Car Buying Scam

[SMURFTEC.]

Hey Guys,

Don't know if you all know, but if its old news to you I apologise in advance, but I just want to warn you guys all about these scams that have been going around, I have my car up for sale at the moment and I've received an email from a 'potential buyer'. The initial email seemed genuine and I was suprised there had been an enquiry already, but then the following email was very suspect and after doing a websearch on the senders email, it came up with various other threads about the same guys using different names with the same story etc. Anyway here's how it goes;

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:58:32 +0100
Subject: About your HOLDEN COMMODORE 1995 Price $7,000
From: ronnyclerkstore@googlemail.com
To: andrew.****@live.com


Hello seller, Do you still have this car for sale? I'm interested in the immediate purchase


On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 6:20 AM, Andrew <andrew.****@live.com> wrote:

Yes mate, I still have this up for sale!



About your HOLDEN COMMODORE 1995 Price $7,000‏
From: Terry Martin (ronnyclerkstore@googlemail.com)
Sent: Friday, 12 February 2010 6:30:03 PM
To: Andrew (andrew.****@live.com)

Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buying it now as a gift for my Great Father. I am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it. I really want the car to be a surprise for my father so i wont let him know anything about the car until it gets delivered to him, i am sure he will be more than happy with the car. I insisted on paypal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my paypal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your paypal email address and the price so i can make the payments asap for the car and pls if you don't have paypal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to Welcome - PayPal and get it set up, after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with paypal so as to put the money through. I have a pick up agent that will come and pick the car up after i have made the payments...

Regards

Terry

[White Tiger]

this seems to be the same scam
Marine Engineer Holden Buying Scam?

[Kal123]

Seams legit to me... Go for it.

Regards,
Prince of Nepal

[acarmody]

Tell them you will transport the car one the money is in your Paypal account and you have withdrawn it into cash.

[nathanVY]

youd loose a hell of a lot to paypal in fees with a 7 grand transaction..

[anonymousmoose]

These are NOT legit. Take it from an IT person who did some more research since I posted the Marine Scam. If you do an IP lookup on the email headers (google this if you want to learn how) you will find these emails come from Africa, Nigeria mostly. Do NOT give them any personal details.

[wildss]

*Hello seller, Do you still have this car for sale? I'm interested in the immediate purchase*



i cant believe you had to google this to find out it was a scam.

[melissasd]

This is the oldest scam in the book. For everything being sold.

When I had my horse up forsale I recieved one that said something like...

"Hello do you still have the item for sale I would like to buy it straight away"

Don't worry that the horse has 3 legs and 2 heads but.

[_R_J_K_]

If you do an IP lookup on the email headers

Heck, just look at the domain name - "googlemail.com", not gmail.

[edals]

Similar thing happened when the old man sold the SS, Someone wanted to transfer money, via different way and then wanted us to export the car to Africa and all this other crazy stuff. And again same thing when i sold my laptop on ebay, someone from the UK, wanted me the send the laptop to china i think, and sent me a paypal receipt. but contacted paypal and no such thing existed.

[DevilDRake]

This sort of email i got today about my Motorbike O.o.. Jesus

[Troy711]

I usually go by 'if it sounds like a scam it probably is'.

[GLITRES]

I had a couple of emails like this when I had my vy for sale.
I just replied saying, "sorry no paypal, cash, direct deposit or funds transfer only"
never heard back form any of them.

Oh yeah, one guy said "is the GOODS still for sale?" that gave it away straight away.

[billy bob]

My mate had a guy at his work who was dumb enough to get sucked in by it. He had a ford transit van that he had on sale for ages. So when he finally got some interest he got pretty excited. He was told to deposit a $700 agents fee into a paypal account to pay the guy who was coming to pick the van up and the $700 would be added to the price of the van. He did. The money was taken, the account closed and no more emails were received.

[Oh_Your_Blind]

just give em fake details!

[bnghardy]

the same scammer was trying to get me as well, but I was selling my boat. u know he was using the same lines. be carefull and alert at all times.

[11gothevt11]

Don't be fooled with them awsome cheap cars on gumtree
Its all rubbish they always say it at a depo
And they are always overseas for some reson
They tell you to put a deposit on car then car will be delivered to you if you like it pay the rest or if you don't like it i will refund your money
I Always say to them i see the car i buy it but always makes excuse's
Just putting this out there just to warn people i was not hooked into it but other could be

BE AWARE !!!!

[levymetal]

Heck, just look at the domain name - "googlemail.com", not gmail.

googlemail.com IS gmail though...

[boonga]

omg i got this exact same email about the vt i was selling but they said it was for her husband

[Pickled]

I would say from experience do not use PayPal unless it is through eBay which most of the time is protected by money back guarantee. (for the buyer)

[Fonzie]

Naah, this is the cue to mess with them! Tell them you've deposited $700 for the agent fee into their paypal account, send them a fake receipt and ask for some confirmation!

[terry_toughnuts]

Don't you lose a fairly large percentage of your money from using paypal??

[RK5TAR]

I sold my magna recently and had the same thing. In 2004 I sold another little car and got offered to ship it to the UK. Never bothered either time and went with whoever wanted it and paid the cash on the spot. They do it with pets now too.They list cute pure bred puppies etc as giveaways, but you have to pay to fly the animal to you as they are "visiting a sick relative" or some tripe. People pay the money to deliver their new "pet" and it never arrives or they get asked for more money.

[acarmody]

I am selling my works company car for my boss, I have put my personal email, and mobile numbers as the contact for both the carsguide account and for contact in the ad, since I'm basically the only person at work that know the difference between the engine and transmission. Just got this email,

"Dear ******************,

A Drive user has contacted you with a question about your FORD, FAIRLANE GHIA GHIA for sale on Drive.
Hello , One of my customer is much interested in your advert FORD car. Please kindly mail me back if the car is still available, stating it's present condition with the final price. Thanks for your understanding and God bless. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, John Peterson +447024098891
Name John Peterson
Mobile 0702409889
Email johnpetersonautos@yahoo.com

First off, learn some goddamn English. Second, use Australian phone numbers, this isn't rocket science. Try Googleing those phone number, both turn up on scam lists. Third, it not advertised on any site called 'Drive'.

A part of me feels like emailing him back and telling him/her that I am a Marine Engineer at sea and that for them to purchase the car that I will need a deposit in my Paypal account. Another part of me says go to bed. The latter won.

[VKCOMMO]

if you ever think someone is selling a fake car or something, like on ebay and all that just message them asking them to take a picture with something distinctive (like a coke can) on the bonnet.

If they say their overseas just forget the sale and move on