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* DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.
* NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
* FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
* CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
* NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
* AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
I guess if they send out even only 10 e-mails...and we know, it's gotta be more like thousands and thousands...even if they only find one idiot who falls for it...they are that much ahead. Pretty good days work for a scam artist!
Any time we have a car for sale posted anywhere, the "offers" start coming in.
"My bank told me I needed to check into it a little further out before I wired the money, but I didn't," says Porch. He wired the money, $7,250, and after the truck was never delivered he decided to call Ebay.
DUH HUH, stupid is as stupid does! Verify, Validate, and then check it again.
A good friend of mine called me last summer asking what she needed to check on a used SeaDoo if they bought some. She had found some online to buy. She told me the story and this woman IS smart so she was kind of like, "something isn't right" so she called me. The guy told her the "items" were in Florida but the picture of them online was clearly in Arizona. The guy told her via email (many were sent back and forth and he ended every one of them with, "God Bless you and your family" ) that the documents were crated up WITH the SeaDoo's and all in storage. I did some digging and found the SAME SeaDoo's pictures on several websites for used boats and pwc's all with different dates for the last few months.
I didn't like the salutation he gave all the time and even put it at the end of his paragraphs to her and below his name. Too much "God stuff" and I'm a Christian. People that are honest just don't feel the need to spout such to try and MAKE people think they are upfront and honest.
The other thing was the many postings of the same picture but even one that was a few months older but a different location and contact name and number.
The other is: Why would ANYONE crate up some SeaDoo's (or ANYTHING for that matter) and PAY to ship it across the country just to sell it and then have to ship it off somewhere else. If he really was upfront he would have left them IN Arizona and just shipped them once from there.
Then, NO ONE EVER PUTS THE DOCUMENTS that show proof of ownership IN THE SHIPPING CRATE!
I recently bought a car over the Internet. I was looking for a very specific vehicle and couldn't find what I wanted around here.
The suggestion to "If possible, inspect the item before you buy." I would change to "definitely inspect the item before you buy". In this day and age of cheap(ish) airfare there is no excuse to spend anything more than a $200 plane ticket and visit the vehicle before you decide to plunk down more cash. It may turn out to be a dud, but better to be out the cost of a plane ticket than thousands of dollars...
In my search I ran across a scammer...and if the price is too good to be true, it probably is a scam. Here is an excerpt of my scammer's response email to my simple question about if the car had heated seats:
Quote:
Hi,
I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due to lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things I've considered important in the past.
This is a charity sell, I will donate the money to a children foundation so the deal must be concluded through a company. Right now I'm in a business trip and I can't meet you to show you the car, but I can send you more pictures and details. I hope that is fine for you. I can ship the car on my expense to your location. If you want to buy the car, send me your full name and delivery address and eBay company will contact you with all the details regarding this transaction ( shipping and payment details ). If you agree with my price and my terms I am ready to reserve the car for you.
The car has clear title. The condition of this car is incredible. The paint is in perfect shape. There are no dings, scratches, damage on the body or rust. This vehicle has been very well maintained and kept both smoke and accident free.
Let me know if you are still interested.
All I had asked was if the car had heated seats - and he sends me all this BS. This car wasn't on eBay; I found it on AutoTrader with a price about $8k lower than comparable cars were selling for (big red flag). Notice how he didn't even address my question? No, I didn't buy it. LOL.
In my search I ran across a scammer...and if the price is too good to be true, it probably is a scam. Here is an excerpt of my scammer's response email to my simple question about if the car had heated seats:
All I had asked was if the car had heated seats - and he sends me all this BS.
Notice how he didn't even address my question? No, I didn't buy it. LOL.
That one is CLASSIC scam.
Here is his response and some of the flags he gives that this is indeed a scam:
"I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due to lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things I've considered important in the past.
This is a charity sell, I will donate the money to a children foundation so the deal must be concluded through a company. Right now I'm in a business trip and I can't meet you to show you the car, but I can send you more pictures and details. I hope that is fine for you. I can ship the car on my expense to your location. If you want to buy the car, send me your full name and delivery address and eBay company will contact you with all the details regarding this transaction ( shipping and payment details ). If you agree with my price and my terms I am ready to reserve the car for you.
The car has clear title. The condition of this car is incredible. The paint is in perfect shape. There are no dings, scratches, damage on the body or rust. This vehicle has been very well maintained and kept both smoke and accident free.
Let me know if you are still interested. "
1. Supposedly NOT selling the car "for profit". A bunch of "I'm finding out the real reasons for life" bs.
2. It is ALL for charity. Right A "childrens charity" to tug at heartstrings.
3. Transaction MUST be done thru a "company". uh-huh.
4. They are ALWAYS "out of town". ALWAYS!!!!
5. Offers to "send more pictures". Sure this one can be legit and often times a legit seller has more pictures than can usually be posted online and is willing to send them.
6. Will pay for shipping. Right, cause it ain't gonna be shipped.
7. Asking for name and address and you are barely into ANY negotiations at all. A simple question like, "does this car have heated seats" and they are already labeling it "sold" to you and wanting YOUR info.
8. Offers up that your info is needed for "shipping" details. Haven't even discussed the ins and outs of the car in question.
9. They ALWAYS have a "clear title". Like someone is going to say, "my loan amount balance is......."
10. The items are ALWAYS impeccable and in "brand new" condition. Yep, cause they don't exist so it is hard for them to be "damaged".
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There are many legit transactions over the internet involving cars every day. Sometimes that is the only way to get the car out there especially if it is something "different" and not a car one is going to find on half the car dealers lots on any given day.
Location: Still in Portland, Oregon, for some reason
890 posts, read 3,700,888 times
Reputation: 743
Stupid is as stupid does....I'm no longer shocked when I hear another moron has fallen for this.
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) that the documents were crated up WITH the SeaDoo's and all in storage. I did some digging and found the SAME SeaDoo's pictures on several websites for used boats and pwc's all with different dates for the last few months. 
A "childrens charity" to tug at heartstrings. 
