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Semi-O/T... this is a scam, I'm sure.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by rustynewyorker, Aug 12, 2010.

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  1. I have an O/T car on craigslist and got an email last night asking "still available?" which it is, so I replied; to which I got this answer:

    I'm glad you still have it for sale,i would have love to come and see it,but my scheduled is very tight.I will mail out your payment once you provide your full name.phone number and address.I can only pay via money order as am on a business trip now,pls let me know where to send your payment to because i wouldn't want to lose it to some else.I don't mind adding ($20) dollars so you can keep it in my favor,you should get your payment in 7-9 working days i will appreciate if you can get the ad off craigslist so i can be sure you are keeping it in my favor.Please let me know as soon as you receive it so i can start making arrangement for the pick-up.
    Thanks


    Now on top of all the obvious flags, the car is an 11 year old asking $750 beater, a Sable the trans shifts goofy on, even if I do sell it there's plenty more out there. So it's obviously a scam of some sort.

    But what I don't get is how this one works. I assume the payment is fake, but I can't see using one to steal this particular car, we're not talking like a Corvette here. All I can guess is if you took him up on it when his payment comes it's "accidentally" made out for like $2000 over, at which point the guy asks you to western union the overpayment back to them. Beyond that, I don't understand what they would gain. Unless they're just after your name and info to steal your identity.


    Anyways I hadn't seen one of these before, so I thought I'd post it on here just to make people aware, somebody came up with a new twist on the same old shit.
     
  2. McKee
    Joined: Jul 22, 2005
    Posts: 1,193

    McKee

    No,...you got it all wrong,...a worn out old hooptie Sable is a happenin' ride in Nigeria!
     
  3. Hyway Hauler
    Joined: Aug 31, 2009
    Posts: 670

    Hyway Hauler
    Member

    Let him pay you, if it is made out for too much$$$, and he wants it reimbersed, DON'T! If it is for 750$, cash it, and he can arrange to come get the car. It seems your over analyzing. If you don't trust the internet, don't use it. It's that simple.
     
  4. dragrcr50
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,865

    dragrcr50
    Member

    take the money dont let em have the car. give em some shit........it will take a couple of weeks for the bank to figure out is is bogus...cost em some effort and time and a few bucks , then send it to the fbi ............
     

  5. rusted_nut
    Joined: Dec 2, 2007
    Posts: 168

    rusted_nut
    Member
    from Arkansas

    Sounds fishy to me as well. I trust my instincts more than I trust the internet.
     
  6. I just told him cash only, in person, that solves the problem every time. There's no reason he couldn't come, look, pay, and take the car in one shot.
     
  7. temper_mental
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 2,718

    temper_mental
    Member
    from Texas

    Tell him the price went up 2000 dollars see what he says.
     
  8. Sounds like a scam to me.
     
  9. Yes, there is a reason, he can't scam you that way.

    The way this scam works, you get the money order, deposit in your bank (or worse cash it) then before your bank catches it you get a sad sack story like "I was buying this for my daughter, but she passed away in a car crash last night so I don't need the car anymore. Please refund the $750 (or some amount), but you can still keep the extra $20".

    You send him a good check, which is cashed and a week later your bank informs you the MO was bogus.
     
  10. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    Any response to a CL ad that merely asks "still available" with no ID of the item in the text, is spam.
    When I list things on CL I always say in the ad, "if you email me say (item name...) in the text, or I will delete it as spam"
    And I do..........
     
  11. rixrex
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,433

    rixrex
    Member

    I still just have these worthless assholes send their bogus cashiers checks, money orders directly to our district attorneys office...
     
  12. 'tis bullshit. I get these all the time. Craigslist is now about useless because of the scammer bullshit. The only way to sell a car is cash in person.
     
  13. batt69nova
    Joined: Nov 4, 2009
    Posts: 225

    batt69nova
    Member
    from OR

    Sir,
    I mean you no personal disrespect, however, this is the stupidest advice I've seen in a long time.

    While I'm too young to know as much about old iron as most do on here, I will say one thing-Technology is a speciality of most of my generation. Unfortunately, on the internet, rather than "trust but verify"-it should be "verify-and then contemplate trust".

    It is VERY easy to have your ID ripped off, your home/shop broken into, or you money taken via a scammer over email or other online interactions.

    Again, I don't mean any disrespect to you-but as long as you all keep teaching us younger HAMBers about how awesome things were, I feel like we at least owe the courtesy of helping with these F'n computers. I see lots of posts on here from people who can tell you dictionaries worth of info on flatheads, but can't figure out how to post a pic (or where to even securely host one so the link doesn't break from everyone looking at it).

