Anatomy of a scam

[martyg]

1. So a week ago this '04 black on black, VIN #JH4NA21634T00019 w/ 22K popped up on Autotrader for $19K!!! I sent an e-mail out just for shats & giggles.

2. The post went down the next day. I thought - great someone's SO was pissed, put the vehicle up FS.

3. Got a return e-mail a few days later - the guys said that if doesn't sell the car he'll loose his house, he's relocating, broke-up with his girl friend, blah, blah, blah.

4. I e-mail back and say this is the way I need it to happen - I fly out, pre purchase inspection, yada, yada, yada.

5. E- mail comes back today - "I have set up a purchase protection account for up to $20,000 with eBay Motors . eBay will take care of the financial part by holding the payment in their bank account managed by an eBay representative (they will provide you with that information in the purchase invoice which you will receive from them). They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 10 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.

- you give me your shipping address;
- I start a transaction on eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection;
- they send you the payment instructions;
- you send the money into eBay trusted account;
- they confirm me that they have received the funds;
- I ship the car;
- you receive the car, inspect it and give the ok to eBay;
- they send me the money."

It was kind of fun to follow this through. Now I should call my buds at the DOJ to track this guy down.

 

[davidf]

Should've paased and said you would fly donw, if you really like it, you will go to the bank and withdraw the cash same day. I don't think he would want that.

 

[davidf]

Damn my spelling stinks today.

 

[Tony Montoya]

How come that won't work? I thought eBay had 20k protection. I'm considering buying a car this weekend on eBay and I thought the money was covered.

 

[fullracehonda]

How come that won't work? I thought eBay had 20k protection. I'm considering buying a car this weekend on eBay and I thought the money was covered.

please buy a 20k dollar car for 20k and not a 80,000 dollar nsx for 20k, and use common sense!!!!!! if you have any questions after the auction closes but before you send payment post up here and we will try and help you!! dont want to see you get ripped off for $$$$$

 

[slamstrom]

A legitimate seller would not mind a serious buyer from doing a pre-purchase inspection. If the seller is making any excuse to avoiding havng the car being seen, then something is fishy. What you described is the common theme in all the scam.

 

[Cairo94507]

1. So a week ago this '04 black on black, VIN #JH4NA21634T00019 w/ 22K popped up on Autotrader for $19K!!! I sent an e-mail out just for shats & giggles.

2. The post went down the next day. I thought - great someone's SO was pissed, put the vehicle up FS.

3. Got a return e-mail a few days later - the guys said that if doesn't sell the car he'll loose his house, he's relocating, broke-up with his girl friend, blah, blah, blah.

4. I e-mail back and say this is the way I need it to happen - I fly out, pre purchase inspection, yada, yada, yada.

5. E- mail comes back today - "I have set up a purchase protection account for up to $20,000 with eBay Motors . eBay will take care of the financial part by holding the payment in their bank account managed by an eBay representative (they will provide you with that information in the purchase invoice which you will receive from them). They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 10 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.

- you give me your shipping address;
- I start a transaction on eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection;
- they send you the payment instructions;
- you send the money into eBay trusted account;
- they confirm me that they have received the funds;
- I ship the car;
- you receive the car, inspect it and give the ok to eBay;
- they send me the money."

It was kind of fun to follow this through. Now I should call my buds at the DOJ to track this guy down.

These morons who post these scams for sale deserve to be arrested and water boarded to death. If DOJ expreses any interest at all I will fall over backwards. This is an area which should be the FBI's domain, using telephone lines, crossing state lines, etc., but they do not care. Friend of mine ripped off for $5K back several years ago when these scams were not so well known and the local PD, sheriff's office and the FBI did not care at all. They all pointed the finger elsewhere (each other).

The best thing that could happen is 4 big guys with BB bats find these creeps and service them.

 

[PhiAlpha44]

These morons who post these scams for sale deserve to be arrested and water boarded to death. If DOJ expreses any interest at all I will fall over backwards. This is an area which should be the FBI's domain, using telephone lines, crossing state lines, etc., but they do not care. Friend of mine ripped off for $5K back several years ago when these scams were not so well known and the local PD, sheriff's office and the FBI did not care at all. They all pointed the finger elsewhere (each other).

