Warning! Possible scammer
 

I got an e-mail last week about a car I have for sale. Someone named Monique said a friend of hers was looking for a car but didn't belong to the Forum. I gave her my info and she passed it on to him. He seemed agreeable to the price and talked about flying in and driving the car home. I then got an email back with the following message:



"I spoke with my bank and they shared with me that a clear title was needed and you and the car needed to be here physically to complete the deal. You would have to sign a Power of Attorney document."

He told me he was a minister in Texas. I am thinking it was all BS. Thank goodness I wasn't born yesterday.

FYI

Good to be cautious when one is dealt the "minister card". :leaving: I like your comment, my favorite is, "I was born at night but it wasn't last night".

I have received some responses similar to that.

My one and only response back to them is "Cash is King-Cash and carry".
I normally don't hear anything back after that.

even if not a scam, does he really think you would drive to Tx from NY for a possible sale??? Or did i miss something?

I agree, sounds like a scam.

Unknown. I don't know any ministers that drive a Corvette.

I'd tell them to send me a $500 cash non-refundable deposit as good faith and I would think about it. :lol:

I have had that one or very similar used on me primarily when I advertise on eBay. Sadly some must fall for it or I would think they would have stopped wasting time.

I always conclude with - 'these are the selling terms, applicable to all, including: NO brokers, agents, powers of attorneys, letters of credit, escrow or trades considered or accepted. :thumbs:

Well usually the bank requires a copy of the title (front and back) to be faxed to them but thats about it. No clue what power of attorney this guy is talking about lol

[QUOTE]
"I spoke with my bank and they shared with me that a clear title was needed and you and the car needed to be here physically to complete the deal. You would have to sign a Power of Attorney document."

He told me he was a minister in Texas. I am thinking it was all BS. Thank goodness I wasn't born yesterday.


yea, just like "the check's in the mail" and so forth, I won't say the rest:D:D

Tell them they took too long to complete the deal, you're shipping the car to a nice fellow in Nigeria, he's upgrading from his Huffy.

Ha...excellent...........:flag:

:yesnod::lol:

I have sold and purchased cars with liens. The power of Attorney is so that his bank can obtain the title direct form your lien holder. They then no longer need you in the process to sign it over or anything of the sort. The buyer does need a better bank though if they want you to drive all the way there. That's crazy.

Some people are ok with the process some are not and have every right to be cautious. I have only recently dealt with Bank Of America on the selling side since that is my bank of choice when it comes to auto finance. If you have a lien on your car the only way the buyer or his bank are going to get ownership with that Power Of Attorney is to pay off your loan for you so they can get the title. You do not give up the car until you get the difference in cash, check ect.

I recently sold my S4 this way. I had no problem signing a power of Attorney considering he dealt with a Major Credit Union who I spoke to directly and was familiar with. They cut my bank a check for my payoff and myself a check for the difference. When my bank received the check they notified me my loan was paid in full. I took his check and his bank took the title directly from Bank Of America. I never even saw it. He then took possession of the car once remaining funds were clear the next day.

All in all this is not uncommon. Only issue I see is you driving the car there. He needs to get with a major bank. If he can't do that find another buyer.

If you do not have a lien his bank should be made aware of that. POA would not be needed on your end.

Run Forest Run. :D

:Rofl: that's a new one I haven't heard before.

one minister named Sam Kineson used to drive a Corvette, license plate read EX-REV :D

lol!

Good call. :thumbs: My absolute vote for number one funniest all time best genius comedian of the world, ever! Saw him in person at a comedy club in Palm Springs and did not stop laughing for weeks. Sad that he left life early.

Father Guido Sarducci drove a Corvette.

Trust me i know one who has 5 and one was a zr1 that he traded for a c7.
z51vett:hide:

I can see a clear title needed. POA document is BS ! Once you sign the title off it's theirs. A minister in TX. hmm ask him to pray for you or ask if prayers are bigger in TX. The girl next door to me just became a minister to perform weddings and funerals. She went on the internet , filled out a form and sent in $25 and poof she's a minister !

