[OT] Is this the scammiest scam that ever scammed? (out of state car sale)

[DaraSue]

So as some of you may know, I've been on the hunt for a Trans Am with a digital dash. I found one that sounded like a screaming deal in the Chicago area. I emailed the seller to see if it was still available and how long it had sat without being driven. This is the ad and the response I got.

6649766498

I kind of think it reads like a flag store that ran out of every color but red...

- Ad says car was bought at an estate sale but email claims to be the late owner's widow

- Didn't actually answer my question about how long it sat

- If the car has no mechanical problems it's worth twice what they're asking

- Free shipping? Who does that?

- "The car is already at the shipper" Hmmm, I feel like I've seen that one before... on here... in a post by somebody making fun of a Craigslist scammer...

- Car only seems to be advertised on this one website that I've never heard of

... but on the off chance the shipping company turns out to be real and verifies this person's story, should I gamble 9000 skymiles and a one-day car rental to go check it out, or am I going to end up getting kidnapped, raped and murdered if I actually do show up at some random warehouse in Nebraska/Illinois?

[dn010]

If it's too good to be true....


I'd be reporting the ad and moving on. No shipping company wants to hold a car that may or may not sell and not only that, a shipping company wouldn't even be needed if it is for sale locally.

[MrChocky]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3959289224167785/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A6dd1e285-c26a-4d2e-8778-007a3945ac07

$1800 for a DeLorean!

[DaraSue]

The saga continues... 66505

She's selling the car because she needs money... But she'll give a money back guarantee and pay to ship it back if I don't like it. Oooookaaaayyyyy... :rofl:

[Helirich]

I've seen this same sort of ad for golf cart. They probably won't let you come and look at it. In my case, I said I'll come there and look with cash. If I buy it, no need to ship, I'll take it on my trailer. That was a no go. They made up some bull about the shipping company not letting people in. They said, they will ship it free and if I don't like it, I can refuse and get my money back. Yea, right!

[dn010]

Tell her you’ll give her a “money paid guarantee” once the car arrives in your driveway with title, since the shipping company has it in their possession free of charge anyway.

[andi1086]

we have similar "offers" in germany. there was a very interesting offer in england - offered was a porsche 911 for a very good price and free shipping :-) i contacted the seller and told him that i wanted to come to england and have a look at the car - he didn't want to and didn't want to give me any "trouble" and i would be too critical ! as his offer would be no risk for me - i told him very well - i had no money and no car in this deal !
he should look for another "stupid" one. i never heard anything from the seller/cheater again!

[Citizen]

The way that offer is written, it sounds like a scam to me.

I think you should have the seller provide a photo of the title and the VIN plate, aside a newspaper with today's date visible. No cost to either of you (except the newspaper).

...

[DaraSue]

The thrilling conclusion (hopefully)...

In my last message I had asked her again for the name of the shipping company and the exact location of the car, and said that I didn't want to purchase the car without inspecting it personally (but that since she'd had so many other offers, I would understand if it sold before I could get out there on the 16th). In a shocking plot twist, I haven't heard from her since. :hysterical: (If she'd responded with some BS about why I couldn't look at the car in person I was going to try Dan's strategy, lol...)

[Michael]

The thrilling conclusion (hopefully)...

In my last message I had asked her again for the name of the shipping company and the exact location of the car, and said that I didn't want to purchase the car without inspecting it personally (but that since she'd had so many other offers, I would understand if it sold before I could get out there on the 16th). In a shocking plot twist, I haven't heard from her since. :hysterical: (If she'd responded with some BS about why I couldn't look at the car in person I was going to try Dan's strategy, lol...)

You still think you are talking to a female? You are talking to a guy and it probably takes about 3oz of spit to pronounce his name.

[TheStoot]

I went through this once. They had a pretty legit looking website and everything. The guy even responded to emails and we talked over the phone multiple times, though his accent didn’t really match the name he gave. I too asked to come see it and got every run around in the book. I also looked up their webpage info through a checker/verify site only to find it had been made about a month prior. This was last June. I got a call a couple months back from the state police in the state their website said they were located in. They were investigating multiple reports of fraud and theft by the individual I had talked to on the phone about the car. Its always too good to be true unless you know the person or see the car in person

[DaraSue]

You still think you are talking to a female? You are talking to a guy and it probably takes about 3oz of spit to pronounce his name.