The best thing that could happen is 4 big guys with BB bats find these creeps and service them.

I like this Cairo guy.

 

[Rtype1206]

I like this Cairo guy.

Where do I go and sign up to be one of those big dudes with BB Bats :biggrin: I'll do it for free!!!

 

[nsx1]

...If DOJ expreses any interest at all I will fall over backwards...

This is sadly true. I have maintained a history of reporting these and similar scams to the DOJ. Over a 3 year period, I've identified and sent over 400 scam reports to DOJ and other similar agencies. No response as of yet. :frown:

 

[FeetFxr]

How come that won't work? I thought eBay had 20k protection. I'm considering buying a car this weekend on eBay and I thought the money was covered.

Ebay does have some levels of protection. The big scam these days is the seller sends you an invoice that looks authentic and like it's coming directly from Ebay or Paypal and it's actually from him. When you are paying to the "Ebay Trusted Escrow Account" stated above, it's actaully going into his account overseas.

 

[htotheizo]

I am very glad I just read this thread because I requested info from someone selling a 1999 NSX for $8,563 on auto trader. I knew it was BS but I figured I would at least ask him how it could be that cheap and this is the email they sent me:

"Hi, thank's for taking interest in my NSX.
I'm really sorry for this late reply but I've been very busy lately and away from a computer. The price that I want to obtain is $8,563 (including shipping and insurance charges).
The car has all the services done at the dealership. The vehicle was never crashed, abused or raced. I always garaged it and serviced it, kept very good care of it!
I think it's impossible to buy a vehicle for such a big amount without having an inspection first. So I had a look on eBay and I saw they could help us with this. Since the transaction worths a lot of money they've suggested to make the deal only through eBay so that we won't have any problems.
If you decide to buy all the papers are ready,just needed to be signed by you.
If you decide not to buy for a serious reason(of course after the inspection) then you can just ask the shipping company to send it back to my address with no extra cost(shipping is payed in advance by me).I think this is the fastest,safest and most fair solution we can have.
Regarding the payment method i would like to use eBay like a 3rd part for the deposit because they will protect us. I am a seal member and that's mean I am backed up for all my auctions on eBay. I pay them fees for that!
If you want to go on with this deal , mail me asap because I have another interested buyer and I need to sell it fast.
Best Regards!"


first post on NSX Prime btw

 

[Hugh]

This is sadly true. I have maintained a history of reporting these and similar scams to the DOJ. Over a 3 year period, I've identified and sent over 400 scam reports to DOJ and other similar agencies. No response as of yet. :frown:

You sir, need to get laid!

 

[terrynsx]

please buy a 20k dollar car for 20k and not a 80,000 dollar nsx for 20k, and use common sense!!!!!! if you have any questions after the auction closes but before you send payment post up here and we will try and help you!! dont want to see you get ripped off for $$$$$

OK check it out I talked to this guy too and reported it as a scam along with a few other that is likely the same guy, there was even a current ebay item posted on the trader ...I talked to the ebay seller he had the other ad removed...

Hey I have to post this BEWARE EBAY DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY BUYER PROTECTION WITHOUT LISTING THE CAR AS AN AUCTION!!

I spoke to a rep from ebay again yesterday, (Faye M.) she confirmed the buyer protection is for only auction items.

I used to sell custom made choppers on ebay and people feel you can send a bill through pay-pal/ebay and it is protected the same way but no-longer.

Please be careful of these knuckle-heads!

 

[Swift]

well this one is really going to cook your noodle,

Local wisconsin paper...2000 with 31k on it blk/blk nsx-t for....$14500?????

Gonna call and find out what the deal is

 

[Swift]

bump

I think as a forum we may try for some internet fame with ownage...

I reverse looked up a phone number that was in a semi local WISCONSIN paper for a nsx for only $14500 and it was a 2000...

It is a texas area code..

817-405-3130

anyways anyone that has "connections" should trace to who it may be because this is down right LOW and it is probably the same guy..

just my two cents.