Is this a Craigslist SCAM??

[tumpinjahosafat]

I contacted this guy about a car i saw on craigslist here is the coorespondence...

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Hey there, my name is mike and im just wondering if the car is still for sale. And if so, could i swing by and check it out. Also, how many miles does it have. Whats its history IE how many owners, any service done to it. Thanks alot

you can call me at either

413 567 **** or

413 847 ****

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Hi,

Thank you for your interest in my car.This is a 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS,A/C,Leather,Body type: Sedan,Engine: 5 Cylinder 2.5L,Exterior color: White,Interior color: Tan ,Transmission: Automatic,Fuel type: Gasoline,VIN: 3VWDG71K55M603808,only 40,000 miles on it.It's Campanella White with Pure Beige Leather interior.It averages over 30 miles per gallon.

Here you can find more pictures of the car: http://s512.photobucket.com/albums/t...WAGENJETTAGLS/
(if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web browser window).

The car has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage.Flawless exterior/interior condition,no scratches and no dents.It has never been involved in an accident.The engine starts and drives like new and the paint looks great.It comes with US clear title which will be signed and notorized in the buyer's name.Have original manuals and all keys.
I'm an US Air Force Sgt.currently stationed in United Kingdom.The car is here with me. It was bought in the US and shipped to Europe, but it was never permanently registered here, the car is still registered in the US.The car is for sale locally as well, but there are slim chances of this to happen. In order to be able to register this car here in UK the buyer would have to pay very high import/custom taxes that will double the price. So I decided to sell the car back in the US.

The price is $4,800.00 including shipping from UK to the US and delivery to your home address.

So if you decide to buy this car or need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.
Thank you

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sounds very good. So you are located in the UK? Do you have a number i can reach you at?

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I don't have access to a phone.We can talk further via email because it's the only form of communication as fast as the phone.

I will have the car shipped from UK by an US Air Force cargo plane so there won't be any additional shipping costs. Also I will arrange for a truck to transport the car to your home address or, if you like, you can pick it up from the nearest airport in your area. The shipping will take 6-8 days, depending on your location.Shipping will be door to door,to your home address,somebody must be home when the car arrives to sign for the reception.The car will arrive with all the papers and documents required for registration and the keys. The clear title and the bill of sale will be already signed by me.

The payment will be done through eBay.You will send the money to eBay and as soon as the payment is confirmed they will notify me to proceed with the shipping. I will ship the car, you will receive it and you will have 5 days for inspection, both the car and the paperwork and the option to accept or reject the car.The inspection time period will begin as soon as you sign for receiving the car at your requested address.During all this time eBay will hold the money into a trust account.So, this is not a blind transaction,you can see the car before decided to buy it.If you are satisfied with the car and decide to keep it you inform eBay about this and they will release the money to me. If the car is not as advertised and decide not to keep it eBay will refund you the money, no questions asked, and shipping back the car will be my concern. I think this is more than fair for the both of us.Please take in to consideration that I will get paid only after you receive the car and make sure everything is as agreed.

If you agree with these terms and you have the money, send me your full name and the address where you want the car to be delivered to and I will initiate the transaction with eBay. You will receive all the transaction details from them.

I will appreciate an answer as soon as possible.

Thank you




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Im pretty suspicious at this point. It sounds too good to be true. Its nice to hear about the ebay trust fund thing or whatever but he is so formal and not so personal. Dosent sound too good. What do you TB'ers Think???

[Linas]

yes.

[Stigs]

Looks suspicious, ask him more about his military background and position, also try to get a picture of the odometer.

The no phone part was pretty much a red flag, I would either try to get more information for kicks and giggles or run far, far away.

[iamlowsound]

Scam. VW didn't come out with the 5 cylinder engine until this model year.

lowsound

[csala]

He is planning on shipping you a Matchbox or Hot Wheels Volkswagon.

[mimaz]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Scam. VW didn't come out with the 5 cylinder engine until this model year.

lowsound

Sorry, gotta correct you on that one. The 2.5L 5 cylinder came out in the 2005 new Jetta. (2005 was a split model year, the 2005 Jetta had the 2.0L 4 cylinder, then the 2005 new Jetta got the 2.5L 5 cylinder.)

[biohazed]

Its a scam i saw a similar one involving a VW Beetle in Canada i asked for him to take pics of the car with him standing in front of it with a sign that had his e-mail address on it to make sure it was realy and the car was "packed" into a shipping container waiting for me to ship payment ... plus why would you want to buy a car from the UK and ship it to the US ... if it wasn't a scam you realize how much stuff you have to go through to het it tagged and get so much as a state title for it?

[Spector_Ray]

Bah...just go to a used car lot and let them scam you the old fashioned way.

[NKUSigEp]

Scam - you'll see this stuff all the time. I wouldn't waste your time with it. Don't bother asking for pics or any more info. It's all bogus anyways.

And even in the 1 in infinity chance it isn't a scam...$4800 plus shipping? I don't know how much the car is worth but shipping, taxes, and whatever fees associated with the purchase would just be mind-boggling to get it overseas.

[baalroo]

scam, dude's probably nigerian.

[Brim]

Scam. Too much crap about the shipping etc. A few weeks ago, I had a nigerian scammer try to persuade me into selling him an office printer I had listed on Craigslist. I played with him a bit to see how far he would go. We got to payments terms and he wanted to get my paypal address. I asked him for his confirmed shipping address....guess what...it was in Nigeria. And he was posing as a famous cartoonist from that country (someone I was able to google and get legit info on). When they start talking too much it's a scam. PLUS...Craigslist's policy is to deal LOCALLY. Read their safety guidelines.

[L-A]

I have yet to see a thread like this that can be answered by "no, this seems legit".

[GeneralElectric]

No this seems pretty legit.

Don't be a puss, go and do it.

[bradjonesbass]

scam. same EXACT response (other than car make, model, etc...) I got about a Honda Pilot. This is a fairly common scam now. I bet $100 if you keep playing along he'll as to use a third party escrow account/shipper who is similar to UPS/Fed-Ex and they will hold your check until you are satisfied with the transaction at which time the check will be released to them. This is to ease your mind when dealing with an overseas transaction...

[Spector_Ray]

Last time I checked, the USAF isn't in the cargo shipping business. Even if you're in the military and book a MAC flight, it costs you. Lame attempt!

[bradjonesbass]

another tell-tale sign

The payment will be done through eBay.You will send the money to eBay and as soon as the payment is confirmed they will notify me to proceed with the shipping. I will ship the car, you will receive it and you will have 5 days for inspection, both the car and the paperwork and the option to accept or reject the car.The inspection time period will begin as soon as you sign for receiving the car at your requested address.During all this time eBay will hold the money into a trust account.So, this is not a blind transaction,you can see the car before decided to buy it.If you are satisfied with the car and decide to keep it you inform eBay about this and they will release the money to me. If the car is not as advertised and decide not to keep it eBay will refund you the money, no questions asked, and shipping back the car will be my concern. I think this is more than fair for the both of us.Please take in to consideration that I will get paid only after you receive the car and make sure everything is as agreed

Didn't you say you responded to a Craig's List ad? Guy can't remember where all he's posted the scam ad. Probably in about 50 cities on Craig's List alone, plus I bet it's on ebay too.

[baalroo]

always remember the old saying:

"if you have to ask...."

[Bob Clayton]

scamtastic

what gave it away for me was he had the decency to tell you the exterior and interior color twice, and they weren't the same colors!!