WTF? IS THIS A SCAM? I NEED HELP!

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,549
1
81
I am just going to copy-paste, I put my car on sale, recieve an email from this dude, then reply with some more pictures and my final price, than he sends another email today...

His first email regarding the ad:

HI,

JUST SAW YOU CAR AD AND AM INTERESTED IN PURCHASING IT,WILL LIKE YOU TO
GET BACK TO ME WITH SOME MORE PICTURES OF THE CAR AND ALSO STATE THE
LAST PRICE YOU WILL! BE SELLING THE VEHICLE.

REGRADS,

ALEX PHILIPS.

So I reply with this:

Hey,

If you haven't noticed, there is a link above the main image in my ad,
it says "Click here for more pictures", you can find some more pictures
there and I just uploaded some more here:

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ckizilde/arabam2/

For the price, I can't go any lower than $14700, because if you go to
Audi related sites, my price is pretty low for such a car... just let me
know if you are interested. Also, are you from Blacksburg area? We can
meet for you to test drive it someday...

Thanks.

Cem

Then he replies with this today;

Thanks for the mail ,

We have concluded with our client and he has instructed to carry on with the transaction,he said that I should inform you that payment will get to you in a cashier check of $23,000which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by my client.

Due to company policy this check has to be made out in this amount to
you ,because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier check,so you are required to deduct cost of your (CAR) $14,700 when payment gets to you and refund balance $8,300 to my customer via western
union money transfer or money gram transfer for him to be able to offset shipping charges.

After payment has reached you and balance sent back to him,our agent will come for the pick up and drive to a prepaid shipper to be shipped to my customer,while title papers and other necessary documents will be sent by you via fedex courier to my customer.

Please Confirm this and provide NAME,ADDRESS ,PHONE number for check payment to be delivered to you via fedex courier .

Thanks and God Bless.

Management

Alex


THIS GUY SMELLS A LOT OF B.S. TO ME... what do you all think? Nobody will do that refund shit...

Cliffnotes:

READ THE DAMN POST, I NEED HELP/OPINIONS.

/ / / / / XIETY

Smells like a Troll to me. Call the police and have them meet the buyer with your car, they me be looking for people just like this.

Troll Hater Mod
 

styrafoam

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2002
2,684
0
0
Yes, he is going to kite a check and have you western union him the difference making it look like you were paid for the car, but giving him the change. They will get you but since you wired him the money it is gone and he gets off scot free.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Yep...repost...someone here had the same thing happen a few months ago.

Odds of scam are 100%
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Scam. Actually I heard something about this on the news. I'd either ignore him, tell him to fvck off, or call the authorities.
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
0
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?
 

isekii

Lifer
Mar 16, 2001
28,578
3
81
why not just cash the check, close the account. Open a new account and send him/her the money ?
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?

They use a fake cashier's check.
 

Jhill

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2001
5,187
3
0
Keep replying and mess with this guy. Take up all his time. Ask him a bunch of really wierd and off the wall questions.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?
I think it's got to do with them overpaying and you just not waiting for it to clear or something like that, and you send them back the difference, then you're out - in this case - $8k
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Jhill
Keep replying and mess with this guy. Take up all his time. Ask him a bunch of really wierd and off the wall questions.
Bad skoorb! I'm mad I hadn't thought of that. Indeed I agree. Play with him.
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
0
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?

They use a fake cashier's check.

so you'd automatically know this when you take it to a bank to deposit it. This scam can't work that well if that's how they do it.
 

slycat

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
5,656
0
0
jeez its not that hard u know..
ask him for a CERTIFIED check, a phone number and company details...since he keeps speaking in the
3rd person. if he can't comply, say bye...if he sends u a certified mo/check, cash it, your bank verifies it, cool!


problem solved.
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?
I think it's got to do with them overpaying and you just not waiting for it to clear or something like that, and you send them back the difference, then you're out - in this case - $8k

what idiots would deposit a check for $23k without waiting for it to clear? there are some real idiots out in the world.
 

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,549
1
81
THANKS ALL.... I am glad you all replied so quick before I replied back to this guy :) Well, I actually want to report this dude to authorities but how will I go about doing this? Will our local police department do any good? Thanks.

 

alexruiz

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2001
2,836
556
126
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?

I was going to propose the same... if the check doesn't bounce and stays in the bank, no scam! Let this person know that you WILL NOT refund anything until the cashier check has cleared the bank and the money shows in your account. If he/she refuses, then you know the supposed check has no funds..... so SCAM is right! Anyone disagree?

Alex
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
0
Originally posted by: slycat
jeez its not that hard u know..
ask him for a CERTIFIED check, a phone number and company details...since he keeps speaking in the
3rd person. if he can't comply, say bye...if he sends u a certified mo/check, cash it, your bank verifies it, cool!


problem solved.

well this is obviously a scam so don't even bother with it. I'm just interested how people actually get suckered into this scam.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I may be wrong on how it's a scam (ie, how it works exactly - because I agree you should wait for a check to clear, so there must be more to it), but it is a scam. I would just steer clear of even TRYING to get any money out of this guy. Scammers are going to beat you at their own game. This guy is a scammer, so don't play with this sort of cash. Hopefully somebody knows how you'd report it to the authorities exactly.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?

They use a fake cashier's check.

so you'd automatically know this when you take it to a bank to deposit it. This scam can't work that well if that's how they do it.

Like I said...it's been posted here before. That's how they do it. Forget the details but feel free to search! :)
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: alexruiz
Originally posted by: fivespeed5
never heard of this scam probably is a scam but how is will they do it?

can't you take the money, deposit it at a bank. wait a couple days for the check to go through, then proceed from there?

I was going to propose the same... if the check doesn't bounce and stays in the bank, no scam! Let this person know that you WILL NOT refund anything until the cashier check has cleared the bank and the money shows in your account. If he/she refuses, then you know the supposed check has no funds..... so SCAM is right! Anyone disagree?

Alex

It's not always as simple as "waiting for it to clear."

It could come back to bite you in the ass weeks later.

Steer clear.

Viper GTS