Car buying scammer ?

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

Hello, my first post after finding this forum Smile

I placed a car advert on Piston Heads and within minutes, I get asked if it's still forsale.

This is what I have so far

Name Williams

Message: "hello am intereste in buying your car, is it still available for sales?"

I reply: "Sorry Can you help me out and confirm you are not trying to scam me. The car has only been online for 20 minutes. Are you based in the uk"

He replies as Carlos Garcia

Message: what do you mean mate i just seen your ad on piston head i stay in South Yorkshire ( and South Yorkshire was a cut and paste by the look of the different font on my message)

I am sure they are scammers can you guy's confirm?

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:38 am

Welcome to Eater... Laughing

Judging by the "English" he is using I would say he is a Scammer

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:47 am

^^^ I agree - the English is not written by a native English speaker, but a West African.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

This is what throws me, the name is registered as living in South Yorkshire!!

http://www.192.com/atoz/people/garcia/carlos/s63/3663420803/

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:07 am

Scammers will regularly steal the identities of people - Carlos Garcia could be a previous victim or just a name found at random.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

o.k Thanks

Smile

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:19 am

minibluff wrote:

i stay in South Yorkshire

The only people I've ever heard who say it like that are Scottish (especially in Aberdeenshire. They say "Where ya stay?" instead of "Where do you live?"). And I've never met a Scotsman named Carlos Garcia.

Anyways, there's certainly enough evidence in what we've seen so far that this chap is 'foreign', and probably not currently where he says he is, but it's early days yet before we can definitely say if he's going to scam you or not. But as with all transactions, proceed with caution and if you sense anything is wrong, drop him and move on.

Do NOT bait him if he is trying to scam you, since if your car advert is genuine, he probably has some of your personal details.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

I sent: Sorry you can't be to careful, yes the car is still for sale.

Latest Reply: Ok fine,I have few questions on it,why you selling it,what the present condition,where is the car located,i cant come for look now am home bound....just recovery from surgery ,and how much you willing to sell
at your last price?

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:48 am

^^^Still the language of a West African.

Just drop him and save wasting your time.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

B8er wrote:

^^^Still the language of a West African.

Just drop him and save wasting your time.

Great advice

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:06 am

I sold my car very quickly and easily using this site.
and yes it's a scamalamadingdong,just suck it and see Shocked

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

Couple more emails (sorry couldn't help myself)

And here it is, confirmation

Reply: Ok £7495 is not bad, I prefer to finalize the method of payment via
paypal ,due to my health just recovery from surgery as I said
earlier,If you have any question
please let me know,forward me an paypal invoice so I proceed with the
payment :Note when you hv the money in your account by then we
arrange for my mover agent to come for pickup and i will be
responsible shipping fee and paypal charges

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:24 am

minibluff wrote:

due to my health just recovery from surgery as I said
earlier

Why would he need to tell you that?!

Quote:

Note when you hv the money in your account by then we
arrange for my mover agent to come for pickup and i will be
responsible shipping fee and paypal charges

Really? Wow he agreed to buy rather quickly didn't he? Buying a car without even viewing it? And arranging his own 'mover agent'?

Too many alarm bells a ringin'. This is a scam all right. Drop him

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 7

It's crazy how quick he decided to buy it, I replied Cash on Collection and it's all gone quiet Smile

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:29 am

Basinga wrote:

Really? Wow he agreed to buy rather quickly didn't he? Buying a car without even viewing it? And arranging his own 'mover agent'?

I put a car on eBay a while back, lads with Nigerian IP's were desperate to give me more than the asking price without seeing it. They set you up for a cheque 'overpayment' fraud (send the balance back via WU). The other common car scam is where the car and price are too good to be true, but its always overseas so there are shipping and fake shipping and escrow companies to pay first.