Beware, scammers

[F]

[e-mail] [e-mail] clive.dent [e-mail]

are scamming car sellers: beware!

[F]

Another one to add to the list: [e-mail]

[Adrian C]

Something to do with your additional research on this?

[js.b1]

As a comment, there are almost more places offering to "reset" digital odometers than the national industry failure rate. You absolutely MUST check the MOT record and any service history receipt means nothing without a VIN or Engine Number on it. That is true for Main Dealer as Private Seller, and If It Seems Too True realise there is a reason for it.

Clocking is the easiest way of inflating a car's profit margin "to meet requirements".

[F]

Thought their email addresses could do with wider circulation.

Four responses, all similar...

Dear Sir/Madam, I am interested in purchasing this vehicle ,it suits my requirements perfectly,I run two garages ,one in Dublin and the other in the Netherlands, i shuffle most of my time between the two THESE ARE MY TERMS OF TRANSACTION IF CAR IS EXACTLY AS STATED IN ADVERT:

1) I AM OKAY WITH THE STATED PRICE OF £****. [my *s] 2) I WILL BE PAYING WITH A BANKER'S DRAFT / CHEQUE WHICH I WILL ALLOW TO CLEAR BEFORE THE PICKUP/SHIPMENT OF THE CAR. 3) I WILL INCLUDE FEES FOR SHIPMENT IN PAYMENT, THIS MY SHIPPING AGENCY WILL USE FOR PICK-UP.The excess funds will go towards covering costs for shipping,shippers fees,insurance,tax and any other expenses that might be incurred getting it down to the new owner. I will want you to get in touch with the following details if my terms are okay: FULL NAME............................ ADDRESS......................... TELEPHONE NUMBERS...................(Mobile and Land)

As soon as i have your details,i can have payment effected immediately,all things being equal,we should have this wrapped up by the end of this week. Pls note that you'll have to send on the balance on the funds that you'll get to my shipper so he can come attend to the pick up as soon as you make the car ready. I beleive that most transaction are based on trust,so i will look forward to a successful transaction with you.

Best Regards, Wayne Wade.

[Adrian C]

OK :)

Yes, had pretty much the same response years ago when selling my car on gumtree just over a year ago.

"Hello

I am interested in your adverts for sale as please i will appreciate your email me the following sale details for corresponding

What is your lowest price ?

For how long have you been using it ?

How many owners dose it have ?

I hope it is currently available for our purchase Yes Where is it presently located ?

will you accept a bank draft as a form of payment Await your messages soon ....."

The wording of the last two sentences put me off, as well as noting their ability not to read details in the original advert which would have answered their questions. I reported it to Gumtree as suspicious.

Gumtree is incidently a great place to sell difficult to shift cars - Don't bother with autotrader, expensive...

[F]

They're pretty easy to spot but, no doubt, there are enough innocents who fall for the scam to make it worthwhile.

I wonder if your email came form any of mine: [e-mail] [e-mail] clive.dent [e-mail] [e-mail]

[F]

Or james [e-mail] which arrived just now.

[Gill Smith]

hey, I'm really dense but where is the scam???!!!

if the guy waits for cheque clearance before pick-up.......?

--

[pcb1962]

Cheque clearance doesn't mean what it used to. A bank can bounce a cheque weeks or even months after it has cleared and take the money back from your account.

[F]

The cheque eventually bounces after the scammer has collected the car. Stolen building society cheques are more common than you might imagine, as are bankers drafts. Only cash given to you inside the bank, after it has been withdrawn by the purchaser, over the counter, in front of your eyes is 'certain'. Sad, I know.

To add insult to injury, in this scam, as well as losing the car you lose money: 'Pls note that you'll have to send on the balance on the funds that you'll get to my shipper so he can come attend to the pick up as soon as you make the car ready'. Why would the purchaser overpay you and ask you to send the balance to his 'shipper' when he can pay the 'shipper' direct?

[mike]

Here:

It appears to have cleared - you pay out for shipping - then it bounces.

