Not to be outdone in the depressing stories department, one of our local news stations featured a story about a car-selling experience gone horribly awry. As the story went, an ordinary man in desperate need of money believed himself to finally have a buyer for his car, only to discover that the check he received as payment was a fraud, and more specifically a forgery. Understandably devastated, the victim suddenly found himself with no car and no money. The reporter concluded with some partially-sage advice, “just remember cash is king, but if you are going to take a check make sure it is a certified check.”

  While the reporter was correct that “cash is king,” he over drafted with the second part of his statement. I was just an ordinary sinner who bought into the misconception that certified checks are as good as cash until I came across an article about fraud in the automotive industry. While doing research for the article, author Chad Koslowsky was told by the bank executive he interviewed that certified checks are as easy to forge as personal checks!

  Below is an excerpt from his article “The Risks of Buying or Selling Vehicles Using the Internet.” You can read the article in its entirety at the HearseHub website under the fraud alert section.

  “Buying and selling items online comes with a number of inherent risks. Fraud is chief among these and has made the convenience of the online market place dangerous and frustrating. Predators are constantly scanning the web for their next victim and their schemes have become more devious and deceptive. It seems that almost everyone has a personal anecdote concerning fraud online.

  Michael Jamar, the operations manager of HearseHub was recently contacted by John Mullen of Mullen Coach, who experienced fraud first hand. His story has become all-too-common.

  An individual from another state contacted Mullen at the dealership and after some negotiations purchased a hearse. This person had a phone number, an email address and a physical address. He also portrayed himself as part owner of a Ford dealership.

  A check for over $50,000 was sent for the vehicle. The check was from a real Ford dealership in Mississippi and looked quite real. Luckily, Mullen contacted the Ford dealership and found out that the person had nothing to do with the dealership.

  In this case, everything worked out for the best, but would you have turned down a check from a legitimate Ford dealership? It can take up to two weeks for a fraudulent check to work its way through the banking system, by then your vehicle and your money are gone. Could your company weather a $50,000 loss?

  As you know by now, HearseHub is an online marketplace for funeral vehicles. It is a great place to shop for your next funeral vehicle, or sell one you have. I would like to say categorically that you are safe buying and selling on HearseHub, but I can’t. Most “open” internet marketplace can’t make that statement. An “open” internet marketplace is one that facilitates business between third parties.

  What I can say is most of our dealers have been in business for years, if not decades. They are well known in the industry and are represented at many funeral associated conventions. Dealing with them is about as safe as it gets.

  Any time you are doing business through the internet with someone you don’t know, be careful, do your research and question everything.