Possible car sale scam - Need advice !!

[Gibbo]

Once again Friday Ad who I contacted twice to delete this clowns ad.

I also see another couple of ad's that looks likely on their site...BMW X3's too cheap

He is now using email accounts

[email protected]
[email protected]

Sgt. Paul Richards
29 Regiment RLC
Army Barracks, South Cerney
Gloucestershire

[TerranceBoyce]

The scammer will always be offering a perfect car at what is usually a ridiculously low price.

It's what every buyer is after and the scammer knows he can rush you in to losing all caution.

It's too easy for the scammer, and he'll pressure you by pointing out he has a lot of other buyers. What he won't tell you is that he'll sell the fictitious car to each of the other buyers.

Remember it's your money, and if you let go of it without checking you will lose it and have nothing.

A few simple rules and you'll not lose bargains, but you'll get rid of the majority of scammers.

For the UK.

1. Get the seller's phone number and use it to speak to him. If it's a foreign number or a UK one in the form 44 (0)70 it's a scam. The average 419 scammer will be easy to recognise as you won't understand much of what he says.

2. Ask him to scan a copy of the VSC and send it to you by e-mail. If he can't or won't do it, he won't be able to transfer the car to you anyway. (Scammers will get documents to use by answering adverts themselves, so anyone being asked for a VSC should mark it with the web address of the advert across the front to prevent it being recycled by a scammer).

3. Get the seller to photo the tax disc on the car with their mobile phone and send you a legible copy.

4. If you're buying a car in the UK don't use anything but a bank account to make payment. If the scammer wants to use Western Union or MoneyGram - walk away - it's a scam.

These rules won't guarantee 100% protection, but regrettably the scammer will prefer to work on easier victims, and there won't be a shortage. You won't be losing a bargain, but saving yourself from losing your money.

Bear in mind - it isn't a bargain if you end up losing all your money.

If you've found an amazing bargain, it's just as likely you've found a scammer who'll take your money and leave you with nothing.

If the seller won't comply with simple requests - walk away and let them scam someone else.

[mmbrajohan]

Hi guys.

I'm from South Africa and looking at buying a car.

I found a mini for very cheap and contacted the person selling it. Here are the email conversations. I definately know it's a scam. So just putting it out there.


"Hi Andreas.
Thank you for the reply. The car seems very neat.
I just have a few questions:
Is the car sold through a dealership? I saw the dealership badges in the pictures.
Are there any faults on the car, engine wise, chassis wise or body? The reason I'm asking is because of the low price. I would really like to know of any faults, so that I may budget for repairs...
Kind regards,

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Andreas Grubmuller <[email protected]>

Date: Mon, Apr 15, 2013 at 11:18 AM
Subject: RE: MINI COOPER S PANAROMIC ROOF
To: johan du toit

Thanks for your reply!
The car is in very good running condition, no damages, accidents or scratches no need repairs of course, is in perfect condition inside and outside as well the condition of the engine is perfect. I never smoke in it and i want to sell it to a serious person who will take very good care of the car.

First i must tell you that I am located in United Kingdom. I hope this in not a problem! I have used the car in South Africa (It still has South Africa papers) but here the taxes are very big so i can't register it!! I have worked for my company in South Africa but now i am back home! Due to the economic crisis i need to sell the car fast!! I have tried to sell it here but nobody wanted it! Someone adviced me to sell it on the continent because it still has South Africa papers and will be easier!

If you want the car you can come here to take it or, if you can't come I would like to use a shipping company for this deal. The process is very easy. This company will handle the delivery of the car and also they will handle all the registration papers. If we will use it you will have 5 days for testing the car before deciding to buy it. They will also give me the payment after you will decide to keep the car.

I will pay the delivery of the car! The delivery time will be arround 3-4 days and the car will be delivered at your home address. In this time you will receive the tracking number of the transaction so you can use it to check the status on the company website. If you want, the company will help you with all the registration papers in your country!

Please e-mail me with your decision and your full name and address!! Please don't contact me if you do not have the money for the car or if you only e-mail for simple curiosity!

Best regards"

[StefanMyburgh]

I also came accross this advert in South Africa:

Do you guys think this is a scam of some sort?