    Again, I don't mean this as a personal attack-I suppose more of a word of caution...people need to be VERY guarded with personal info online.
     
  14. Fatbob309
    Joined: Jan 1, 2009
    Posts: 491

    Fatbob309
    Member

    ANY time that someone offers to toss in extra via email its a scam. I have worked inthe bank for over 5 years and people come in all the time asking to get money orders because the people have over paid for a car bike ect...
    Also if people are offering to send you money with out seeing it make sure you take it to the bank and have them call on the funds if its anything but cash. Even then its not 100%.
    Had a customer that got a company check for his ride and the bank called to check funds. The check was one of a few hundred that were stolen. Customer almost lost his ride.
     
  15. Fatbob309
    Joined: Jan 1, 2009
    Posts: 491

    Fatbob309
    Member

    You nailed it...
     
  16. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I usually put "scammers and thieves need not reply" in my Craigslist ads. started doing that when I was tring to sell a nice road bike for $1500.00. the only people who replied were scammers.
     
  17. I always put the following in ANY CL ad:

    "If you see this ad, it is still for sale. I do NOT answer "Is it still for sale?" inquiries. Put you phone number in the Subject line in any email contact. If you don't, your response will remain unanswered and will be deleted"

    Solves the spam problem every time.

    Had a guy send me a response, and it had the item in the "Subject" line, but no phone number. I opened the email and answered with "Send me your phone number, as specified in the CL ad, and I'll be happy to talk with you on the car. No phone number usually means a scammer!"...He answers "No, thanks", to which I replied "See ya, scammer!"...too easy.
     
  18. spudsmania9
    Joined: Aug 25, 2005
    Posts: 154

    spudsmania9
    Member
    from Arkansas

    It's a scam. Happens in the wonderful world of goats (no kidding, my wife raises registered nubians). The catch is the "payment" will be for over the amount and change will be requested.

    People have sent a "cashiers check" for $2000 to pay for a $400 goat and left with a goat and $1600. Probably drop the goat off or eat it at the first stop. The crook will even go to the bank with you to demonstrate good faith. A week or two later the "cashiers check" turns out bogus and you're on the hook for $2000.

    Even the wording sounds the same -- I've seen the same crap on my wife's email.
     
  19. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    batt69nova.....excellent comment, and well stated without acrimony. Your analogy about folks who can disassemble and reassemble a flattie but can't post a picture on here is dead on. All of us oldsters can use a little help from you guys that were brought up on this stuff. If I didn't have three sons (adult-type) to assist me when I am stumped with atypical computer stuff, I'd barely be in business.

    Of course the internet is dangerous - so is nearly everybody you meet at one time or another. You don't stay in the house....so why avoid the 'net? Stay cautious and skeptical on ALL offers to purchase - no matter where you advertised it. The venues (CL, Ebay, A/Trader, et al) try to protect you as much as they can, but in the final analysis, only your good sense will save you from financial losses.

    "if it sounds too good to be true, it is quite likely not a bona fide deal"

    "caveat emptor"

    And, last - but not least - the credo of the Nigerian-type scam artist:

    "there's a sucker born every second" (apologies to PT Barnum).

    and again...you can always get on here and receive more answers than you possible thought you could absorb. Most of it will be valid - we have only our fellow HAMBers best interests at heart.

    dj
     
  20. synthsis
    Joined: Mar 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,899

    synthsis
    Member

  21. cheveey57
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 676

    cheveey57
    Member


    The problem is the MO is fake so you can't cash it period. Then if you refund any "real" money to the scumbag he's ahead of the game.........
     
  22. I like the idea of having him send payment to the District Attorney's Office. FBI would probably work as well!
     
  23. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Get him to pay, come over to get the car, then beat the shit out of him. Of course if he's a pro scammer he'll be armed so don't take a knife to a, well, you know. I'll tell rustyny, you should be a pretty savvy dude dealing in the thngs you do so follow your instincts. Get real rude and tell him to fuck off and such. Piss him off.
     
  24. brad chevy
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,627

    brad chevy
    Member

    100% scam,bet you don"t have his phone no.they never leave that in their request,any time you see western union mentioned by a buyer its a scam,I just e-mail them back that I am an FBI agent and I will have to do a background check on them,they are gone for good.
     
  25. Flyinsolo71
    Joined: Oct 25, 2006
    Posts: 89

    Flyinsolo71
    Member
    from Austin


    I had the same sort of thing happen with some wheels I was selling. Sent a reply asking for cash or paypal only. No response. I would say stay away from this one.
     
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