04Stang05

Ok now I know this might now be the exact place for this but then again I'm not sure it has a place but I know this is probably where it'll get the most replies. And techinically I do have an '05 on order which I should be picking up in less than a month. Ok now for my dilemma:

I am trying to sell my current Mustang and I have posted an add on autotrader. I got an inquiry about it a few days ago. Here it is:

*****
Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 10:48:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: dealerleads@autotrader.com Block Address
Subject: Owner 56262966: AutoTrader.com: Vehicle Lead

***VEHICLE LEAD***

The following lead was generated from AutoTrader.com's web site at
http://www.autotrader.com.
To view the vehicle, click the link below:
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=181831982

BUYER INFO
Name: Joe Anderson
E-Mail Address: todayautoshop_inc@yahoo.com
Comments: Hello, I am interested in your vehicle, please get back to me
with your last asking price, present condition and location for my
client's evaluation. I will be expecting your email with the details.
*****

I then responded to the e-mail giving him my final price and telling him when I'd be needing to sell it and asked when he wanted to have his client look at it. Earlier I got a response and here it is:

***** Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 14:46:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Joe Anderson" <todayautoshop_inc@yahoo.com> Block Address
Subject: PAYMENT AND SHIPPING INFORMATION

Hello,
I have forwarded the vehicle information to my client and after evaluation and due to time constraint on the fact that we are running short of time , i am delighted to tell you that my client has commended your vehicle and he has instructed me to carry on with this transaction, he also instructed me to inform you that payment will get to you in a cashier check of $22,000 which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by my client. Due to company policy this Cheque has to be made out in this amount to you, because company policy onlyallows a refund payment on one cashier cheque. So you are required to deduct the cost of your vehicle $15,000 when payment gets to you and refund balance $7,000 to the shipper for him to be able to offset shipping & tax charges, and other cosmetic repair costs. After payment has reached you and balance sent to shipper, the shipper's agent will come for inspection, pick up (of vehicle & signing of title p! apers), make some cosmetic touches and drive to a prepaid shipper to be shipped to my customer.
Confirm this and forward your Names, Address and Phone number for payment to be made to you as soon as possible. Your honesty, understanding and co-operation will be highly appreciated.
Have a wonderful day.
Regards
*****

Ok now here are my questions for all of you out there. First off do you think it is a scam. And second I was planning on replying to try and get some more info out of him so I need to know how you think I should respond. Sorry for the long post but I really appreciate and welcome all opinions and suggestions. Thanks in advance for any help.

vc4life

yes its a scam!!!!!!!!! tell that guy to drop dead, please dont go through with this or you will lose out big time

gashaus34

This is a complete scam. I got about a million of these when I had my 2002 GT up for sale. I'm a newspaper reporter, so I checked it out. I discovered that the come on is to tell you they have a foreign buyer who is hot to have your American muscle car as a collectors item and that he will even pay with a cashiers check. The problem is that the checks are forgeries. I replied to one or two who were persistent.
They always want to know your "last price" and how you want to make the exchange. I tell them I want cash and thay they can meet me at the desk at the local police department. Usually they don't bug you anymore after that.

wifewantedaGT

I saw a sign in my bank the other day said something like......Inform the teller if you are depositing checks from the sale of items over the internet because you may be the victim of a scam. Take the e-mail from the guy to your bank and see what they say. It just sounds fishy to me.

PonyLover

HUGE red flags here.

1. For his client.
2. Check only able to be be made for certain amoutn requiring you to refund difference.
3. Not the actual interested buyer
4. Car being sent out of country.

I would take this info to the police and ask there advise on this.

I have seen on news too many times where eldery people are being scammed this way. You cash the check and you send him the $7k. It takes the bank about a week sometimes two weeks to discover the check is no good.
Also a flag is the fact that the car will be shipped out of the country.

Take it to the police and have them check it out. They can track the name and e-mail address to verify if it is legit.
They may even have you reply to them to see if you can get more info from them.

By all means I would have it looked into

This has all the marking of a SCAM.

04Stang05

I haven't gone through with it and I really hadn't planned on it. I obviously think it's a scam too otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. I just wanted some other opinions. Do you know for sure it's a scam or are you like me and just think it sounds too fishy?

PonyLover

YES it is a scam

To confirm it take it to the police.

You never know if your e-mail helps to bring them down you could be rewared for it.
The police are always trying to get these types of people. You could even earn points with the police ** Thinking in the future when you get your Stang and maybe a little heavy foot **

04Stang05

Yeah reward and points with the police. I know I could use both of those.


But anyway I assumed it was a scam I just wanted to make sure so thanks to all of you who replied so fast and furious I might add. I think this topic is done with now. Thanks again.

Lalo

stkdidy

the oldest scam in the books, nigerian 419 scam.

http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html

StangFreak

DONT DO IT!!! IT'S A SCAM IF I EVER SAW ONE!!!

04Stang05

Ok thanks for the help but I get the picture. I immediately said it was a scam too but I just wanted to make sure. So I don't need anymore responses. In fact someone who knows how can close this if they'd like.

samckernan

Yeah, it's a scam.

kerafaith

They tried this same thing with my Uncle when I put his 73 Mach I on the internet. It's a total scam.

TN615

It's called the Nigerian scam... or the 419 scam....
The email and letter and check may have come from Europe, Canada, South Africa, or ever here in America....

But the bottom line... it's the Nigerian Scam....

The check is fake... and will fool most banks... they will send you more than your asking for your car and ask you to send the difference back....

Rip it up... don't email them back.... only forward your email to your local secret service.

With what I do for a living... I deal with this stuff all the time.

GottaHaveIt

:scratch: gotta go for a wiz now I'm too young for depends lol

GottaHaveIt

Oh Hi Bill C hows the non pres thing goin for you ?

Original Sin

From one Nigerian scam buster to a few of you others who know what you're talking about, nice job.

And make sure your last e-mail to that Nigerian POS ends off with your warmest, kindest regards.

Captmojo

:nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:

SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM

:nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:

EleanorsMine

Word of warning..
My Jamaican buddy fell for this-( he's fresh here and quite naive).
he got arrested before the cops figured it out. Fortunately he kept the emails.

His was for an apartment he had for rent- here's a check, deposit and send me the difference. He deposited, and the cops came and arrested him.

Scammity scam scam scam.