Cars.com buyer scam

The e-mail thread below outlines the scam. The person never wants to look at the vehicle, plus he texted me from a text-free phone#, not an actual phone#. Very Creative though! Noticed my area code and got a cell phone text free# from the same areacode. Thank you.

Thanks for the swift reply and will like to purchase it.Can i pay you $9,850 USD for it? i will be paying you with my PayPal because it's attached to my bank account,If my offer is accepted send me your paypal email address so i can pay in right away,you can set up an account at http://www.paypal.com it is very easy and secure.I am a marine engineer on a rig offshore and do not have much time on me.Make sure you get back to me so that i can arrange for pick up as i will like the car to be picked,so no shipping included.I await your reply




On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 9:43 PM, I deleted your email address. ~Bubbles wrote:

I will send interior pics soon. It has almost quit raining. My wife just got a new van and now we have 3 cars: her van, Sequoia, and Ford F150 truck. I own a nursery and we haul large loads of plants. I need a heavy duty truck, so I am selling both the Sequoia and the Ford F150 to buy a larger, diesel pickup truck. I love the Sequoia. It rides the best of any vehicle I have ever owned.



Condition: The interior is in great condition. Seats are grey cloth and have no stains. My wife has taken excellent care of this vehicle. Here is what is "wrong" with the vehicle. I'll be as honest as possible. The antenna does not retract. The rear hatch window does not go down. The keyless entry was added after we bought the vehicle and the key fobs don't work. The tires are in good condition and it has been serviced regularly.



We are asking $9,800 for the vehicle. I look forward to hearing from you.


David Harper





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From: "Romano John" <[email protected]>
To: I deleted your email address. ~Bubbles
Sent: Monday, September 5, 2011 5:54:06 PM
Subject: Re: Toyota Sequoia SR5 2002



I've gotten the pics of the car which you have sent and i think i really love and willing to buy it from you... so i want you to get back to me with your best price and i can shoot you an offer and also tell me the present condition and why do you want to sell the vehicle.
Looking forward to your message soon.
Thank you


On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 8:40 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:

Attached are pics of the exterior. If the rain will ever subside, I will send interior pics and engine pics. Thank you.



I deleted your real name. ~Bubbles

LOL thats what happend to me today. I tracked his IP and hes in NIGERIA. I sent him this message back.

EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE


you know what you mother fucker, just to let you know I knew exactly what you were going to say the next thing you were going to say is

""""
I've gotten the pics of the car which you have sent and i think i really love and willing to buy it from you... so i want you to get back to me with your best price and i can shoot you an offer and also tell me the present condition and why do you want to sell the vehicle.
Looking forward to your message soon.
Thank you
"""""
You live near Mushin, Nigeria and I am tracing your email location right now. I have already sent your information to the FBI and I myself am Military so I will find you you son of a bitch, if I don't the FBI will. Get ready to eat some fucking lead you son of a bitch.


Number 1: If you have enough fucking time to email me you HAVE ENOUGH FUCKING TIME TO SET UP A PAYPAL ACCOUNT
Number 2: Dont fucking TEXT ME FROM A NO CALL NUMBER
Number 3: NEXT TIME YOU BETTER FUCKING READ WHO YOUR WRITING TO, IF YOUR STILL ALIVE
Number 4: WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU PAY SOMEONE MORE THAN THEY WANT TO SELL IT FOR

Waiting for a reply



then he just said


IS BECAUSE FUCKING FOOL AND ALSO DO THAT TO OUTBID THE OTHERS THAT ARE BIDDING VEHICLE FROM YOU THIS MOTHER FUCKER

I WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY ASSHOLE

I also had the same interaction with this person today thru Ebay. Same exact emails as you guys listed before. Glad you guys posted this!!! Granted it's not hard to realize he's a fool after the email where he says he'll buy it.

hello! I encountered the same scammer on a kijiji ad in canada. I felt something was wrong as the buyer never wanted to look at the car and was too insistant on wanting to send payment right away. He/She identified themselves as John Romano a marine engineer on an off shore rig. luckily nothing went forward. felt I should post something here.
the scammer gives part of an american address in NY state to add an air of reality to his BS

Here is my home address below


Zip Code...11554
Address..Powers Av,
City..East Meadow
State...New York
Albany for New York
And about the charges i want you to know that i will cover it and its 2.9% so let me know if you are willing to sell for me