So I just got a buyer lead email from Autotrader.com....Scam??? UPDATE - GOT A RESPONSE! ROFL! THEY EMAILED ME AGAIN!!

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Had the persons name/number/email along with the following comment:

I HAVE A CLIENT IN WEST AFRICA THAT HAVE INTEREST IN YOUR CAR AND ALL HE NEED IS YOUR FINAL PRICE THANKS.

I responded saying the price is listed, and any shipping/transportation costs would be the buyers responsibility.

WTF? West Africa? It's a fricken $3500 car, I can't imagine the transportation cost being much less than that.....I'm waiting for a response saying that he's a exiled government offical seeking asylum and has money in an off-shore account he needs to clear out
rolleye.gif


Update 5/6/03

So, had the following in my email box today when I got home:

Dear Friend,
Thanks for your mail, since you said the cost of your car
is $3,500 my client says there is no problem about the price,and one of my client that is owing me $6,000 we issued you a certified cashier check of $9,500 which you are expected to deduct your $3,500 and wire back my $6,000. you will be expecting a cashier check of $9,500 while you wire me back $6,000 via western union as soon as you receive the check which i will used for settling my shippers.After my balance has been wired to me i will then instruct my shippers to come to your location to pick up the car.So let me have your full contact information to where the check will be sent to like this.
name............
full address..........
city..............
state............
country..............
zipcode............
cell telephone number......
Looking forward to your respond and do not forget the photos so that my client will be able to see what he is paying for, Best Regards Anita.



WTF? Sounds like they're wanting to get $6000 out of a fake $9500 cashiers check.

 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,867
367
136
Originally posted by: KnightBreed
Just make sure you get his money before shipping the vehicle.

Make sure it's GUARANTEED FUNDS (wire transfer, cashier's check, international money order) but I wouldn't do it.

Something just doesn't seem right.
 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Yeah, I haven't heard back. I'm pretty sure my parents would want to bother with going thru that shyt anyway.
 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Here is what i'm drafting so far as a response:

Anita:

And why am I being a go between for the $6000 your client owes you? I'm sorry, but I will not do that. If your client owes you $6000, they can pay that to you directly. I will admit that I am very leery on the offer you are presenting to me. Because of this, I would require that the payment be made via a US Postal Service Money Order, or a Bank of America drawn Certified Check or Money order.


Don't know what else to add. Anyone?
 

atom

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 1999
4,722
0
0
Dude, that reeks of scam. If you ever get the money into your account, withdraw all the money and close that account immediately.
 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Yeah, it's obvious it's a scam, but I think I should fvck with him like we all did with that eGay troll selling all the laptops :D
 

atom

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 1999
4,722
0
0
The "client" is in Africa, not the buyer. Anyways, post a pic of the "check" they send you when you get it. Should be fun. :)
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
IT'S A SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the cashiers check is from a foreign country, and FAKE! the US bank, seeing it's a cashier's check, will cash it and credit your acct. but when the bank actually tries to get the funds, they can't. they come back to you, and get the $ from your acct. or if you don't have the $, go after you for the $.

 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Just replied with:

And why am I being a go between for the $6000 your client owes you? I'm sorry, but I will not do that. If your client owes you $6000, they can pay that to you directly. I will admit that I am very leery on the offer you are presenting to me. Because of this, I would require that the payment be made via a US Postal Service Money Order, or a Bank of America drawn Certified Check or Money order. I will not accept a foreign check be it a certified check or a money order.


yeah yeah yeah, I know. Paragraphs own me!!
 

rectifire

Senior member
Nov 10, 1999
528
0
0
100% for sure it's a scam to get you to send them $6000.

If you are dumb enough to do this, you will find out that the cashier's check is fake. It may take a week or two before your bank returns the cashier's check to you as fake. By this time you have already sent this crook $6000 by western union. You then have NO recourse, YOU owe the bank $6000, and the conman in West Africa walks away laughing with your $6000.

EDIT: Jedi beat me to it, and obviously knows the deal about this scam too.
 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Originally posted by: rectifire
100% for sure it's a scam to get you to send them $6000.

If you are dumb enough to do this, you will find out that the cashier's check is fake. It may take a week or two before your bank returns the cashier's check to you as fake. By this time you have already sent this crook $6000 by western union. You then have NO recourse, YOU owe the bank $6000, and the conman in West Africa walks away laughing with your $6000.

EDIT: Jedi beat me to it, and obviously knows the deal about this scam too.

Hence my reply. I'm sure I'll never hear from them again.
 

MaTTCNAMCP

Member
Apr 19, 2003
67
0
0
I got the same type of scam the other day. I found it really strange that someone would reply from Africa to my ad in the LOCAL classifieds.
They wanted me to send them the balance Western Union, I guess so that they could get all my bank info. It's definitely a scam.
 

codeyf

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
11,854
3
81
Just got this:

I want you to know that if i have the cash with me i will have send you but currently i am out of cash and not in the state all i want you to do for is to accept the check and send me the balance that i can used the balance to settle my shipper that we come to your location to pick up your car Thank you and remain blessed in the lord.

Mind you, every email has shown up with a different font. How wierd. This guy is persistent!
 

simms

Diamond Member
Sep 21, 2001
8,211
0
0
Uh, all signs point to scam. I'd try to find all buyers that this guy contacted and get this stupid idiot out of his little 'business'.