Is this a scam? (Amazon payments - used car)
#16
12-09-2011, 12:38 PM
LOL. he wrote back and told me he lives in Prince George in Canada - travels a lot for business. I told him I'd like to come up to meet him and see the car in person. don't think i'll get a response.
as someone else said I think i'll just keep asking for info. pic of VIN, more pics of cars, etc.
as someone else said I think i'll just keep asking for info. pic of VIN, more pics of cars, etc.
It sucks that scams like these appear on places like Autotrader and Cars.com. Usually they run rampant on Craigslist. At least you can spot the ridiculously low price, that's your clue. $26K for a 997 Turbo? I assume that since you're in this part of the forum. High mileage 07s are like $60K and it goes up from there.
#17
12-09-2011, 01:21 PM
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Long Island
Age: 60
Posts: 1,524
Rep Power: 92 
He will say that the car is wrapped up and ready to ship in a container and cannot be viewed.
It sucks that scams like these appear on places like Autotrader and Cars.com. Usually they run rampant on Craigslist. At least you can spot the ridiculously low price, that's your clue. $26K for a 997 Turbo? I assume that since you're in this part of the forum. High mileage 07s are like $60K and it goes up from there.
It sucks that scams like these appear on places like Autotrader and Cars.com. Usually they run rampant on Craigslist. At least you can spot the ridiculously low price, that's your clue. $26K for a 997 Turbo? I assume that since you're in this part of the forum. High mileage 07s are like $60K and it goes up from there.
#19
12-09-2011, 01:46 PM
I see this crap all the time and if I have a little time I do enjoy the string along game. I usually tell the scammer "...that's great! I have a friend that lives 4 miles from you! I'll send him over to have a look at the car (or even peek in the container) - please send me your address & phone number and let me know what day/time works for you". That usually ends the conversation right there. I actually had one guy tell me the container was sealed with "liquid nails" and he didn't want to pry it open... These kind of people **** me off as I wonder how many innocent, naive people they actually talk into sending them money...
#20
12-09-2011, 02:52 PM
I see this crap all the time and if I have a little time I do enjoy the string along game. I usually tell the scammer "...that's great! I have a friend that lives 4 miles from you! I'll send him over to have a look at the car (or even peek in the container) - please send me your address & phone number and let me know what day/time works for you". That usually ends the conversation right there. I actually had one guy tell me the container was sealed with "liquid nails" and he didn't want to pry it open... These kind of people **** me off as I wonder how many innocent, naive people they actually talk into sending them money...
It's kinda like my old marketing job with email sales campaigns. It's so cheap to send out 10 million emails, yet with a conversion rate of less than 1%, it's still VERY profitable.
#21
12-09-2011, 02:58 PM
It's terrible, but you know what? They have it so easy. They troll the classifieds and send out tons of emails. If out of 5000 emails, they get one bite, then they win.
It's kinda like my old marketing job with email sales campaigns. It's so cheap to send out 10 million emails, yet with a conversion rate of less than 1%, it's still VERY profitable.
It's kinda like my old marketing job with email sales campaigns. It's so cheap to send out 10 million emails, yet with a conversion rate of less than 1%, it's still VERY profitable.
#22
12-09-2011, 03:05 PM
LOL. he wrote back and told me he lives in Prince George in Canada - travels a lot for business. I told him I'd like to come up to meet him and see the car in person. don't think i'll get a response.
as someone else said I think i'll just keep asking for info. pic of VIN, more pics of cars, etc.
as someone else said I think i'll just keep asking for info. pic of VIN, more pics of cars, etc.
As an aside, I have a friend you got one of those scam e-mails from Nigeria (apparently, for some reason, he was not aware that his close relative was traveling there and needed some emergency money
). He communicated with the person back and forth for more than a week, even telling him that he wired the money, but it ended up in the wrong place (next town over). The scammer ended up spending quite a bit of time trying to track down where the money really ended up. 
#23
12-09-2011, 03:07 PM
It's terrible, but you know what? They have it so easy. They troll the classifieds and send out tons of emails. If out of 5000 emails, they get one bite, then they win.
It's kinda like my old marketing job with email sales campaigns. It's so cheap to send out 10 million emails, yet with a conversion rate of less than 1%, it's still VERY profitable.
It's kinda like my old marketing job with email sales campaigns. It's so cheap to send out 10 million emails, yet with a conversion rate of less than 1%, it's still VERY profitable.
#24
12-09-2011, 03:11 PM
I like it. If you want to string him along, you need to figure a way to have him do some work for it.
As an aside, I have a friend you got one of those scam e-mails from Nigeria (apparently, for some reason, he was not aware that his close relative was traveling there and needed some emergency money). He communicated with the person back and forth for more than a week, even telling him that he wired the money, but it ended up in the wrong place (next town over). The scammer ended up spending quite a bit of time trying to track down where the money really ended up.
As an aside, I have a friend you got one of those scam e-mails from Nigeria (apparently, for some reason, he was not aware that his close relative was traveling there and needed some emergency money
). He communicated with the person back and forth for more than a week, even telling him that he wired the money, but it ended up in the wrong place (next town over). The scammer ended up spending quite a bit of time trying to track down where the money really ended up. 
#25
12-09-2011, 07:27 PM
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Long Island
Age: 60
Posts: 1,524
Rep Power: 92
I saw something on the net years ago that was this guy playing games with the scammer. it was the funniest thing i've ever read. it went on for weeks. he had this guy running in circles.
