A new to me craigslist scam

[Stinsok]

I made an inquiry about a car listed locally on CL. Here is the response:

I am emailing you regarding the 2004 Mazda MAZDA3 S Sedan that I have for sale.The car is in perfect condition , with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever, never been involved in any accidents. The interior looks great (no smoking). It has 86,016 miles, automatic transmission, 2 Wheel drive. I have a clear and clean title for it , no liens or loans ready to be signed and notarized on your name.
The car is at the shipping co. in Hollywood, FL sealed and ready to ship it, as I got a new job and moved here to start over.I've signed up with PayPal so the payment will be submitted via their services. I'm very busy with my job, so I can't meet you in person,reason for why I chose to sell my car online.As you probably noticed, the final price that I want for this car is $2899.
If you want to continue,I will need your name & address. After I receive your info, I'll forward it to PayPal and they will send us both invoices. PayPal will instruct you on how to make a refundable payment. They hold the funds until the car is delivered to buyer, inspected and until he confirms that has received the car in it's described condition. You will have 5 days to decide if you want to keep it, and if PayPal should release the money to me or not. If for any reason you won't like the car (I don't see that happening) PayPal will refund you and I will instruct the shipping co. to store the car until I find a new buyer. It's not necessary to ship the car back. If you want to buy it,please send me your info so we can proceed.

[hover]

Whuh? Seems perfectly legit to me....enjoy yer new, carefree whip.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Sounds legit. Never used paypal in that manner, but you'd be covered using paypal (I know there are a lot of Paypal horror stories out there, but they've helped me out more than once)

[ubnomnar]

SOUNDS LIKE A DEFINITE SCAM/FRAUD. CL specifically warns against this type of fraud. Here is a cut n' paste directly from the CL scam/fraud link:

"How to recognize a vehicle scam attempt on CL:

Shipping a vehicle to you is suggested by seller
eBay Motors or another intermediary is specified by seller
Payment by Western Union or a money wire is requested
Price is unusually low (fraction of blue book value)
If you see these tell-tale signs, flag ad as "prohibited" and avoid

Offers to ship a vehicle are virtually 100% fraudulent

eBay has no involvment in craigslist for sale ads, and any eBay or similar emails or web pages you receive are fake

Never use Western Union or wire transfer to pay for goods - only a scammer will ask for this, and any funds sent will be lost

Do not buy vehicles site-unseen, regardless of low price. The vehicle does not exist, and any money you send will be lost.

Stories about divorcees or departing servicemen needing to sell quickly at a low price are generally fraudulent

If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

More information is available for avoiding scams"

[hover]

Originally Posted by ubnomnar

SOUNDS LIKE A DEFINITE SCAM/FRAUD. CL specifically warns against this type of fraud. Here is a cut n' paste directly from the CL scam/fraud link:

"How to recognize a vehicle scam attempt on CL:

Shipping a vehicle to you is suggested by seller
Price is unusually low (fraction of blue book value)
Offers to ship a vehicle are virtually 100% fraudulent
Do not buy vehicles site-unseen, regardless of low price. The vehicle does not exist, and any money you send will be lost.

Duh, killjoy.

[L-A]

You need him to send you an invoice, and for that he doesn't need anything more than your email. Paypal will give him your info once you agree to this invoice.

[JacoLesFlea]

If it is local why not do the buying in person? or try car soup?

[Stinsok]

Originally Posted by JacoLesFlea

If it is local why not do the buying in person? or try car soup?

The car is advertised locally (Montgomery, Al.) but is in another state (Hollywood, Fl. )

[waleross]

You can't get a car close to what is being sold on CL , locally in Alabama? When it comes to cars I would not buy it through CL. I am not saying that this deal might turn out bad but with a car you need to go there and kick the tires, this is how its done every day , where's the car fox?

[yodedude2]

Originally Posted by ubnomnar

SOUNDS LIKE A DEFINITE SCAM/FRAUD. CL specifically warns against this type of fraud. Here is a cut n' paste directly from the CL scam/fraud link:

"How to recognize a vehicle scam attempt on CL:

Shipping a vehicle to you is suggested by seller
eBay Motors or another intermediary is specified by seller
Payment by Western Union or a money wire is requested
Price is unusually low (fraction of blue book value)
If you see these tell-tale signs, flag ad as "prohibited" and avoid

Offers to ship a vehicle are virtually 100% fraudulent

eBay has no involvment in craigslist for sale ads, and any eBay or similar emails or web pages you receive are fake

Never use Western Union or wire transfer to pay for goods - only a scammer will ask for this, and any funds sent will be lost

Do not buy vehicles site-unseen, regardless of low price. The vehicle does not exist, and any money you send will be lost.

Stories about divorcees or departing servicemen needing to sell quickly at a low price are generally fraudulent

If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

More information is available for avoiding scams"

i wonder how the scam works? does he fake the PayPal invoice? but then where does the payment transfer go? later, ron

[Stinsok]

You don't understand-the car is being listed as if it IS local. That is the reason for the inquiry in the first place.

[onosson]

I think I saw virtually this same ad on Kijiji (similar to craigslist, it's pretty big up here in Canada)

[Smokin' Toaster]

Buying a car sight unseen is always too risky in my book. I looked as a 1993 Jaguar XJ6 at an estate auction that was a great deal at $1100 and advertised as having a "water leak". No sweat, replace a hose or water pump, right? The "water leak" was a leak from somewhere in the water jacket to somewhere in the crankcase. Quite possibly a warped head, several thousands of dollars to repair. When I pulled the dipstick the oil looked like foamy light brown gravy.

Cavet Emptor - buyer beware

[MEKer]

This is a scam. Even the language used seems "fakese honest" to me. And its gets shipped from one place and if not liked it stays in a new place (who arranges the storage and why should he trust anyone about it?---seems he does not mind it being out of his control) and then the shipping will be from there to the NEXT buyer.

Oh yes-this is B.S.

[bongomania]

The phrase "final price" is almost exclusively used by scammers. I don't know why, but it's true. Also, he's describing Paypal providing an escrow service, and Paypal does not provide escrow services.

[candipoo]

THIS IS A DEFINATE SCAM!!!!


Proof here:

My mother just talked to the exact same person on craigslist. The difference is .... she's selling this car in Memphis. Here's what they wrote my mother:


"Hi,
I am emailing you regarding the 2004 Mazda MAZDA3 S Sedan that I have for sale.The car is in perfect condition , with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever, never been involved in any accidents. The interior looks great (no smoking). It has 86,016 miles, automatic transmission, 2 Wheel drive. I have a clear and clean title for it , no liens or loans ready to be signed and notarized on your name. I'm selling my son's car, who died in Iraq two months ago and I want to get rid of it asap because the sight of it makes me think of him often and often and the pain is too great . Put yourself in my shoes and you'll do the same (selling the car of your dead son, no offense) !!! As you probably noticed, the final price that I want for this car is $2899.
I'm located in Memphis, TN (the car is here with me) right now because I got a new job here. I will make the deal only to eBay. I am a member of the eBay Buyer Protection program and using this service you will get a 5 days testing period after delivery. During that 5 days testing period I won't be getting any money. I need to know if you are interested in buying it so I can ask eBay to send you the details on how this works. If interested please include in your next email your contact info for eBay ( full name, full address and phone number) so we can get things started.

Thank you,
Diana Tumminia "

So I wrote her back on my email account (she originally wrote my mother). I asked to see her in person before we buy because we live very close. This is the response I got:


"Hi,

I am emailing you regarding the 2004 Mazda MAZDA3 S Sedan that I have for sale.The car is in perfect condition , with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever, never been involved in any accidents. The interior looks great (no smoking). It has 86,016 miles, automatic transmission, 2 Wheel drive. I have a clear and clean title for it , no liens or loans ready to be signed and notarized on your name.
The car is at the shipping co. in Hollywood, FL sealed and ready to ship it, as I got a new job and moved here to start over.I've signed up with PayPal so the payment will be submitted via their services. I'm very busy with my job, so I can't meet you in person,reason for why I chose to sell my car online.As you probably noticed, the final price that I want for this car is $2899.
If you want to continue,I will need your name & address. After I receive your info, I'll forward it to PayPal and they will send us both invoices. PayPal will instruct you on how to make a refundable payment. They hold the funds until the car is delivered to buyer, inspected and until he confirms that has received the car in it's described condition. You will have 5 days to decide if you want to keep it, and if PayPal should release the money to me or not. If for any reason you won't like the car (I don't see that happening) PayPal will refund you and I will instruct the shipping co. to store the car until I find a new buyer. It's not necessary to ship the car back. If you want to buy it,please send me your info so we can proceed.

Thank you,
Diana Tumminia "


See the discrepancies in their two stories? I never told her who my mother was so it probably confused him/her on which scam she was using.

There ya go guys. Avoid!:

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Stinsok

You don't understand-the car is being listed as if it IS local. That is the reason for the inquiry in the first place.

Missed that part, granted, wouldn't buy a car unseen. Meh, what do I know about using the interwebs

[Jim Nazium]

It's a scam. The invoice from Paypal will be fake. Someone tried to pull this on me using "UPS escrow service" which, needless to say, doesn't exist.

[Jon_West]

This is a scam

Don't do it

End of story

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by Stinsok

I made an inquiry about a car listed locally on CL. Here is the response:

I am emailing you regarding the 1) 2004 Mazda MAZDA3 S Sedan that I have for sale.The car is in perfect condition , with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever, never been involved in any accidents. The interior looks great (no smoking). It has 86,016 miles, automatic transmission, 2 Wheel drive. I have a clear and clean title for it , no liens or loans ready to be signed and notarized on your name.
The car is at the shipping co. in Hollywood, FL sealed and ready to ship it, as I got a new job and moved here to start over.I've signed up with PayPal so the payment will be submitted via their services. I'm very busy with my job, so I can't meet you in person,reason for why I chose to sell my car online.As you probably noticed, the final price that I want for this car is $2899.
If you want to continue,2) I will need your name & address. After I receive your info, I'll forward it to PayPal and they will send us both invoices. PayPal will instruct you on how to make a refundable payment. They hold the funds until the car is delivered to buyer, inspected and until he confirms that has received the car in it's described condition. You will have 5 days to decide if you want to keep it, and if PayPal should release the money to me or not. If for any reason you won't like the car (I don't see that happening) PayPal will refund you and I will instruct the shipping co. to store the car until I find a new buyer. It's not necessary to ship the car back. If you want to buy it,2) please send me your info so we can proceed.

1) A ~6 year old car with no "special" marks at all?

2) Could this be what he really wants (burglary, home invasion)?