Hey guys I'd like to share a little story with you, well it's a big story really, that has recently befallen into my little existence.
By the title you have all no doubt concluded that it is some type of scam that I have been involved in.Well you'd be right.
So I tell you this as a warning to always be vigilant and not let yourself be caught out by these low lifes.

Ok here it is.
I have my car advertised for sale in carsales.com.au the ad has been in there for 6 days with moderate interest.
Then 2days ago I receive this text message to my phone.

"Hi there just wondering if you still have your car for sale if yes please email me back at this email address [email protected] as this phone is currently scrambled.
(scrambled I thought? Hmm ok so I sent a yes it's still available reply)

Then received this email as follows :

Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buy it for my uncle and i am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it. I really want this car to be a surprise for my uncle so i wont let him know anything about the car until it gets delivered to him, i am sure he will be more than happy with the car. Due to the nature of my work i am a very busy man working all day.i wont be able to come for inspection but all i really need from you is to be sure that the car is as describe online and if you can send some more pictures(engines inclusive) .i have gone through what you wrote on the advert and i am really satisfied with its condition I insisted on PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my PayPal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your PayPal email address and the price so i can make the payments asap for the car and

please if you don't have PayPal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.PayPal.com.au and get it set up, after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with PayPal so as to put the money through. have a pick up agent that will come and pick the car up after i have made the payments...i will be waiting to read from you .

So I write back:

Hello Mark,

No problems not sure on the protocols of this type of sale, to tell the truth as I have never sold a vehicle before without a viewing.
It is entirely your choice of course.
I am happy to accommodate your proposition, although unorthodox I do appreciate your situation, as I too work in the oil and gas industry so understand the situation.

What If you could get a friend to view it that’s maybe a better piece of mind for you maybe?

The car is in good condition drives superb and has served us well it has been regularly serviced at the dealer and I have changed the engine oil every 5000km’s and been running Mobil 1 0W-40 in the car for the turbo’s benefit.

I have included all the photo’s I have taken of my car for you.

Yes I do have a paypal account the account email is [email protected]

The price I have listed the car for sale is $16500.00 as per the advertisements.

Speak soon.

Kind Regards

Steve

HIM:
Thanks for the details mate,i really appreciate your honesty about the condition of the car as that is what i really need most as wont be able to come for inspection as am onboard,just want to buy the car as a surprise for my uncle to show appreciation as he just got birth to a baby boy in my absentia,however the fund is ready and available in my PayPal account.....i will be waiting to read
from you.From you.

ME: In Short I have said yes etc etc

HIM:
OK mate,i got the PayPal details and am going to commence with the payment shortly but i need to get in touch with my freight company for the arrangement of the picking up.....my pickup agent will sign all the necessary papers on my behalf after the payment has been sorted out.....i will get back to you shortly as am about to make the payment thanks.

Him:
Mate, i was just about to make the payments now when i had this little problem with the picking up, I just got a notification from the shipping company now that they don't accept PayPal. They did make me understand that the only means of payment that they accept asides bank wires and deposits is western union money transfer. They have as well insisted that before they can make arrangement for the pick up they will have to collect a commission fee of $940. I have tried to see if I could get the money sent to them through western union's website but unfortunately I would be needing to use a credit or debit card which I didn't bring here.More so, I will certainly not be able to go to a western union outlet here nor a post office where I can equally get the money sent to them because I am offshore , so i wanted to ask if it is ok for me to include my pick up agent's fees in the payments I am about to send through PayPal, my pick up agent charged $940 plus insurance and all 'o that, pls can i include their money in the payments I want to send then after i have made the payments you will help me forward the $940 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, this I would have done myself and not bother you but for the fact that I am currently on the sea, so after I have made the payments you will help me to send $940 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, I just wanted to seek your consent before going ahead with the payments because if you are ready to help me out,i will effect the payment now and we can sort everything out now.....i will be waiting here to read from you

PS:the shipping company's Head quarters is in England and any pick up fees to be paid is sent to their head quarters by the payee, so the money for pick up will be sent to their head quarters in England through western union money transfer(this can be done from any post office) or you can do it online at www.westernunion.com

haha Western Union as soon as I heard this I was aware it was a scam so I played along a bit more. and said no worries whatever I can do to help let me know bull**** bull**** cough cough.

HIM:
The name of the freight company is carisbrooke freigth company and their email is [email protected] will effect the payment now and get back to you
________________________________________

HIM:
Thank you for your email.. I am very sorry about the inconveniences that this might have caused you because pay pal strongly advised on this as a security measure that both helps the buyer and the seller when doing transactions like this... I made payments to pay pal and they told me that they would be holding the funds until you get back to them with the western union receipts that confirms you have transferred the pick up fees of $940 to the agent head office in the uk, then pay pal would now credit your account immediately at once, because they said they dont credit account install mentally....I will plead with you to try and get this sorted out as soon as possible and you get back to pay pal with the western union details for them to process the transaction and put the money trough in your account asap so that the pick up schedule could take place in time....I will be looking forward hearing from you soon...

I became p1ssed off about now and just wrote this back to him:

Well Mark as you are no doubt aware this is not the way it will work.
The only way this is going to work is this .... deposit money the car is yours.
Simple I will not exchange any money or details until this is done, end of story.
Don’t insult me by trying to scam me and expecting something for nothing.

Steve

That was the last I heard from the f$%#er can you believe the lengths these guys will go to to scam money so the question is how many ppl selling cars online in Aus are getting targeted like this, I wonder?

The scams seem to ever change and it never ceases to amaze me how elaborate they can be this one that happened to me here is probably the best I've come across.

Sorry it's so long but was amazed at the whole thing actually.
Watch out.

Its quite sad really, for all the effort and time they put into these scams they could probably make the same amount of money doing decent, god honest work.

I had a scam situation last year too allow me to tell plz.

My brother (un tech savvy) wanted to buy a pair of rock climbing shoes called Vibram Five Fingers, so naturally he googled them and went to the first site on the list. The site now destroyed by Internet Police, was www auvibramfivefinger com

I first saw the au before the com, not after and thought it strange, as my brother doesnt have a debit card he wanted me to make the payment, I found the shoes he wanted and the site was plastered with "Tested by Norton" and "Tested by McAfee" crap all over the place.

When I went to pay it sent me to a script site, telling em to transfer $174 to the Agricultural Bank of China... which is when i LOLd and got them off eBay instead.

Common sense always prevails.

These scammers have got some very inventive ways of duping you and taking your money.

I have written a book detailing their every trick and how to combat it.

For a copy just put $49.99 (plus $9.99 p&h) into a plain brown envelope and post it into locker 63 at Sydney airport along with your name and address and I'll send you a copy. That way you will never be duped again.

Gumtree is scam central.

On another note... I sold a Yamaha R1 for $14k to some guy in Melbourne via Paypal+eBay... I was 100% sure it was going to be a scam and was already arranging a 2nd chance to the next highest bidder... turned out 2 be fair dinkum; money cleared and they arranged a courier.

He was lucky the bike was just like I described it... had I been Carantoc he would have got a model replica

Great news -

with the assistance of the low and cunning Flysurfer I have added another chapter to the book.

It is now fully updated with every scam possible and ready to go.

However, due to the extra chapter the printing costs have gone up and there is a small rise in the retail price. I have kept this as low as possible.

So, for those that have already dropped the cash I am sorry but you will have to put another $20 in and the book will be on it's way express post.

For those of you who haven't yet taken up this once in a lifetime offer, just pop $70 in a plain envelope and drop it into the anonomous locker at Sydney airport.

and upwind, just for you I will hold the price of 3 books for the one low price of $150, payable in one easy instalment, each has the new and updated chapter.

Get in early folks, this offer can't possibly last.

Poodle said...

This buyers payppal scam has been on the go for a while - We were contacted to buy our yacht, but were wary of it. The pitch is always similar, and they hook you via paypal - Not sure how they get your $$$ because Ive never actaully been sucker by it....

Search this forum & you will find plenty of similar warnings.

Poods

PayPal has the facility of the buyer to recover their payment if the transaction goes wrong... a paypal account works BOTH ways $in and $out without your control !!!!!

This just popped up in the corner of my screen:



They reckon they can do the 'best price' on 'Laptop,Television, Phone, Camera ,PSP, Car DVD and so on', but how should I address him/her?

They are not only on carsales. I have got replys for ads from them on here too. Its fun to see how far you can drag them along for too.

GreenPat said...

This just popped up in the corner of my screen:



They reckon they can do the 'best price' on 'Laptop,Television, Phone, Camera ,PSP, Car DVD and so on', but how should I address him/her?

In Arabic I guess

and was this your answer doggie

Flux said...

Hey guys I'd like to share a little story with you, well it's a big story really, that has recently befallen into my little existence.
By the title you have all no doubt concluded that it is some type of scam that I have been involved in.Well you'd be right.
So I tell you this as a warning to always be vigilant and not let yourself be caught out by these low lifes.

My Mum got exactly the same email, same name and story, but it was regarding a couch on eBay. She called me and asked if it sounded legit, No mum, no...

It's getting so you can't sell anything anymore. Every time you post something on eBay, scammers buy it and you never see any money and cop the cost of reposting. Although eBay have been kind enough to refund the cost several times.