A mate advertised a car in AutoTrader last year and got loads of these emails. Still it was fun to bait the scamming c*nts:

From: "Greg Martins" Subject: Re: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.9 Hello,=E2=80=A8I am writing in regards to your advert=E2=80=A8I am very muc= h interested in buying your above advert subject=E2=80=A8I have gone through = the details,I am quite satisfied with it.=E2=80=A8Kindly furnish me with the fi= nal price you wish to let it go and also let me know the best time to come for viewing and test drive.=E2=80=A8Waiting to hear from you.=E2=80=A8Thank= you very much.=E2=80=A8Regards,=E2=80=A8Greg Martins

Subject: Re: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.9 To: "Greg Martins" Dear Greg Martins, Thank you for your reply in regard to the car for sale. The best time for a test drive would be this coming weekend as I am working all week. I am based in London, E8. =E2=80=A8=E2=80=A8The final price is =C2=A3=

10450 as advertised.=E2=80=A8=E2=80=A8Kind regards,

XXXX XXXXXX

Subject: Re: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.9 From: "Greg Martins"

Hello, =E2=80=A8Thank you very much for your mail.My wife is so much keen i= n buying the car at all cost. Since =C2=A310450 is what you settle for then we can make arrangment for inspection and test driving. But at the moment my wife is on business trip to france and would be back 2 weeks time. I would really love her to come down for inspection and do the test driving since she will be the one using the car. I really cannot make much decision until she arrives. I would advice if you could keep the car until then. But if you prefer I can make a deposit for the car to hold it down for the 2 weeks. You could confirm to me if you are okay with the arrangment. you inform me of your terms of payment and I can make arrangment for that until she arrives. I hope this goes well with you.You can ring me on 07024099094 or call my wife wendy on (44)07031851617. =E2=80=A8Thanks =E2=80=A8Greg

Subject: Re: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.9 To: "Greg Martins"

Dear Greg Martins,

I am delighted your wife is business tripping in the France and keen to show her round my VW fannymagnet at earliest opportunity.

Because of the price of diesel, I have been running the car on used oil from the local chippy.=C2=A0 Regular servicing proves it still runs as smooth as a nut but it does smell of haddock at speeds above 50mph.

Also I should point out that the car has been adapted to my special needs as a long-term thalidomide user. I'm sure your wife won't have a problem with this if she has flippers where her limbs should be.

Assuming this is no problem to you I look forward to your confirmation of interest and God-willing we can do quick business and get Wendy on wheels.

Feeling the love,

XXXX XXXXXX

[Man at B&Q]

Indeed.

The maximum time during which a cheque can bounce is 6 days, after which the money is yours and cannot be reclaimed. Google "certainty of fate".

Prior to that you could ask for "special presentation".

MBQ

[pcb1962]

My knowledge was out of date, this changed in November 2007:

[F]

I started that with one of them (even asked for a photo of him so I could picture him in the car!) but then decided that life was too short and told him to sod off.

[F]

They just keep coming! First it was [e-mail] [e-mail] clive.dent [e-mail] [e-mail] james [e-mail] and now bonjour [e-mail]

Looks like if you're selling a car on Autotrader, this is what you can expect.

Avoid any offers from these email addresses.

[geoff]

In message , F writes

What's the point of listing throwaway email addresses

The format of the letter is what's important

[F]

To make sure they get enough spam to annoy them (and make me feel better) and to ensure they really do have to be thrown away.

OK...

Hello, How are you today and how is family and friends with you? Am writing you to ask for the details of your car which i saw on autotrader UK car selling website and i will be very happy if you can get back to me yourself even if the details i asked for was stated in your advert but i will need you to get back to me yourself for confirmation because i am buying this car for a client and is better i have the full information of the car from you. Below are the details of the car i will need to know.

Ownership of the car?

Working condition of the car?

Mileage of the car?

Asking price of the car?

Picture of the car?

Location of the car?

Please get back to me with this details ASAP so we can proceed further, you can also ring me on [phone].

Cheers.

[geoff]

Pretty pointless, IWHT

But they don't use such a format, do they ?

there seems to be a fairly standard format and modus operandi

[F]

Probably, but it makes me feel happier...

That was a straight cut and paste and most have been pretty much identical.