Hey, it's the 21st century, I can respect Asdfjkasdfo Woritajkdhkadlkeysmashski's gender identity! :cheers:

Meanwhile if anybody knows of a Trans Am GTA with a digital dash in the sub-$10k range that won't need $5k worth of work to be roadworthy, DM me... (but only if both the seller and the car actually exist)

[Michael]

Hey, it's the 21st century, I can respect Asdfjkasdfo Woritajkdhkadlkeysmashski's gender identity! :cheers:

Meanwhile if anybody knows of a Trans Am GTA with a digital dash in the sub-$10k range that won't need $5k worth of work to be roadworthy, DM me... (but only if both the seller and the car actually exist)

I was a big F body guy in college. Had a TA and later a Formula (liked it better than the TA). I can't say if I found a 87-90 Formula WS6 T-top red over tan that I wouldn't buy it.

[dmcerik]

I don't know anything about Trans Ams, but I do know there's an 80s TransAm that lives down the street from me. I've really only seen it from behind since the old guy who owns it, or houses it, has it parked front first in his condo garage. I know it runs because it's not always there. Next time it's out I could swing by and get the story on it. The guy who has it in his garage doesn't look to be in the best of health and is usually in a wheel chair. Just sits next to this car most days.

[DaraSue]

I don't know anything about Trans Ams, but I do know there's an 80s TransAm that lives down the street from me. I've really only seen it from behind since the old guy who owns it, or houses it, has it parked front first in his condo garage. I know it runs because it's not always there. Next time it's out I could swing by and get the story on it. The guy who has it in his garage doesn't look to be in the best of health and is usually in a wheel chair. Just sits next to this car most days.

Aww! Where are you located? If it's within a day's drive of SLC I'm especially interested since I still haven't found one... :hmm:

[DaraSue]

Man, I found one that's exactly what I'm looking for (black, digital dash, supposedly decent running condition but not so nice that I have to feel guilty parking it outside) but it's two states away and the guy stopped answering my messages as soon as I offered to fly out and look at it. His Facebook profile says he's been on there since 09 so if it's a scammer they've either jacked a real person's page or they're playing a really long game. I'm tempted to send the guy a pic of my driver's license and the money to prove I'm serious but if it is a scam then I've just told a criminal where I live and that I have a few grand lying around the house :banghead: There is one red flag that he says he took the car in trade from a guy who couldn't pay his rent so even if the seller is legit there's a better than average chance there's a lien on it or something. Idk, what would you guys do in this situation? I don't want to miss out on the car I've been looking for for a year if it's for real.

(This isn't the first time this has happened with Facebook sellers. Is it bc I don't use my real name on there? Ugh, I'm from the Usenet/AOL generation and still can't get over the idea that we're all putting our real names and workplaces on the internet for every creep in the world to see now...)

[DaraSue]

Update: the Facebook ad was legit :biggrin: 67083

[Michael]

Update: the Facebook ad was legit :biggrin: 67083

Awesome!

Must have dash pics!

[DaraSue]

67085 I snapped this one just after sunset somewhere between Laramie and Rawlins and I think it turned out pretty well. I'll get some of the status screen and odometer on Monday when I go to the DMV. It has a pretty period-correct looking Pioneer stereo too :headbang:

[Delorean Industries]

Nice looking car!

[Tamir A.]

Very nice pickup. Let's see some shots of that sweet looking CIVIC I see there in the garage as well please.

[DaraSue]

Thanks, guys! Here's one of the status monitor & odometer: 67113

The odo has some burnt out lights so I missed the rollover to 140k on my way home :( 67114

Got this epic shot of my CRX at work the other night: 67115

Rear view with new rear shocks & springs: 67116

[Michael]

You have great taste in cars. All that's left is a Fiero GT 6 and you would have the perfect collection!

[DaraSue]

You have great taste in cars. All that's left is a Fiero GT 6 and you would have the perfect collection!

Thanks! If only I had half as much house and twice as much garage... :driving1: