The newest consumer scam for this summer appears to be con men buying privately owned cars with fake cashier's checks. Many people like to sell their used cars directly to buyers through the classified ads or through trade papers, believing they can get a better price than at a dealership.  However, con artists are duping some consumers into giving up their cars and titles for fake cashier's checks.

    The scheme works something like this:  The con artist telephones the seller or simply drops by the seller's home expressing a desire to buy the vehicle listed for sale in the paper.  There is seldom any bargaining over the price or even a request to test-drive the car. The crook simply makes sure that the engine starts and then offers a check for the asking price.  Often, no questions are asked since the seller is so delighted that the buyer has offered the asking price.   The check may bear an official looking logo in the name of a local bank, and will have the term "cashier's check" printed across the top.  It may also bear what appears to be a bank's routing or transit numbers or symbols like real checks.

    People recognize cashier's checks as checks that have been pre-approved by the bank as having sufficient funds, so people may be lulled into believing that with this check they cannot go wrong.  Unfortunately, the claim that the check is a cashier's check is bogus.  The con artist leaves with the car and the title, and the seller has only a worthless check with some pretty printing.

    There are ways of protecting yourself.  A bank probably would never issue a cashier's check with the dollar amount blank. Also, a bank would probably would not issue a cashier's check for a specific dollar amount if the sale is not through ordinary retail channels and the bank has not been able to examine the car that might be used as collateral.  Offer to take the would-be buyer to the bank and find out if a bank officer will confirm that the check is that bank's cashier's check.   Offer to have the car and title held by a third party until the check clears your account.  It is probably unwise to part with the car or the title until the check clears regardless of whether or not the check appears to be a cashier's check. With computers these days, it is easy to generate fake checks and fake driver's licenses or other information.

    If a buyer cannot answer your questions or is reluctant to have the bank verify the funds, contact local law enforcement. Also, try to get the license number of the car that brought the individual to your home.