Coach Purchase Scam

[Jim Skiff]

A seller almost fell for this one........no it wasn't Truk
__________________________________________________ _____


Dear -------,
I have accepted your price and i can not afford to miss the property.However i will make a deposite of ($60,000) to you for the property.I have made out a certified cashiers check of($67,000) then the balance of $7,000 is for my broker for his trip to the states for property inspection and other neccessary renovetion and welfare.So you're required to deduct the deposite of ($60,000) and send the balance of($7,000) to my broker via money gram money transfer to enable him offsett other necessary arrangements.
So if this is okay with you kindly mail me back, am so much in love with your property.
Please Confirm this and provide the name,full contact address and phone/fax number as required for check payment to be delivered direct to you,this is for security reason,again that am paying directly to you in person and for easy comminucation b/w both of you.
So if this is okay with you kindly mail me back am so much in love with your property and i can't afford to miss the property.
Please Confirm this and provide the name,full contact address and phone/fax number as required for check payment to be delivered direct to you,this is for security reason,again that am paying directly to you in person and for easy comminucation b/w both of you.
Thanks
Rick

[phorner]

I saw a Wachovia Bank cashier's check in the amount of $37,000 that was sent to a friend of mine to purchase his street rod. He had required a bank cashier's check as payment. Thought that it was the most secure method of payment.

Luckily, he had the bank check it out before depositing it and it was a fake!

Looked perfect. Had all the correct stampings. It took the bank 48 hours to identify it as fraudulent.

He has a beautiful, yet useless, check but at least still has his ride!

So, be careful........ be very careful....:mad:

[jack14r]

I have seen the same thing but different,my company checks from Wachovia were reprinted by a group of thieves and they cashed 2 of them,one at a Wachovia branch. When they were caught I got the documents from the court and they had scammed over 750K from many businesses,.I think that a wire transfer is the only way to be sure that the payment is real.

[garyde]

If you can't tell by the poor written english that the letter is a scam, then maybe I can sell you a slightly used gold mine. I delete one ot two of these e-mail scams a week.

[Ray Davis]

I had similar situation when I tried to sell a Jeep CJ-7 a couple of years back.

In fact, as I remember, I had several similar offers!

[flyu2there]

Skiffer,

When I try to market something on E-Bay or, even worse, Craig's List I seem to always get one of these. The more skilled Bunko Guys write in perfect English but its the same old scenario, offers to buy at full price or more, tells about the Cashier's Check always has a check for more than the sale price, wants Western Union or similar to send small amount back to "agent" or brother, or sister or mother. Lots and lots of other gibberish...stop them in their tracks when you inform them that you only use Escrow Services.

I have been getting one or more per week of the latest...some guy in Nigeria who owns a bank...yadda, yadda, yadda.....

[phorner]

Yeah,

I can't tell you how many lotteries I've "won" and estates that want my help in being "settled"....

By now you would think that the scenarios would have been up-dated a bit, but it's always the old BS.

[jonnie]

I think it was W.C Fields who said, " There is a sucker born every minute". These scams are just another example of not being careful. I justs sold a corvette to a fellow in Sweden and I had the money wire transfered and in my account before the car left my possession.

[Ray Davis]

Jonnie,

Just curious, in the scenario you describe, i.e. wiring prior to selling the car, what kind of security did the purchaser want? It seems a scary road in either direction, i.e. you could have been scamming a sale?

I've bought a couple of big ticket items on Ebay, but generally it's end up going through a brick and mortar business (car dealership), which I then trusted, but I'll admit to being scared sending off a chunk of money to get a car I've never seen, and I hoped would arrive as promised.


Ray

[phorner]

I hear ya, Ray. I once saw a Viper that someone bought sight unseen that was described as "minor front end damage" and was sold for 25K.

It was about 4 feet long and delivered on a flat bed trailer. :eek:

The unwitting buyer got suckered into a quick purchase as he was pressured by the seller saying that he had other offers and that the first guy to come up with the cash would get the "great deal".

The buyer owned a construction company and has a friend that owns a body shop, so they felt that most any damage could be repaired.

Well, they were wrong. They were last using the Viper to cart around on a flat bed to car shows as a means of informing the public as to the hazards of buying sight unseen over the internet. Although he talked about pursuing legal action, he was at least in a financial position to absorb the loss and consider it a lesson learned.

At least they were honest about the color......red

[jonnie]

Ray,

In this case the buyer looked at my feedback, 100%, and this was really the determining factor. However, there was apprehension on both sides. I had never sold a car overseas and he had never purchased a $30,000 plus car sight unseen. After a few personal conversations we became more comfortable with each other and decided to proceed. I set up a new account for wire transfers only. The buyer wired the money to the shipping company, which I checked out. Upon inspection of the car and the title by the shipping company the money was transferred to my account within the hour. At this point I released the car with a clear title and the deal was done. Six weeks later the buyer called me and thanked me for selling him the car. It as better that he expected.

However, caution is still very appropriate. Even when buying and selling domestically there is always the escrow option. Ebay provides this service and I have had people back out of a deal or not respond when I suggested escrow because I didn't feel comfortable with the deal.

Be careful

John

[Ray Davis]

Paul,

Wow, what a story. :eek: I think I'd be picking up my shotgun about that time. Jeesh.

Jonnie, thanks for the info. Don't you just love it on Ebay. Purchase something for $30,000 and get one point of feedback credit!

ray

[Darl-Wilson]

I think it was W.C Fields who said, " There is a sucker born every minute". These scams are just another example of not being careful. I justs sold a corvette to a fellow in Sweden and I had the money wire transfered and in my account before the car left my possession.

P.T. Barnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There's_a_sucker_born_every_minute).

[rfoster]

The internet has become a way of life in the world of commerce. We enjoy some 8 to 10 deals a month over the net. The key is to be very careful and once you have the procedure down, don't deviate. We try our best to overcome the objections of those doubting Toms, but sometimes it is impossible. We don't release titles or autos till paid in full! We just got a wire transfer Monday from Alberta, Canada for 32,500 for an 03 M5. There is daily contact via phone and fax. It is necessary to offer ongoing exchange of info to keep everyone confident that they are dealing with a reputable business, and we in turn are dealing with a credible buyer. The M5 is still at my place under lock and key awaiting his carrier.

We also recommend the customer have a franchised dealer perform an inspection of the vehicle as an independent third party and at the buyers expense. The franchised dealer contact is made by the buyer (not us). We will provide them phone numbers to 2 or 3 in our area and they make the arrangements. We accomodate their needs by delivering the vehicle to the franchised dealer for the inspection at our expense. We also provide Carfax, Autocheck, and previous maintenance records when available.

Also, like Jonnie we have an account used exclusively for wire transfers. So far, so good.

We also get the Nigerians wanting to send us money. We say "send it on, we needs it", no takers yet.