You can always tell him to take out a home equity loan and fly to NY and pick it up himself ! :smash:

I sold my F250 to a guy who flew in from Texas. His bank was asking for me to sign some paperwork before the sale and I just told them they have to find another way to process the buyers loan. I told them I will only sign documents at my bank; which we ended up doing.

You must be old...aaaa...wait a minute...I remember him too...nevermind.

:lol:

Hahahahahaha.....I sold my first Z06 to a preacher. Then I felt guilty when small things would break and fixed them for him for free (headlight motors). He paid cash for the car and ended up selling it cause he got so many bad looks from members of his church and other ministers. Now that I think about it, he had a huge house and was getting a swimming pool put in. I'm thinking engineering was the wrong profession!

I just sold Corvette to a guy from Texas. He had his credit union cut a check and they told him to bring back the title when he flew out to pick up the car. I talked to the credit union to verify that they were legit. Everything went extremely smooth. Good luck on your sale.

If they want it, they come to you.

I recently sold my motorcycle to a buyer in Illinois while I'm stationed in Florida. We had to go back and forth a few times between banks to get the info to each other and get the banks to somewhat talk to each other.

Personally I would get his banks info and his member number and call them directly. I basically searched every phone number and any info he gave me and everything cleared. I didn't have the title since it was still under lien so I sent him a bill of sale just in case and I got my money the day or so before directly deposited in my account. It's just hard if both parties are legit since you never see each other so it's always a worry for each person.

All he should need to get the loan approved is the VIN number, mileage, your info and your banks info. Give him that info and have his bank contact your bank or yourself. If he wants the car badly enough he will get his bank to work with you.

Take it to car max save a headache

Just for fun have the minister call you to discuss the deal. If he does call back you don't have to answer but check the number and look up the area code of the call.

They usually drive Mercedes.

I have millions of dollars I need to move to the US and if you would give me your bank account # I will send it to you!!:rock:

One down, 473,950,926 scammers to go.

This isn't that far off. When I bought my GS from a private party who had it financed we had to do something similar at my bank. They needed the POA as he didn't have the title. He had to be present to give the bank his personal info and then they gave him a check for the difference of the pay off and the sale price. I had to sign my loan docs. at the same time. So that part sound legit. The BS part of the deal is having to do this 2000 miles away. Find a local buyer.
He just may be a minister, call the town he lives in and check the local churches. Now go and pray for forgiveness..........:rofl::lol:

yea,scam.period.

Having sold several cars and boats on ebay I would say they are all a little weird. Cash deposits up front and good communication are always required.

If there's a scam, I don't think it's associated with the forum member.

Gees, who would think that's ok? I guess a widow trying to sell estate items and knows nothing about selling might...or a blond (my wife).

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

After reading this thread, it validates to me, why I only buy new cars I can write a check for.

All this to complex for poor lonely battery salesman....

Ordinarily, I might agree this sounds like a scam but it may not be.

In fact, what I would do is a modified version of the two posts below that I underlined. Get the two "banks" (could be credit union, finance agency, S&L, etc.) talking to each other.

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as "bank speak" because I've seen if first hand when I had to go to Detroit (suburb, not downtown:D) to buy a used Corvette. For two "bankers" talking to each other, it will take 5 to 10 minutes of talking to arrange what are the real terms and conditions of the sale. Then the deal, if it's a real party on both ends, can be completed and may not require either party going to the other's location. I had to travel to Detroit, but that's only because I wanted to drive the car home.:D

Or, you could go this route, which I have done before and it worked quite successfully.

and Al Sharpton drives a Jaguar.

I had a minister wanting to come buy my car from out of state, It smelled.

I get emails all of the time from someone claiming to be the UPS or postal service. They want me to go down and pick up a package. I never open the emails. I just delete them all. I have heard that if you open one- you get a virus. So, be careful of them too.