Victim fails to encash cheque from con men

  DUBAI – Dubai residents and expatriates should be careful when dealing with supposed car buyers after an Indian national lost his sports utility vehicle (SUV) to con men. K.M. Basheer, a pickup van driver of a logistics company, reported the crime to the police after the buyer of his Land Cruiser Prado fled with the vehicle after he failed to encash the cheque given to him as payment for the car. Basheer bought the SUV in 2014 for Dh130,000 for his family's use but since it was expensive already to maintain the vehicle, he decided to sell it and placed an ad. He intended to use the proceeds from the sale to build a house for his family in Kerala, India. He said an Emirati man replied to the ad and asked to see the SUV and negotiate. Basheer originally wanted to sell the car for Dh110,000 but he and the Emirati settled for Dh108,000. A brother of the Emirati, who identified himself as Khalid, joined them in their meeting. Basheer was given Dh15,000 in cash and was assured by the Emirati and his driver that he would get the balance after the re-registration of the car. Khalid however excused himself from the meeting, saying he had to rush to the hospital for a family emergency and gave a cheque to Basheer containing the balance of the cost of the vehicle and took the car with him. Basheer became suspicious when Khalid didn't return. Basheer tried to encash the cheque but failed to do so due to insufficient funds in Khalid's account. Basheer called Khalid, who assured the Indian national that he will issue another cheque but again the cheque could not be encashed. Basheer tried to call Khalid but the latter could not be contacted anymore. He then learned that his vehicle has been brought outside of the UAE already. GAC/Expat 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