Car advert scam

Here is another one, this time targetting 'Loot', the on-line buy/sell site:

Email: [email protected]

"Thanks for the response Does it need anything to be replace or repair?if theirs please specify,what is your last price? I will arrange for a private shipper to come over for picking it up down to my place after payment has been received. I will be making the payment through PayPal as paypal is safe and secured for transactions online, advice soon as I'm at sea at the moment as 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 would appreciate if you email me with more pictures (if available) too,since i won't be able to see this in person, I will need the following details below to send funds to in order for me to pay you ASAP."

Beware....

Hi all, two days ago I found a car on auto trader that was exactly what I was looking for but really cheap. Today I decided to email them and the cone back saying the same thing they have moved to Spain can't sell the car there ect ect. I explained that I needed to make some enquiries. I checked the number plate nothing come up there. I thought I really had found a real bargain luckily I decided to do some more research and come across you guys.
I am really gutted because there is no way it's going to be a genuine buyer from Cadiz :,(
Better now than later. So they are now using a different email address and name. What do I need to do next. The advertisement isn't on auto trader anymore and I only saved the pictures. So I suppose ringing dva and see who' s name it's registered in?.
It's a 2009 plate Lexus 4,000 knew it was too good to be true but I'm sure you guys have felt it a bit wow you've come across an amazing deal.
Please get in touch as it looks like I'm the only one that can stop this now. Look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to ScamWarners Sapphire88 I am pleased to hear that information here helped you.

Sadly, there is nothing that can stop a scammer from using a photo he has taken from some one else. The vehicle and license plate are in NO WAY related to the person using the information to scam others. The scammer found the photo and decided to use it.

Scammers use email addresses which are not related to them in any way. They throw them away like old socks. Typically the police will be unable to do anything, especially if you are not an actual victim. Typically, the police take a report and it goes no place, but a file.

I hope you will help us expose scammers here.

Ah yes, whoever this person is, they are at it again...with a slight twist around the payment terms!

Here is the body of the e-mail received from "her":

Hi there, Thank you for getting back to me.Can you assure me that it's in good state and that i will not be disappointed with it.I'm ready to pay your asking price and to be honest, i wanted to buy this for someone very close to me, but the issue is i am an oceanographer and i do have a contract to go for which starts tomorrow and am leaving any moment from now.The contract is strictly no call due to the lack of reception on the sea area. But I'm able to access email anytime as we will make use of laptop so My preferred method of payment is by bankers draft or Cheque in a (GBP) that's the only option and safest way for me to transfer CASH which am going to instruct my business associate to post you a bankers draft via post office. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? I have a mover that will come for it once payment clears and they will get it to my son's location safely,The bankers draft is going to clear in your bank within 3 to 5 working days days before i shall take the possession of the vehicle .

Bankers draft only required your !! FULL NAME and your POSTAL ADDRESS.

Please i want you to email me more pictures if is still available both the exterior and interior. In my next email i shall let you know the details that is required from you to enable the bankers draft gets to you by post office.

So i look forward to hear from you soon.

Best Regards.

Please do be warned (again) and let's make sure that he / she does not scam anyone else again!

Welcome to ScamWarners mikecthecoach, and thank you for posting this update. Please post the email address the scammer is using when they contacted you. That will help others as they check to see if they are dealing with a scammer. Thank you.

Here is a scam that was tried on me using autoscout.be and paypal. beware



Dear john
PayPal Payment Reminder - Awaiting Western Union Details
Please be advised that verification of Western Union Money Transfer Details of €2,500.00 EUR (which must be sent as deposit to Buyer's Shipping Agent) is required to complete this "Pending" payment sent to you by Andrew Baghdatis. Therefore, you are mandated to send us western union information in the next 24hours. Your account is being monitored through PayPal Security Systems.
Upon the receipt of Western Union Money Transfer Details, your account will be credited accordingly which will include all cost charged for transfer via western union money transfer at PayPal cost.
Your Pending Payment Status, Awaiting Approval ( Western Union Details )



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of this transaction
Sent From

Andrew Baghdatis
[email protected]
Sent to

John xxxxxx

johnxxxxxxx
Transaction ID

ID-3CP879375C758570E

Merchandise Amount

€16,000.00 EUR
Transport Charges
Western Union Charges

Total Amount

Merchandise Title

€2,500.00 EUR
€100.00 EUR

€18,600.00 EUR

Automobile- Purchased
NOTE: You are require to send us the Western Union Information below for Verification
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Sender's Name;

(2) Receiver's Name;

(3) MTCN;

(4) Amount Sent;

(5) Western Union Scanned Receipt
Below is the Confirmed & Verified Agent's address where you are mandated to send the money:
Transport Company: " Asped Express "
Courier Details:
Name : C H A R L I E - R H O D E S

Address: 17 Dagenham Road

City: London

Post Code: E10 7LH

Country: United Kingdom
Address Status:
Confirmed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With more than 147 million accounts worldwide, we are a leading online payment method you can trust.

Thanks for choosing PayPal
You may contact PayPal customer service by Clicking Here or reply directly to this email by using the
reply button in your e-Mail Box and Quote the Above Transaction ID for quick recognition of this transaction.

Copyright © 2012 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved.

