A $55,000 Net scam warning

[Grasshopper27]

Think you?re too smart to be fooled? So did this veteran Internet user

He?s a veteran Internet user, and an accomplished dentist. He has a friend in the FBI, and they have discussed Internet crime. Bruce Lachot is not your typical Net scam victim. But in November, just after the birth of his third child, Lachot decided his family needed a larger car. He was tempted by a great deal on a new BMW M5, and optimistically wired money to the German seller. Now, Lachot finds himself out $55,000, with no new sedan, and no chance to recover the money, a victim of one of the most successful and widespread Internet scams to date.

MSNBC

This guy has $55,000 stolen from him. What does the FBI do? Refers him to the "Internet Fraud Complaint Center".

Hrumph...

Hopper

 

[notfred]

I'll remember that for the next time I'm paying for a new BMW in cash.

 

[Grasshopper27]

Originally posted by: notfred
I'll remember that for the next time I'm paying for a new BMW in cash.

Err, um, yea... I've got a bridge to sell, anyone want to wire me some cash?

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Grasshopper27
Think you?re too smart to be fooled? So did this veteran Internet user

He?s a veteran Internet user, and an accomplished dentist. He has a friend in the FBI, and they have discussed Internet crime. Bruce Lachot is not your typical Net scam victim. But in November, just after the birth of his third child, Lachot decided his family needed a larger car. He was tempted by a great deal on a new BMW M5, and optimistically wired money to the German seller. Now, Lachot finds himself out $55,000, with no new sedan, and no chance to recover the money, a victim of one of the most successful and widespread Internet scams to date.

MSNBC

This guy has $55,000 stolen from him. What does the FBI do? Refers him to the "Internet Fraud Complaint Center".

Hrumph...

Hopper

What do you expect them to do? There's not much they can do but say "Get in line, take a number". Internet fraud is huge

 

[freebee]

When a man gives birth to three children....somethings up....

 

[ElFenix]

fake ebay stuff?

 

[PAB]

Every time I tell myself "I think I've seen everything"......

I realize that I havent.

This amazes me. Fake escrow companies.

Here's a thought. Have your own people do escrow. This guy is a dentist. He should have lawyer buddies from the country club. Ok, he has kids and maybe he dosent play golf. He should have lawyer buddies from the private school day care that can handle a transaction from trust.

Yeesh. Hasnt anyone ever decided to check DUNS numbers or FEIN's? It is public information if you look in the right places.

-PAB

 

[Radiohead]

?My (business) partner has a friend in the FBI, I talked to him, and he said the safest things to buy online are golf clubs and cars.?

Uh yeah... real slick advice there Fed buddy.

 

[Grasshopper27]

PAB, you might have missed it...

He wired the money to Germany, he was trying to buy a car that isn't even in the United States. He sent $55,000 overseas without so much as getting a third party to confirm the car exists.

Ok, so we all do boner things every once in a awhile, but sheesh, this was a big one.

Hopper

 

[PAB]

Originally posted by: Grasshopper27
PAB, you might have missed it...

He wired the money to Germany, he was trying to buy a car that isn't even in the United States. He sent $55,000 overseas without so much as getting a third party to confirm the car exists.

Ok, so we all do boner things every once in a awhile, but sheesh, this was a big one.

Hopper

Well yeah, I got that part.

My point is that with such a large transaction, the use of a third party should be inevitable.

Look at real estate. There's almost always an escrow company involved in the transaction.

-PAB

 

[SherEPunjab]

if you think you can buy a M5 for 55k you're an idiot.

 

[Grasshopper27]

Why wouldn't you insist on using your own Escrow service, one well known to everyone.

6 different accounts? Two different services? This screams fraud...

Sigh...

Hopper

 

[Grasshopper27]

Originally posted by: SherEPunjab
if you think you can buy a M5 for 55k you're an idiot.

LOL! No kidding, greed is indeed a powerful moviator.

Hopper

 

[d33pt]

if it's too good to be true, it usually is. i always go by that rule... it applies even with the trolls in the FS/T forum

 

[Zim Hosein]

Hopper that guy is just plain dumb, I wouldn't want him as my dentist.

Wiring money to Germany to save $16,000 makes him too cheap for his own good.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: notfred
I'll remember that for the next time I'm paying for a new BMW in cash.

An M5, no less! :Q

 

[Mill]

It is well known that a honest man cannot be conned or scammed.

 

[Oakenfold]

Wow, I need to get in on this!

 

[Orsorum]

http://www.automobile-escrow.com/

Bastards. I'm curious why the FBI isn't looking deeper into who owns the actual sites, and tracking them down?

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

The guy should just get his money back with interest by responding to one of those interesting mails from Nigeria!

 

[db]

All kinds of "smart" people get real stoopid when someone has something they REALLY want to buy for a good price.

 

[stebesplace]

So true. . .

Point being, sending fee's oversea never proves safe. Should have used an escrow service in the US, or at least used ebays escrow. And why the heck would you buy a car on ebay like that from overseas without going to inspect it? I mean its fine to buy online, but only if you can view it, or have a friend view it etc. . .


-Steve

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: notfred
I'll remember that for the next time I'm paying for a new BMW in cash.

 

[GasX]

I would definitely leave a negative Heatware after an experience like that!

 

[db]

Haha.
Gee, people are starting to realize that doing deals over national borders is risky, heh.