Victoria police are warning the public to be wary of fraudulent bank drafts after someone used a bogus document in an attempt to buy a car that had been advertised for sale online.
The car owner told police she had been contacted by a potential buyer on Sunday who came to her home to test-drive the vehicle. He told the owner he was in a hurry to complete the deal and gave her an envelope with transfer papers and the full asking price — in the form of a bank draft.
But the woman, who has experience with bank drafts, reviewed the papers and discovered that the draft was a photocopied fake.
With that, she approached the car and saw the man in the middle of attaching new licence plates to it. When she confronted him, he apologized, removed the new plates and fled.
The man is described as white, about 40 years old and slim with a tanned complexion. He is about five foot seven with short black hair and glasses, and smelled of cigarette smoke.
Call Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) with any information.
