A buyer from abroad responds to your ad and wants to send a motor vehicle expert to asses your vehicle; cash payment including a notary fee, notary fee due before vehicle delivery

A prospective buyer from abroad (often purporting to be a car dealer) wants to buy your vehicle. A sales contract is concluded. The buyer wants to send a motor vehicle expert to pay in cash and take delivery of the vehicle if there are no serious defects. The prospect also says that a fair competition law requires the bill of sale (sales contract) which will be send to be notarised and this involves a fee which the seller is required by law to pay. The prospective buyer suggests that the notary fee be added to the agreed sales price to hold the seller effectively free of any expenses. Just before the delivery date agreed with the expert, the seller receives a notary’s invoice requiring the seller to remit the notary fee before the sale. Expecting this payment to be reimbursed when the sales price is paid, many sellers remit the relatively small notary fee. After the remittal, neither the prospective buyer nor the motor vehicle expert is ever heard of again. The seller loses the sum remitted.