"Thanks for your reply!The car is in very good running condition, no damages, accidents or scratches no need repairs of course, is in perfect condition inside and outside as well the condition of the engine is perfect. I never smoke in it and i want to sell it to a serious person who will take very good care of the car. First i must tell you that I am located in United Kingdom. I hope this in not a problem! I have used the car in South Africa (It still has South Africa papers) but here the taxes are very big so i can't register it!! I have worked for my company in South Africa but now i am back home! Due to the economic crisis i need to sell the car fast!! I have tried to sell it here but nobody wanted it! Someone adviced me to sell it on the continent because it still has South Africa papers and will be easier! If you want the car you can come here to take it or, if you can't come I would like to use a shipping company for this deal. The process is very easy. This company will handle the delivery of the car and also they will handle all the registration papers. If we will use it you will have 5 days for testing the car before deciding to buy it. They will also give me the payment after you will decide to keep the car. I will pay the delivery of the car! The delivery time will be arround 3-4 days and the car will be delivered at your home address. In this time you will receive the tracking number of the transaction so you can use it to check the status on the company website. If you want, the company will help you with all the registration papers in your country! Please e-mail me with your decision and your full name and address!! Please don't contact me if you do not have the money for the car or if you only e-mail for simple curiosity! Best regards"

[TerranceBoyce]

http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/betrug-o ... 33350.html

Exact same wording used three years ago with 'Germany' substituted for 'South Africa' and 'Spain' for the 'UK'.

100% scam.

More recently in 2012.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/ar ... 20814.html

[pan666]

Just received this email after listing a car in auto trader

Thanks for getting back to me i have check the listing and am okay with it so I'm satisfied with the Price. I really want this to be a surprise for my friend so i wont let him know anything about it until it gets delivered to him .i have a shipping agent that do pick up for me, they will be the one to pick it up for me after the payment has been made to your account. I will be paying you through PayPal which is a fast, safe and reliable method of payment. .If you don't have a paypal account just logon to http://www.paypal.com and setup  your paypal account, after setting up your paypal account you locate the  request money button located at the top of your paypal account home page, use it to request money directly from my paypal account which is [email protected] once I receive your money request from paypal, I will submit payment to you immediately via paypal asap.

Thanks
Emma Conlon

[Bryon Williams]

Hello pan666 and welcome to Scamwarners.

Could you post the email address the scammer wrote from? I read the one in the post you made. I am curious if is the same address the scammer wrote from.

Thanks for posting.

[Mentalmichael]

Got the same one today

Thanks for getting back to me i have check the listing and am okay with it so I'm satisfied with the Price. I really want this to be a surprise for my friend so i wont let him know anything about it until it gets delivered to him .i have a shipping agent that do pick up for me, they will be the one to pick it up for me after the payment has been made to your account. I will be paying you through PayPal which is a fast, safe and reliable method of payment. .If you don't have a paypal account just logon to www.paypal.com and setup your paypal account, after setting up your paypal account you locate the request money button located at the top of your paypal account home page, use it to request money directly from my paypal account which is [email protected] once I receive your money request from paypal, I will submit payment to you immediately via paypal asap.

Thanks
Emma Conlon

Email was from the email account above

Cheers.

Mike

[Mentalmichael]

Ps. Thanks for the service you are providing

[Bryon Williams]

Hello Mentalmichael and wecome to Scamwarners.

I am glad the information here was helpful to you. Thanks for posting.

Bryon

[fifi13]

I got this from a 'buyer' for my car on autotrader after them initially asking the condition -

Thanks for getting back to me i have check the listing and am okay with it so I'm satisfied with the Price. I really want this to be a surprise for my friend so i wont let him know anything about it until it gets delivered to him .i have a shipping agent that do pick up for me, they will be the one to pick it up for me after the payment has been made to your account. I will be paying you through PayPal which is a fast, safe and reliable method of payment. .If you don't have a paypal account just logon to http://www.paypal.com and setup  your paypal account, after setting up your paypal account you locate the  request money button located at the top of your paypal account home page, use it to request money directly from my paypal account which is [email protected] once I receive your money request from paypal, I will submit payment to you immediately via paypal asap

Alarm bells obviously so ive just asked the name of the company and whos name they would like me to put the v5 in, will update if i get a response with all the info i receive back. Going to act dumb.

[TerranceBoyce]

Just tell him that you'll ask Paypal to verify any payment he claims to have made and that if he arranges a shipping agent it's his responsibility to pay him.

You won't hear anything more from the scammer.

[fifi13]

They said that the shipping agent will deal with the v5 and eventually told me his name is 'mark' and number is
447035920786 so thought id add this info to help others avoid being scammed. Im going to tell them its sold now so they dont mither me anymore

[Bryon Williams]

@ fifi13

Mark is his fake name and the phone number you posted is a re-direct phone number. The scammer wants you to believe that he is in the UK. However, that phone number can be received anywhere in the world. Your scammer is located more than likely in West Africa or Malaysia.

Just quit writing to him and eventually he will go away. He is programmed to respond to any and all emails you may send him.

[fifi13]

I have had another 2 enquiries exactly the same memo so thought i would add the emails to the thread so they can be spotted -

[email protected]
and
[email protected]