Trying to sell a car via autotrader...

Hi, I just found this board and will undoubtedly use it a a resource in the future. For now I'd like to throw in this attempted scam:

We just listed a car on Autotrader.com last night and got an almost immediate "bite". My wife's cell phone number was used as one contact method and what we received were text messages via some Yahoo sms texting service (Which conveniently does not expose the scammers phone number.) We received two text messages in rapid succession:

#1 from 11114400602: "t_torrexx: I'm interested in the vehicle that you listed on AutoTrader? Please email me back asap at [email protected] Thanks Brad"

#2 from 1111440600: "A Yahoo user has sent you a message. Reply to that SMS to respond. Reply INFO to this SMS for help or go to y.ahoo.it/imsms"

Of course this was fishy. It was 10:30 at night though and I thought there was an outside chance that someone might really be just using a yahoo service and not wanting to call and disturb anyone at that hour so I cautiously replied using one of my alternate emails. Here is the my response and the scammers:
------------------------------------------------
to [email protected]

Hi,

We got your text from last night expressing interest in the car. Please call the number you texted so we can set a time for you to come look at it. If there is no answer please leave a message and we'll get back to you. We are in (LOCATION REDACTED.) Thanks.

-Me

----------------

From: Bradley McKenzie

Thank you for getting back to me. Do you have the extra keys? Do you have the spare tire? Where did you get your car serviced? Have you ever had any transmission repairs? Is there any rust on the vehicle? Can you assure me that i will not be disappointed if i buy this Vehicle. I'm ready to pay your asking price but not cash in person because I'm currently in a conference and calls are restricted at the moment and my only quickest payment option is PayPal, its safe fast and secure and i will be responsible for the PayPal transaction charges so you can get your expected amount. If you don't have an account with PayPal, its pretty easy to open one,Just log on towww.paypal.com and sign up.I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? As I am buying the vehicle for someone and I'm very sure he will love this vehicle, his a mechanic and a handy man, so if there is anything that need to be fixed in it just let me know he will handle it. I have a mover that will come for the pick up once payment clears in your account and he will handle the title for me.I look forward to hear from you with the information below.

Your PayPal e-Mail Address :
Full name:
Firm Price:
Zip code for pickup:


----------------------------

So, he's at a conference and can't call (on a Saturday) but has time to type up all this. I've been to a few conferences, and I would never bother trying to buy a car from one, but would have no problem making a call if I thought it necessary.

In our Ad for the car, we specify that we would like to exchange the title at the buyer's bank after get their check cashed out against their account and made into a cashier's check that is undoubtedly legitimate. Or If they want to carry that much cash, at our bank. No way would we ever touch Paypal for a roughly 10K transaction.

I have not responded to the latest, but blocked his email instead. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Welcome to scamwarners Kroma,

Yes, it is a scam. The scammer is in West Africa most likely. He is using an excuse not to talk with you on the phone. His heavy African accent would be a dead give away as a scam. So he is avoiding the phone.

In most cases the scammer does not read the the ads posted. They just reply to all. In this scam the scammer does not want your vehicle. He wants your money. He will send a believable realistic looking Paypal email to you as if a payment was made. Then he would want you to send an over payment to a shipper. The shipper is himself the scammer.

Always log into Paypal directly not through any links to verify payment received. You could also call Paypal.

Another variation of this scam is to send you a fake check or money order. Same over payment and have you send money via Western Union or Money Gram. If you send money by Western Union or Money Gram you will never see that money again.

Thanks for posting the information of the scammer.

I listed my car yesterday on Craigs List in less than an hour I got the same response as you did from Bradley Mckenzie. I knew as soon as I started reading it, it was a scam. I sent him a message this morning asking if he enjoyed scamming people? I feel sorry for the fools that would actually fall for such a SCAM!!