Buying a used truck scam (update 7/2/10)

Dan Gonzales

Member
Messages
511
Location
Whittier, CA, USA
I am looking for a used truck and have almost been snared by a scammer's trap. I saw this ad on craigslist.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/1873478163.html

Might be a great deal so I responded:

Hello,
I am interested in your truck. Would you please tell me how many miles it has?
Cheers,
Dan Gonzales


Here was the reply that made me wary.

Hello,
The car it's still available, has 20,000 miles, automatic transmission. It's in perfect condition, no engine/electric problems, no accidents/liens/loans. Exterior no scratches, never been repainted, interior no rips/tears/stains, never smoked inside. I have all the car's manuals, 2 spare of keys, title,documents. I'm selling the car because my child of only 19 died 4 months ago in a car accident, a drunk driver hit him and his fiancee. He was with his fiance's car coming to our home at his little brother birthday of 10 years old. This Ford F150 Limited Edition Harley Davidson was his car and it brings me bad memories and that's the reason I want to sell it. The last price is $4,400.
Me and my husband travel a lot with our business and we want to make this deal through eBay's Vehicle Purchase Protection Program. I just need your full name, full shipping address, home/cell # so I can open a case (with no further obligation or fees). eBay will contact you with all the Transaction/shipping details you will need. We will take care of the shipping, so don't worry.
We hope to hear soon from you.
For more pictures here is a link to the car's photo gallery:
http://s875.photobucket.com/albums/ab320/2003-Ford-F150-2WD/
Thank you for your interest!
Helen and Frank Sidarra


The response is just screaming SCAM so I decide to play along. This is my response.

No problem. Since I am in Los Angeles and you are in Los Angeles I absolutely require looking at the vehicle before purchase. After that I would be happy to continue the purchase through eBay.
Regards,
Dan Gonzales


Scammer replies.

Hello again,
We are located in Morrow, Georgia right now and the car is here with us. I'm under eBay's Vehicle Purchase Protection Program and they work like this:
- You will have the car for 10 days to test drive it, inspect it, go with the car to a mechanical, etc.
- Only after those 10 days you will have to decide if you want to keep the car or not! If you don't like the car or the car is not what I've described to you, you will be fully refunded by eBay in max. 6 hours.
- An Agent from eBay will assist you during this period (time for 10 days) with all that you need.
- The shipping will be made by DAS-Auto Shippers in a sealed container with their program of 2 days door-to-door.
- You will receive the car with all the papers including clean title, bill of sale, spare keys & all the paper work.
- After I will register you as my client, they will contact you by e-mail and also by phone with all the information that you need!
So please let me know if you would like to register you as my client and start the process asap!If so please just get back with your full name and full shipping address and I will get everything started as soon as possible, then eBay will contact you with more further instructions.
Hope to hear soon from you.
Very respectfully,
Helen and Frank Sidarra


This is a pretty sneaky response because they are referencing real companies but totally misrepresenting how eBays service works.

I am now starting to play with them. My response.

This is OK. My brother in law is a Sheriff's deputy for Clayton County right there where Morrow is. I talked to him and he is free for the next 5 days and could go look at the truck at your soonest convenience. If he cannot meet you my sister could also look at the car and send me pictures.
Please send me your contact info so he can set up a meeting time with you. I am glad you are so flexible in getting the car to California using eBay and DAS. Is the car registered in California or Georgia?
Regards,
Dan Gonzales


I am busy trying to figure out how I will play this. Wait and see.

Cheers,
 
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More excellent would be if your BIL was a Sheriff's deputy for Clayton County:thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
Well if they git back with an address maybe you can adopt a Sheriff as a BIL.:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
More excellent would be if your BIL was a Sheriff's deputy for Clayton County:thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
Well if they git back with an address maybe you can adopt a Sheriff as a BIL.:rofl::rofl::rofl:

I'm sure for a price Billy Bob, the local sheriff's deputy in Clayton County GA, will assure these kind and generous folks that he is in fact your brother in law and would inspect the f150 Limited Edition Harley Davidson.:thumb::rofl::rofl:
 
You pay for the truck, and then they ship it to you.
Which of course never happens.

