transferred the money to the "shipper" via Western Union, I would have lost US$4600. If someone is eager to complete the sale because they have to move, then they may be eager to pay to speed up the transaction.

Lessons to learn: always wait until the bank draft is cleared. Check with the bank which issues the bank draft (I waited for only a few minutes for them to check the bank draft) rather deposit the bank draft in your own bank, which may take a week or more.

Gordon
North Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada