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Simple the scammer steals picture of any car from the internet makes up a generic description. Hopes some dumb fool falls for it to have them send a deposit to said scammer. Scammer gets deposit or posted price of said car. Buyer gets nothing but made a azz out of him self. Scammer gets money and does it again.
You send them money and never hear from them again. Often the story is, the car is in a different location or they are selling for someone who needs to sell quickly. Most of the time they ask for a small deposit to hold the car since more people are willing to part with a “deposit”. I wouldn’t even email them because it may even be a phishing scam to get more of your information.
OK. Was wondering. It supposed to be just @15 or so miles from me. I would never pay a dime until I got the car in front of me and a title to boot. I hate to think that there are people who would fall for that.
OK. Was wondering. It supposed to be just @15 or so miles from me. I would never pay a dime until I got the car in front of me and a title to boot. I hate to think that there are people who would fall for that.
I'd travel the 15 miles to "bust his BUTT" and call him a SCAMMER to his face! ("carrying concealed", of Course)
You can be sure they are not 15 miles from you. The ad may say it is! Run
Yes, it will be many, many miles away, sitting at the shipper's location ready to be sent to you. Just need to send them the money and you'll have it in no time.
I'd travel the 15 miles to "bust his BUTT" and call him a SCAMMER to his face! ("carrying concealed", of Course)
And you would arrive at an empty lot or abandoned building and be the only person visible in any direction.
There is no "win" here or even some "payback", just leave these clowns alone and don't provide them a response so they can suck down your email address and other info. You aren't gonna cleverly goad them into something stupid as they wade through oceans of skeptics to find that one dufus "John" to fleece.
FWIW: A few years ago, a Craigslist scammer tried this one on me.
I listed an item, they emailed me saying they'll overnight me a certified bank check, and pick-up the item the next day.
The check came FedEx overnight, looked real but with a few red flags; The return address was California, the bank was from Minnesota, but I'm in NJ, and the check was for more than my asking price.
I called the bank and they never issued any check with this number. I emailed the scammer and told him if he shows up at this house the police will be waiting. Never heard from him again.
The scam is this: I deposit the check, they show up [probably with stolen plates on their vehicle], they take the item, and a few days later my bank contacts me saying the check bounced.
Cashier's checks have fallen into disfavor among smarter folks, they can be faked and the funds 'reversed" in certain circumstnaces. A wire transfer is best for large purchases. I'm not a big fan of suitcases full of cash either which seems to enthrall some.
These scammers pretty much never list their scams in the auto or "Cars & Trucks" section, so as to avoid the fees and the payment paper trail.
This one is listed under "Antiques" (not antique autos, but general antiques), which often the case and should be the first clue.
These lowlifes usually state the reason for the sale is that is was their late husbands or they're Military and are being deployed overseas. As stated above, the car is always at their shipper ready to be delivered but can't show the car.
FWIW: A few years ago, a Craigslist scammer tried this one on me.
I listed an item, they emailed me saying they'll overnight me a certified bank check, and pick-up the item the next day.
The check came FedEx overnight, looked real but with a few red flags; The return address was California, the bank was from Minnesota, but I'm in NJ, and the check was for more than my asking price.
I called the bank and they never issued any check with this number. I emailed the scammer and told him if he shows up at this house the police will be waiting. Never heard from him again.
The scam is this: I deposit the check, they show up [probably with stolen plates on their vehicle], they take the item, and a few days later my bank contacts me saying the check bounced.
Completely wrong. NO one will ever come to your house. They will ask that the difference be sent back to them . Lets say you were asking 2400 for item, so you send them back the difference.
FWIW: A few years ago, a Craigslist scammer tried this one on me.
I listed an item, they emailed me saying they'll overnight me a certified bank check, and pick-up the item the next day.
The check came FedEx overnight, looked real but with a few red flags; The return address was California, the bank was from Minnesota, but I'm in NJ, and the check was for more than my asking price.
I called the bank and they never issued any check with this number. I emailed the scammer and told him if he shows up at this house the police will be waiting. Never heard from him again.
The scam is this: I deposit the check, they show up [probably with stolen plates on their vehicle], they take the item, and a few days later my bank contacts me saying the check bounced.
edit: posted same response at same time. Sorry for double
Also, when they send a check over asking they will say it was a mistake and ask you to send them back the difference. Check bounces and they have the difference in cash. Nice work calling the bank to verify. That’s a smart move!
edit: posted same response at same time. Sorry for double
These scammers pretty much never list their scams in the auto or "Cars & Trucks" section, so as to avoid the fees and the payment paper trail.
This one is listed under "Antiques" (not antique autos, but general antiques), which often the case and should be the first clue.
These lowlifes usually state the reason for the sale is that is was their late husbands or they're Military and are being deployed overseas. As stated above, the car is always at their shipper ready to be delivered but can't show the car.
Craig's List has become a go-to place for both buying and selling scams. I sold a car recently on Craig's list and had a lot of people wanting to buy it for their deployed military friend, spouse, next door neighbor, scientist at a nuclear power plant who couldn't leave his job, etc. Since the buyer wasn't able to pick it up themselves, this good friend would send me a cashier's check right away and have the car picked up for the person that was to be the new owner.
The part of potentially losing the money isn't even the worse part. There have been several instances where someone meets with a person to either buy or sell a vehicle and they are killed and the money or car is stolen. Sometimes called death by appointment.
Craig's List has become a go-to place for both buying and selling scams. I sold a car recently on Craig's list and had a lot of people wanting to buy it for their deployed military friend, spouse, next door neighbor, scientist at a nuclear power plant who couldn't leave his job, etc. Since the buyer wasn't able to pick it up themselves, this good friend would send me a cashier's check right away and have the car picked up for the person that was to be the new owner.
The part of potentially losing the money isn't even the worse part. There have been several instances where someone meets with a person to either buy or sell a vehicle and they are killed and the money or car is stolen. Sometimes called death by appointment.
Dangerous too....a father was trying to sell his young son's dirt bike over in Tampa and two teenage thugs showed up and shot him dead in front of his kid over a damn beat up motorcycle - this was last year IIRC.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 01-03-2021 at 10:09 AM.
OK. Was wondering. It supposed to be just @15 or so miles from me. I would never pay a dime until I got the car in front of me and a title to boot. I hate to think that there are people who would fall for that.
Yeah like they posted, it's nowhere near. Believe it or not Some people fall for it, one lady on our nextdoor site sent $3500.00 for a truck that the Uncle left to someone who was bringing it to the shipper to ...... Felt bad for the lady, but if it's too good to be true, then it usually is.
There was another car listed a couple of months ago, I contacted the guy who was away for the week at his daughters wedding but he would hold it for me with a small deposit. The pictures showed mountain ranges in the background. Mountains In Seabrook Texas? Got to go see those.
Since we are getting them out there. This is not a Craigslist scam, but a scam to watch out for. Sorry to go down the rabbit hole... Some people called my grandfather and told him I was in jail and needed bail money. He swore it sounded just like me. They proceeded to tell him not to call anyone in the family because I was embarrassed and to get a loadable Visa card and read the number back over the phone. Fortunately, he called my cousin who is very close to me and verified that I was in fact, not in jail. Also since I don’t drink the dwi story didn’t sound right to him. They tried to get him for 5,000$ and he was about 5 minutes from making the purchase.
Literally his next door neighbor, bless her heart was taken for 250k. That is not a misprint. So if you think law enforcement cares, think again.. they haven’t done anything to help her. The story goes, she got a call from the “fbi” who said her late husband was into some shady practices. They said she owed/had to payback the money otherwise they’d take her to jail and it would destroy the family name. If she paid the money back they would drop the case and disappear. They disappeared alright... it makes my blood boil to hear about these poor people and I know the only thing we can do to prevent it is to share our stories. The odds of them ever recovering this is zero to none.
don’t hesitate to share my story. It may save a loved ones retirement.
that craigslist ad is the same as most. the car is not available for inspection, it is in another state already crated up and ready for shipping.
they will identify themselves, they will even send you a pic of the title. they will say they have several buyers and ask for a large deposit, they will even talk to you over the phone.
but if the car is unavailable for inspection, by you or your inspector, then its a scam.
01-02-2021, 08:50 PM
So how do these scams work