I just checked on the San Diego Craigslist. Same add is on there.

These guys are probably in some other country, nowhere near LA , San Diego or Georgia.

Watch out,
Bob
 
Dan,
I just re-read your Craig listing... it almost reads like the Nigerian somebody died and left $14 million in my father's bank and we need to get the money out of Nigeria and just need your bank account to hold the money until we can come to your house and split it with you scam.....

And BTW, I don't know who DAS transport is, but from my 40 years in the traffic and transportation industry .... a truck is unlikely to drive from Georgia to Los Angeles(it's 2190 miles according to Google Maps) in 2 days... even with team drivers and the truck running full time, it's possible, but really not likely.
 
Dan,
I just re-read your Craig listing... it almost reads like the Nigerian somebody died and left $14 million in my father's bank and we need to get the money out of Nigeria and just need your bank account to hold the money until we can come to your house and split it with you scam.....

And BTW, I don't know who DAS transport is, but from my 40 years in the traffic and transportation industry .... a truck is unlikely to drive from Georgia to Los Angeles(it's 2190 miles according to Google Maps) in 2 days... even with team drivers and the truck running full time, it's possible, but really not likely.

Maybe they are planning to fed-ex it...hire out their private cargo plane just for the job? :dunno: :rolleyes: :D:D
 
This really sounds alike a Nigerian 419 scam. Whats next?.....are they going to ask you to send $5000 to get the car out of hock, but will send you $10000 to you as soon as it is done?

Sounds real bad
 
The wording alone indicates someone not familiar with the English language. Doesn't mean he is guilty of anything but, for me, that is a red flag warning.
OTOH, just because it has an eBay or Craigs list connection does not mean it is crooked.
I made a major purchase, my camping trailer, via eBay. The deal was a complete success with an honest and friendly seller. I have a friend who bought a cabin cruiser boat and later a late model Cadillac Escalade from eBay. Another buys antique cars from there. None have had encounters with crooks.
Both those venues are OK, it is the people you might deal with that can be the problem.
For me, even a tiny sniff of problems and I'm gone. If it passes the sniff test I will proceed with caution.
On this deal, my advice is, click off and move on.
 
Seems they don't want my "BIL" Cletus to look at the truck. It is now at a new location, funny how that is.

Hello Dan,
As I told you before the car is already at DAS headquarters, in a sealed container and ready for shipping because I already covered all the shipping and handling costs. We are not in the town right now, so that's the reason we choose this Program, so both of us can be protected and insured by them. Time of ten days, my car will stay in your possession. If something happens with the vehicle, I will get the money from eBay Company because the car it's already insured by them.
So if you are interested, please get back to me with your full name,full shipping address and home/cell # and I will get everything started as soon as possible. eBay will contact you then with further instructions.
Let me know.
Thanks again!
Helen and Frank Sidarra


Me...

You are mistaken. You have never said the truck was at DAS headquarters. First it was in LA then in Morrow, now at some other location.
As I said in my second email I will need to see the truck or find some way to have someone I trust or can pay to examine it before I will purchase it.
If this is not possible then I am sorry we can't get this deal done.
Regards,
Dan Gonzales


Curious to see if they can find "someone I can pay".

On the other hand I am going to look at this one tomorrow. Actually spoke to the owner.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/1875275923.html
 
Dan,

I had a similar craigslist ad about a year ago for a farm tractor. It was one of those to good to be true ads. I'm in TN it was in CA. Same deal, send the money it's ready to ship. I was able to lead them along for about 2 weeks asking questions, just happen to be on a business trip to the area could I look at it and such. I even told them I'd pay an extra grand if they would hold it for me. They finally just stopped replying to my emails.:dunno:
 
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