I don't remember the details but I think it had something to do with a computer.
I wish I could remember some of the details so I could look for it.
I don't remember the details but I think it had something to do with a computer.
I wish I could remember some of the details so I could look for it.
#26
12-09-2011, 07:40 PM
I saw something on the net years ago that was this guy playing games with the scammer. it was the funniest thing i've ever read. it went on for weeks. he had this guy running in circles.
I don't remember the details but I think it had something to do with a computer.
I wish I could remember some of the details so I could look for it.
I don't remember the details but I think it had something to do with a computer.
I wish I could remember some of the details so I could look for it.
http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/
#27
12-09-2011, 08:35 PM
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Long Island
Age: 60
Posts: 1,524
Rep Power: 92 Ed, that's it. how great is that
#28
12-09-2011, 08:50 PM
i was playing golf in Canada once and had an entire double granola bar (wrapper and all) lifted from my cart by a raven. Bird flew just out of range, and commenced to peck open my granola package. He was an old pro.
The next day I bought the same granola bar, carefully pulled open the package at the seam, removed the granola bars, and filled the package with golf tees. Because the foil pack had that glue-like sealer still on it, all I had to do was press the seams back together, to make the package appear normal. No granola, no food, just golf tees.
No sooner did I leave the pack in a cup holder and walked away from the cart, the raven returned.
He grabbed the pack of tees, flew just out of range, and commenced to peck open the package. I was unbelievably pleased with myself, and laughed my **** off at that raven. He pecked and pecked. Once the package was sufficiently ripped apart and he realized no food to be found, he flew away looking for his next victim. He wasn't pissed (that I could tell), and he gave me no more pleasure for having wasted my time with him. It was all very funny to me, but in the end it was a complete waste of my time.
I suck at telling stories, but the point here is that these scam artists sit behind monitors and there's nothing you can do to get them to move. The perpetrate the fraud, and watch the bank account. If money ends up in it, they transfer it and move on, all without actually moving anywhere. The best way to deal with it is to recognize it for what it is, and ignore it. ANYTHING more is a total waste of your time and energy.
I know this, because it's pretty much the same as my bird story. I wasted a bunch of time trying to **** off a bird. Can you believe it? The chances of annoying somebody like this cars.com seller are slim to none. He'll simply move on to the next email response. My 2 cents.
The next day I bought the same granola bar, carefully pulled open the package at the seam, removed the granola bars, and filled the package with golf tees. Because the foil pack had that glue-like sealer still on it, all I had to do was press the seams back together, to make the package appear normal. No granola, no food, just golf tees.
No sooner did I leave the pack in a cup holder and walked away from the cart, the raven returned.
He grabbed the pack of tees, flew just out of range, and commenced to peck open the package. I was unbelievably pleased with myself, and laughed my **** off at that raven. He pecked and pecked. Once the package was sufficiently ripped apart and he realized no food to be found, he flew away looking for his next victim. He wasn't pissed (that I could tell), and he gave me no more pleasure for having wasted my time with him. It was all very funny to me, but in the end it was a complete waste of my time.
I suck at telling stories, but the point here is that these scam artists sit behind monitors and there's nothing you can do to get them to move. The perpetrate the fraud, and watch the bank account. If money ends up in it, they transfer it and move on, all without actually moving anywhere. The best way to deal with it is to recognize it for what it is, and ignore it. ANYTHING more is a total waste of your time and energy.
I know this, because it's pretty much the same as my bird story. I wasted a bunch of time trying to **** off a bird. Can you believe it? The chances of annoying somebody like this cars.com seller are slim to none. He'll simply move on to the next email response. My 2 cents.
#29
12-10-2011, 07:19 AM
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Long Island
Age: 60
Posts: 1,524
Rep Power: 92
^ you're probably right but it takes all of 15 seconds to respond to an email. If i ask him for some info and he has to waste any of HIS time, well that's ok.
I only hope and pray that one day he scams the wrong person and he gets the beating he so richly deserves
BTW, trying to **** off a bird is even worse LOL!
I only hope and pray that one day he scams the wrong person and he gets the beating he so richly deserves
BTW, trying to **** off a bird is even worse LOL!
#30
12-10-2011, 08:38 AM
I have come across similar "too good to be true" sales on many models oncars.com. I saw a 2011 AUDI A8 for $44K and saw a 2010 Porch for $60K and a 2008 Porche for $40K, all claiming to be in prestine condition
I noticed these were individual sellers. I Have made email communication with a few of them and They also respond with a different name than what appears in the add. The story is alwaysthe same, that the seller needs cash quick. Also, sometimes seller will say he is now living in Canada. He will boast about how amazon works and you can look at the car for 7 days and return in. I know its bs and it pizzes me off.
The other possibiliy is its a salvaged title although they claim its never been hit. one seller refused to give me a VIN. Another seller gave me a VIN but it was to a different car
Almost reminds me of those nigerian email scams.
I noticed these were individual sellers. I Have made email communication with a few of them and They also respond with a different name than what appears in the add. The story is alwaysthe same, that the seller needs cash quick. Also, sometimes seller will say he is now living in Canada. He will boast about how amazon works and you can look at the car for 7 days and return in. I know its bs and it pizzes me off.
The other possibiliy is its a salvaged title although they claim its never been hit. one seller refused to give me a VIN. Another seller gave me a VIN but it was to a different car
Almost reminds me of those nigerian email scams.