In the same vein, have you noticed the increase in the number of
top end cars on e-bay at extremely low BUY NOW prices with each seller located in Europe?
In the past six months, I have come across no fewer than a dozen examples
of this type of auction. The auctions have common factors: a family member owned the car in Europe and died; a family member who owned the car was killed in an accident; the car was shipped from the US to Amsterdam,
London, Prague, Madrd, Berlin, etc. but the owner was unable to pass inspection.
The deposit for continuing the sale is usually $2,000. However, here's where the fun begins: the seller's instructions often note-- deposit the money in a third party account, or better yet, the car will be shipped to you after the deposit is received and if you don't like the car, do not accept it. Often Luthansa is mentioned as a potential shipping agent.
I've notified e-bay about many of these auctions. They are quickly removed from e-bay, but the seller maintains contact and asked you to follow up on your own.
My favorite European-based fake e-bay auction showed pictures of the car amidst palm trees and vegetation similar to that in Florida. When I asked the seller, who was located in London, if those were palm trees in the picture he replied: he loved palm trees so much, he grew them near his home in London.
Larry T
