Beware of scammers - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

mdrobtx · 12-09-2011, 02:59 AM

Hey everyone. Be very careful when deciding to purchase a car off the internet.
I found a too good too be true price on cars.com for a 2011 conv Camaro. In fact it is still listed. So I contacted the private seller by email. She responded with a story about going thru a divorce and just wanted to get rid of the car.
First clues that something was wrong. No phone # and the email name didn't match the private sellers name on the cars.com ad.

Because the vehicle was out of state I told her I would have to have a inspection service inspect the car and if everything checked out we would need to agree to the escrow service that cars.com advertises.
She responded that she had already set up an escrow service with Paypal. She had the car in storage at a transportation company that would transport the car to me for free, (yeah right) and I would be able to inspect and drive it. And then if everything was fine I would authorize Paypal to transfer the money to her acct.

I contacted Paypal and they assured me that they only do this kind of escrow service for some Ebay transactions only. NOT cars.com or individuals. So I waited to see what would transpire.

The next emails I received were officially looking Paypal emails. Including complete official looking documentation and instructions on how the escrow transaction would work and a transaction #.
Of course I called Paypal again and talked with a customer service rep that tried to verify the transaction # or any part of it being a true transaction. Nothing showed up. The only part that was true was that the individual did have a registered Paypal address.
Paypal asked me to forward the email correspondence and fake Paypal transaction emails to their fraud dept.
After reviewing the emails and confirming the transaction # didn't exist, they told me this is a phishing attempt at gaining access to my Paypal acct or trying to get me to wire money.

Ok, BEWARE the individual was using the name Amanda Jackson. The ad on cars.com used the name Patti. The email she contacted me with and was using at Paypal was jacksona574@gmail.com.

Part of my verification process was to give this "Amamda" my phone # and to ask her to call me so I could ask some pertinent questions to the transaction. When she did call, I wasn't at home and she left a message in a heavily accented voice. So....who knows where she was calling from.
Just wanted to let you know. IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, DON'T DO IT.
Michael

yzrider58 · 12-09-2011, 03:08 AM

Yikes good job spotting the clues. Is cars.com going to pull the ad?

mdrobtx · 12-09-2011, 03:15 AM

I contacted cars.com. They have not pulled the ad as of 3:15 am central time.
Here is the ad:

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

Check out that price. Could you imagine getting a 2SS/RSS conv for that price.
I had to at least try. Who knows, it could have been a pissed off divorcee who got the car in a divorce and just wanted some fast cash.
But like I told my wife when I saw the ad. This is just too good to be true.

Oh, just in case the ad is pulled and the above link doesn't work, the price was $25,699.

Hellfighter · 12-09-2011, 03:17 AM

Seen plenty of this type of stuff also with things like Oh make 4000+$ from working at home only 8hr's a day, give us your credit card and bank info and you can start now!.... yeah ok..

mdrobtx · 12-09-2011, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellfighter

Seen plenty of this type of stuff also with things like Oh make 4000+$ from working at home only 8hr's a day, give us your credit card and bank info and you can start now!.... yeah ok..

Yeah, I immediately started taking precautions to include hiring an independent inspection and escrow service.
No way was I going to wire $26K to some clown without absolutely knowing what I was getting.

Hellfighter · 12-09-2011, 03:32 AM

I got really close 1 time to one of these clowns, turns out it was a Chinese guy located in India, and then some guy in Sweden. I wish i could of reported them back then, 3 years ago.

S3XPanther · 12-09-2011, 03:38 AM

Scammers are the people I hate the most, the real scum of the Earth. I hate them even more than thieves, at least with thieves you know you're getting robbed up front, no song and dance.

bill2129 · 12-09-2011, 03:43 AM

Internet scams online for cars are pretty obvious for the most part. When I went to get my 98 ls1 the story was he lost his job needed to sell. Only wanted 3500. He had a phone number though. Went to his house. And there it was. Got it that day

TheHorse13 · 12-09-2011, 05:37 AM

The good news is that a group of guys love to turn the tables on the scammers. If you want a good laugh, check out this site:

http://www.419eater.com/index.php

Comedy gold.

mdrobtx · 12-09-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHorse13

The good news is that a group of guys love to turn the tables on the scammers. If you want a good laugh, check out this site:

http://www.419eater.com/index.php

Comedy gold.

Unfortunately this site is unavailable past the home page?
But I get the idea. I'm going to f**k with the scammer also.

I haven't sent anything to her telling her I know she is a scammer. I only sent the info to Paypal and cars.com
I'm awaiting her next email so I can start MY fun.

10forty2 · 12-09-2011, 06:16 AM

I advertised a boat for sale on Craigslist several years ago. Sure enough, I got an email from an "Interested" buyer who offered my $3,000 over my asking price and was going to send a towing service to my house to pick up the boat. The buyer would transfer the money and when the towing service arrived, I was to give them the boat and $1,500 for the tow...I could keep the rest that was over and above my price.

I'd love to take all the scammers in the world and put them in a deep, dark hole somewhere...pour gasoline in there and...well, you get the picture...

If you've never see it, check out this website...It's the Ebola Monkey Man web site. This guy has made it his life's priority to screw around with the Nigerian Scammers by responding to their emails and leading them on. You'll get a good laugh.

http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/

camslambam · 12-09-2011, 06:45 AM

I prince frum Zimbabwe.

I have billion dollar in account but need you akount # to halp mi wiyre it aut of cuntery.

If you halp mi I give you 10% of muney.

Plees provid mi with all you banking information.

Tank u.

mdrobtx · 12-09-2011, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10forty2

If you've never see it, check out this website...It's the Ebola Monkey Man web site. This guy has made it his life's priority to screw around with the Nigerian Scammers by responding to their emails and leading them on. You'll get a good laugh.

http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/

Oh man, this is funny! The stories are freakin funny. They are giving me great ideas on how to have some fun over the next few days.

I'm enjoying this one:
http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/Tuchme.htm

philipdistefano · 12-09-2011, 06:56 AM

There's a lot of negativity in this thread toward buying cars online, and rightly so (good job on not getting tricked, OP), but on a lighter note, I bought my 240sx online from cars.com without a hitch. Even better, I got an amazing, AMAZING deal. So, it is possible!

12-09-2011, 02:59 AM	#1
mdrobtx Drives: 2010 2SS/RS Victory Red Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 253	Beware of scammers Hey everyone. Be very careful when deciding to purchase a car off the internet. I found a too good too be true price on cars.com for a 2011 conv Camaro. In fact it is still listed. So I contacted the private seller by email. She responded with a story about going thru a divorce and just wanted to get rid of the car. First clues that something was wrong. No phone # and the email name didn't match the private sellers name on the cars.com ad. Because the vehicle was out of state I told her I would have to have a inspection service inspect the car and if everything checked out we would need to agree to the escrow service that cars.com advertises. She responded that she had already set up an escrow service with Paypal. She had the car in storage at a transportation company that would transport the car to me for free, (yeah right) and I would be able to inspect and drive it. And then if everything was fine I would authorize Paypal to transfer the money to her acct. I contacted Paypal and they assured me that they only do this kind of escrow service for some Ebay transactions only. NOT cars.com or individuals. So I waited to see what would transpire. The next emails I received were officially looking Paypal emails. Including complete official looking documentation and instructions on how the escrow transaction would work and a transaction #. Of course I called Paypal again and talked with a customer service rep that tried to verify the transaction # or any part of it being a true transaction. Nothing showed up. The only part that was true was that the individual did have a registered Paypal address. Paypal asked me to forward the email correspondence and fake Paypal transaction emails to their fraud dept. After reviewing the emails and confirming the transaction # didn't exist, they told me this is a phishing attempt at gaining access to my Paypal acct or trying to get me to wire money. Ok, BEWARE the individual was using the name Amanda Jackson. The ad on cars.com used the name Patti. The email she contacted me with and was using at Paypal was jacksona574@gmail.com. Part of my verification process was to give this "Amamda" my phone # and to ask her to call me so I could ask some pertinent questions to the transaction. When she did call, I wasn't at home and she left a message in a heavily accented voice. So....who knows where she was calling from. Just wanted to let you know. IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, DON'T DO IT. Michael __________________ 21 years of owning Camaros. Finally got a 5th Generation. 1968 Coupe and 1967 Vert

12-09-2011, 03:08 AM	#2
yzrider58 Aviation guru Drives: 10 1SS, 09 Acadia, 90 K1500 Z-71 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 832 View My Garage	Yikes good job spotting the clues. Is cars.com going to pull the ad? __________________

12-09-2011, 03:15 AM	#3
mdrobtx Drives: 2010 2SS/RS Victory Red Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 253	I contacted cars.com. They have not pulled the ad as of 3:15 am central time. Here is the ad: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national Check out that price. Could you imagine getting a 2SS/RSS conv for that price. I had to at least try. Who knows, it could have been a pissed off divorcee who got the car in a divorce and just wanted some fast cash. But like I told my wife when I saw the ad. This is just too good to be true. Oh, just in case the ad is pulled and the above link doesn't work, the price was $25,699. __________________ 21 years of owning Camaros. Finally got a 5th Generation. 1968 Coupe and 1967 Vert

12-09-2011, 03:17 AM	#4
Hellfighter Drives: 2013 Black ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sugar Land/Texas Posts: 2,354 View My Garage	Seen plenty of this type of stuff also with things like Oh make 4000+$ from working at home only 8hr's a day, give us your credit card and bank info and you can start now!.... yeah ok.. __________________

12-09-2011, 03:32 AM	#6
Hellfighter Drives: 2013 Black ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sugar Land/Texas Posts: 2,354 View My Garage	I got really close 1 time to one of these clowns, turns out it was a Chinese guy located in India, and then some guy in Sweden. I wish i could of reported them back then, 3 years ago. __________________

12-09-2011, 03:38 AM	#7
S3XPanther by Odeon Drives: '12 SS/RS A6 IOM SOLD, '13 1LE IOM Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Good question Posts: 1,707	Scammers are the people I hate the most, the real scum of the Earth. I hate them even more than thieves, at least with thieves you know you're getting robbed up front, no song and dance. __________________ "It works 60% of the time, every time." "Some say it's a waste of time, others say it's an incredible waste of time." "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 2013 IOM SS/RS - 1LE. Born 5/6/2013 (1 of 32 1SS IOM 1LE's)

12-09-2011, 03:43 AM	#8
bill2129 Account Suspended Drives: 2085 Trans AM COBRA Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chester County PA Posts: 676	Internet scams online for cars are pretty obvious for the most part. When I went to get my 98 ls1 the story was he lost his job needed to sell. Only wanted 3500. He had a phone number though. Went to his house. And there it was. Got it that day

12-09-2011, 05:37 AM	#9
TheHorse13 Drives: 2011 Black SS M6 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Harpers Ferry, WV Posts: 1,116	The good news is that a group of guys love to turn the tables on the scammers. If you want a good laugh, check out this site: http://www.419eater.com/index.php Comedy gold.

12-09-2011, 06:16 AM	#11
10forty2 Drives: 1992 Chevy K5 Blazer Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NC Posts: 576	I advertised a boat for sale on Craigslist several years ago. Sure enough, I got an email from an "Interested" buyer who offered my $3,000 over my asking price and was going to send a towing service to my house to pick up the boat. The buyer would transfer the money and when the towing service arrived, I was to give them the boat and $1,500 for the tow...I could keep the rest that was over and above my price. I'd love to take all the scammers in the world and put them in a deep, dark hole somewhere...pour gasoline in there and...well, you get the picture... If you've never see it, check out this website...It's the Ebola Monkey Man web site. This guy has made it his life's priority to screw around with the Nigerian Scammers by responding to their emails and leading them on. You'll get a good laugh. http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/ __________________ Love beautiful photos? Please visit: http://dougloganphotography.zenfolio.com

12-09-2011, 06:45 AM	#12
camslambam Account Suspended Drives: 2010 SS, 06 SRT10 Ram Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: C. America Posts: 1,658	I prince frum Zimbabwe. I have billion dollar in account but need you akount # to halp mi wiyre it aut of cuntery. If you halp mi I give you 10% of muney. Plees provid mi with all you banking information. Tank u.

12-09-2011, 06:56 AM	#14
philipdistefano Remember, Remember... Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 688	There's a lot of negativity in this thread toward buying cars online, and rightly so (good job on not getting tricked, OP), but on a lighter note, I bought my 240sx online from cars.com without a hitch. Even better, I got an amazing, AMAZING deal. So, it is possible!

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