A scam????

[92sport]

I have a question, I know someone out there MUST have the answer. I have my 92 out there for sale, and when I mean out there, I mean several "online" ads.
Anyway, this morning I just received an email from an address, michauto@yahoo.com and it said, "We are a dealer from South Africa and are willing to pay $2500 for your car (I'm asking $2000), we have arranged pickup, please email me back if you are interested."
SOUTH AFRICA? Anyone out there ever heard of this? Is this a scam? I did email them back asking if they are for real, lets see if they answer.

 

[spiper]

Make them show you the money first!

 

[VairKing]

I would email them saying SOLD! and have them paypal you the money or something (im not sure if you can paypal that amount of money, but something similar) Just make sure you have all the money before it ships...Or ask for a large deposit, then if they back out or something you at least make some money.

 

[NoBoundaries]

I'd use some sort of escrow service.

 

[Robert]

Reminds me of two e-mails I received from somebody in a country on the other side of the planet (I think South America). They claimed to have made a large purchase in the US and needed to transfer about $11,000,000 into the US. They didn't have a bank account to make the transfer and if I would be so kind as to provide them with my banking information, they would give me a 10% fee. I would be certain I had the cash in hand before turning over the keys and would never provide any personal banking information. Unless you are selling your Explorer so far below the average market, it doesn't make sense. Explorers are very plentiful and dirt cheap since the Firestone problem. Why would they be willing to pay $500 more than you are asking. What makes it so special? It sounds like a scam.

 

[Flounder]

I don't know if I trust it, but I do know that American autos sell for much more in the Southern Hemisphere than they do up here. The stolen car market is a testament to it - most cars that are stolen in large cities end up in truck containers destined for south of the equator.

 

[mattadams]

well hell if they pay you for it then its not a scam right? Not like they are askign for your bank information or anything. Tell them as soon as you have money in hand and they can arrange delivery they can have it, sounds like an average car sale to me .
Now if they said please give us your bank account information so we can wire you the money or something like that, then I'd be worried!

 

[92sport]

More on the "scam" if thats what it is

This is the reply I received after I accepted $2500.
****************************************
Thanks a lot for your response.I am still very much interested in your car.
And as regards the shipping my agent in the US would be on ground to pick up the car as soon as we seal this transaction.
as regards the payment,there is a client of mine in the US that is owing me $9300 i would instruct him to make out a check to you although the money is more than the value of the car but i am willing to trust you with the money.As soon as the cheque clears you can send my balance via the western union money transfer.


The reason why i am doing this is because it would take a least 30 days for a checksent from over here to clear whereas it would only take between 3-4 days for a check sent within the US to clear.And this is the fastest way for me to send money to you now.


If my terms is acceptable to you,please mail me the following informations so that i can instruct my client to send the money to you as soon as possible.The name of the recipient of the check,address and phone number.
Thanking you in anticipation.


Regards

*******************************************
So, what do you all think. I replied saying I want $2500 in a Certified Check American Funds and the rest can be sent to him. This is sounding so fishy!

 

[ojthecizzat]

yeah i've had similar sounding spam but it's always like they need someone to pick up some huge inheritance...if you get the money first who cares? as for cars being worth more that's true...people buy used cars from private parties here (los angeles) and drive 3-4 hours to Tijuana and sell them...and make a good living doing nothing but that! But South Africa/America? How the f*** are they going to get the car there?
lol

 

[ojthecizzat]

wow i just saw your last post...as fishy as it is it sounds like he's willing to pay first in american money? maybe it's legit? hard to say...it seems like we haven't heard the last of this...

 

[JDraper]

One word. SCAM!!!!

The next thing they will probably ask you for is a bank account # so they can direct deposit. Stuff like this has been running around for a while. The syntax of the letter is the same as other scams, including the one mentioned by Robert.

 

[92sport]

Well, he asked for my name for the check to be written to, and my address and phone number. Did not ask for the bank account number YET, but I'm not that stupid!
Didn't give him any info yet, but If I do say yes, I might give my number first and speak to him in person. If he's not a scam, he shouldn't be afraid to call, right?

 

[RichSport94]

This is a big scam. My neighbor wanted to do something like this but he called some agency to make sure it was legit and they told him to forget it. The way he explained it to me is the give you a big check and they let you keep whatever you are selling the truck for. They then take the truck and sue you for the money you took for the truck because "they only wanted you to cash the check, there was no sale involved" They make sure to have paper work in their favor and to make sure you have as little as possible. Get out before your knee deep in it.

 

[NoBoundaries]

Scam.

Run away from this like it was on fire; it is not worth going through with this.

If it sounds too good to be true, it's usually not good. If it sounds to good to be true and a little strange or unorthodox, it will never be good.

 

[Raceit]

Not to start something here. But more scams come out of Africa then any other place on the planet. They are not to be trusted especially when being contacted by email.

If they were a ligit setup and they wanted an Explorer I'm sure they would have a connection already in the states for exporting vehicles. They just put in the request and the person in the states either finds one for them or gets one out of their stock. (The middle man so-to-speak)

The only reason they go though online ads in America is that it's a scam. They contact unsuspecting sellers eager to get rid their cars or tucks and offer more then they are asking.

Remember....If it sounds to good to be true then it probably is.

 

[oso_polar]

In my opinion, when I was looking for the bodylift, it was around 150$ and the shipping was about 165$ more than the cost of the bodylift itself, and I live down here in venezuela, not south africa!?! I decided to made my own body lift, instead of getting one for the price of two... WHY IS HE WILLING TO PAY YOU 500$ more than you're expecting and pay more than 2500 for the transworld shipping?!?!?!?!??!

 

[92sport]

The big thing was that he wanted to send me more money, and have me send the rest of the money to him! I didn't want that. I already could see that happening, he didn't receive the money from me so he can sue me. And, isn't there a fee to wire money also? I told him I want a Certified Check for $2500, lets see what he replies to that! Where can I check out this scam anyone know? I've been doing the search engines but no luck. I also wrote to Yahoo.

 

[jakerot]

Try checking out www.scambusters.org

keep us posted how you make out

jakerot


PS...............where is New Egypt, NJ?? I have lived in NJ all of my life and never ever heard o that place.......just curious

 

[Robert]

Re: More on the "scam" if thats what it is

Originally posted by 92sport
. . .as regards the payment,there is a client of mine in the US that is owing me $9300 i would instruct him to make out a check to you although the money is more than the value of the car but i am willing to trust you with the money.As soon as the cheque clears you can send my balance via the western union money transfer. . .

Tell him to tell his client to give you a cashier's check for $2500 and you'll sign over the title to anyone the buyer (client) wants. Be sure and keep a copy of the title that you signed over and have it done at a bank where everything can be notorized in case they do try and come back on you wanting their money back. I doubt if they are willing to provide the cashier's check though.

 

[MyExpWork]

Dude, leave this alone. Is a possibility of an extra $500.00 really worth it? Do you know how many Explorers are for sale out there? Go check out Autotrader.com. There is probably at least a two hudred in my area. His request that his "associate" send you $9,300.00 you cash the check take your $2,500.00 and send him the rest. Who in their right mind or legit mind would trust someone with that much money they have never met.

I would tell him that the deal is off. You already sold the truck. Then see if he conitinues to bug you.

Brian