PayPal Email ID PP307

Yes,
I had thefollowing email in reply to my autotrader advert for a VW Beetle:

Good evening,

I am so happy that the vehicle is still available for sale, happy for
the information about the vehicle.The reason why am purchasing this
vehicle is because our family is expanding we are expecting our first
child soonest since we got married for the past 4 years.Myself and my
husband just needed one additional vehicle. Due to my conditions i
would not be able to view the vehicle at present because I'm heavily
pregnant and the distance as well. My personal circumstances do not
allow me to travel likewise my husband had traveled for a business
conference. According to the Features of the vehicle and the Full
Description of the vehicle i read on the advert page I'm fully
satisfied.

Please accept my offer of £5600.00 inclusive the advert fees just
because i know the worth of the vehicle more-so what you've stated
about the vehicle details in the advert page and i would also like to
be the highest bidder. Presently we are located in Channel Islands.

We shall take care of the shipment we have a private shipping company
who's going to handle it professionally for us. Both the shipping cost
and other necessary activities concerning the shipment of the vehicle
would be from us. Cleared funds would have to be obtained prior to the
sale.The money would CLEAR into your bank account before any
transaction would take place.

My preferred method of payment is by bankers draft or Cheque in a
(GBP) that's the only option and safest way for me to transfer CASH
which am going to instruct my business partner to post you a bankers
draft via royal mail. The bankers draft is going to clear in your bank
within 3 to 5 working days before i shall take the possession of the
vehicle. I hope to hearing back from you in order to proceed further
with the payment and shipping arrangements as soon as possible.
Bankers draft only required your FULL NAME, your POSTAL ADDRESS and
your Mobile number. Kindly delete the advert from the web and
considered it sold to me

Regards
Mrs Hill



the email address they used was:
[email protected]

My reply was fairly succinct- two words, in fact.
Don't be fooled by these people!

I just received the exact same message from Victoria Hill, word for word and same email address in response to my advert for a Mazda5.
Really please I found this site and didn't waste any time!

I also received the following message from Mrs Hill after i initially replied to her email enquiry for my Mazda 6 sport. I had also advertised through autotrader. I have reported this to autotrader.

Thanks for the response am so excited that you've made up your mind tosell the vehicle to me as for the price which is pretty good for thelovely vehicle. I shall send you all my personal details as soon as ihave yours, so that you may be able to fill the V5 LOG BOOK. Theshipping company would sign on my behalf all the new keeper sectionof the Registration Certificate before the vehicle leaves yourpossession. The payment will be made to you as soon as i have all thedetails below. I really want you to count on me that you shall receivethe payment within 72HRS from Monday, Never mind my husband would ringyou as soon as his back into the country i just want to consider thedeal is done before his arrival. The vehicle would ONLY be releasedand the title documents handed over once your bank has confirmed thecleared funds.Same day your bank has confirm the payment is clearedyou deduct your asking price first and the balance left with you andwithdraw that in cash after you must've deduct the amount i offeredyou for the vehicle which is £10700 out of the total amount deposited. The funds left shall be send to the shipping company. I shall provideyou their details as soon as the money is cleared into your bankaccount. I 'll giving you £100 for your efforts out of the shippingagent money all the shipping expenses would be my responsibility.Theshipping company and my mechanic would make use of the funds left tocome down to your location for the pick up arrangements i.e shippingexpenses as import duties and tax. The shipping company would comealong with his proof of his identity i:e international passport anddriving license. So right now, am going to instruct my business partner to send you abankers draft inclusive the shipping agent fee in your name and it'sgoing to be post to you via postal mail which had already cover yourasking price. It would have been very possible to get two separatebankers draft one for your money and the other the shipper's, but thiswould have been possible if the shipper are getting bankers draft asform of payment, they have huge deposit of bankers draft at theirbanking house which are yet to be cleared through, so that's why theywant their funds in liquid form of cash and more importantly, I hadalso learn from past shipment, that any transactions paid to ashipping company inform of cash they work pretty faster on thoseshipment.I'll need your data for the BANKERS DRAFT, viz; FULL NAME.. POSTAL ADDRESS.. MOBILE PHONE #... LAND PHONE # Pls mail me today to let me know the vehicle is SOLD to me, and pleaseremove the advert from the website and considered it sold to me.Thanks for selling to me.

Regards

Mrs Hill

Hi all,

I've just received the same email from "Victoria Hill" in regards to my Seat Leon on Auto Trader. Still haven't told them where to go yet, was hoping to get some details from them.

It is a shame little can be done to stop these people

Dang - that mail rambles on as if the writer has Alzheimers.

So right now, am going to instruct my business partner to send you abankers draft inclusive the shipping agent fee in your name and it'sgoing to be post to you via postal mail which had already cover yourasking price.

The way the writer changes tense without warning reminds me of how my girlfriend used to change gear when I first gave her driving lessons.

It would have been very possible to get two separatebankers draft one for your money and the other the shipper's, but thiswould have been possible if the shipper are getting bankers draft asform of payment, they have huge deposit of bankers draft at theirbanking house which are yet to be cleared through, so that's why theywant their funds in liquid form of cash and more importantly, I hadalso learn from past shipment, that any transactions paid to ashipping company inform of cash they work pretty faster on thoseshipment

I'm sure there's a meaning to this somewhere, but it's somehow trying to reassure you that the counterfeit bank draft he's going to send you is nothing to be worried about. Obviously there's no point accepting a draft drawn outside your own country and, if it's drawn in your own country you can simply verify it with whoever's drawn it, as long as you get the phone number independently.

Banks are loathe to confirm that a draft is authentic over the phone but, as you can be pretty certain it's a counterfeit, they should have no problem, and they ought to be interested to see what forgeries of their drafts are being produced.