Does this sound TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE...?

POTENTIAL SCAM (!) (?)

I have seen this on Yahoo Autos: YAHOO AUTO

After exchanging a couple emails I got this:

Quote:

---

Hi William,
The total price for this car is 6000$ including all the taxes
(shipping,register,all). Also i will use for this transaction only a
third
party: The third party will be SquareTrade. I am affiliated there with
a
protection account of 20000$. Square Trade is the best way for a
transaction
such as this one. Let me tell you how we will make this deal:
1.You will have to give me your full name and shipping address.
2.You will be contacted by SquareTrade with all the details about this
transaction.
3.You will make a deposit of 1000$
4. I will start the shipping proces
5.In 4 - 6 days the car and all the documents that you need to pass it
on to
your name will arrive to the adrese that you provided to SquareTrade.
6.You will have 10 days to inspect and test drive the car.
7. If: -you want to buy the car, you will send the rest of the money
and the
car will be yours.
-don't want to buy the car you will send the car and all the documents
back
and SquareTrade will refund you the downpayment. You will suport the
shipping back fees ($200).
The deposit will be kept by SquareTrade until you will receve and
inspect
the car and in case you will not receive the car Square Trade will
refund
you 100%. We are both protected against fraud. I will arrive along with
the
car so we can close the deal much easier(I hope you have a guest room,
just
kiding) .The transaction is simple so everything should go as planed. I
have
to tell you i will sell the car to the first one who start this deal by
sending the deposit.
Thank you. I hope to hear from you soon.

---

BUT the photos and VIN match this VehiCross more realistically priced on Ebay: Ebay Motors

I appreciate your time!

William

Some simple rules to follow when buying vehicles online:

1. Any offer that tells you they want to use a payment service you haven't heard of because it's the best is a fraud.

2. Any offer that requires full payment by wire up front is a fraud.

3. Any offer that sounds too good to be true (price, terms, or whatever) is a fraud.

4. If VIN research shows something funny, it's a fraud

In this case, you're getting a fabulous price, an unknown payment provider and fabulous terms (test drive for 10 days at YOUR house with only 1000 down).

If you even have to ask, I don't know what to tell you, except that I have a fabulous car that I'll sell you if you wire me $2000 today! And if you're not 100% satisfied, I'll refund your deposit 100%!!! :)

If you have any doubts about the transaction, tell the guy that you want to fly up to NY on Tuesday with a traveller's check to pick up the vehicle yourself. No real seller would refuse that.

Perhaps some of us local NY VXers would be willing to meet up with this person.

http://img1.auto.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/i...5310118-fs.jpg

This type of tree does NOT exist in NY BTW.

John C.

I agree w/ John, BUT, I think if we give global warming a chance...maybe someday, there'll be palms in NY. ;)
Ldub

Ah well check out the unique options:
flog lights( the japanese version of the austin healey`s frog lights?)
heated seats(this option was only available for the Alaska VX) power seats(it takes lots of power and flexibility to adjust these seats)
rear window wiper(the famous rear wiper every VX has to wipe the BS away)
side airbags(Aaah that explains the window problems)

I would definitely write him and ask if the floglights are the grown up ones or the tadpole ones of the 1998 model.
Further I'd ask him if the seats also have the cooling option they provided on the Texas version. Do powerseats do yoga?

What you really want is a supercharged one:

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=7620

I wouldn't buy a vehicle that has a level of goofy-ness to it. $6k is an outstanding price. Seeing the car listed for more than twice that elsewhere is a bad sign, and using a service that is unfamiliar is also probably a bad idea.

-Tad

Oh yeah, the warning bells were on FULL RING over this supposed deal! I just wanted to give a heads up to nayone else!

Thanks

Will

I see! :) Misread your sarcasm as a sincere question. LOL

I will glady check it out for you if it's right here in NY NY. Just let me know. I will ask any question need be or whatever you'd like.

I appreciate the offers of assistance, but I just had to raise and post the B.S. flag on this deal and let others know the type of ignorant crappola that is out there!

THOSE OTHERS IN THE MARKET TAKE HEED!!!

I am NOT pursuing this deal, but THANK YOU for the offers of assistance!

William

Your Welcome. sounded 2 fishy and complicated for a simple truck purchase...lolololo....

I sent an email to the real owner of this vehicle and sent them your link - hopefully they will be able to do something about it. It would be great if one of these low-lifes could be put away for these scams - it makes it tougher for the honest people to sell OR buy over the internet.

I also sent a request to the Yahoo address to see if I would get a response - here's what they said:

Hello,
Sorry for delay.

First of all thank you for your e-mail regarding my car. It's a great car. My boyfriend is devastated that we have to sell it but we have to pay too much money for register it here in Europe, so we decide to sell it. My company have relations in USA and i worked there for 2 years.
I purchased the car from there and bring it with me when I come back.
The car was purchased from US, so it is US standards, so stay cool it's perfect
compatible to your standards and you will not pay more duty taxes on it.
And this is an impediment for me to sell it here because, first, we have a different
standards and second will be very expensive for me to register it here. I have to
pay an very expensive duty taxes.The price for this car is $6,000.00USD .
The car it is still register in States.
What other info. would you like on it?
It will be shipped from London, United Kingdom and i will pay the shipping and insurance charges.
I will do the arrangements for shipping from here.

The payment will be done via secure pay which means that the third party will keep the money until you will receive and inspect the car.
I will wait for your email to let me know if you are interested in knowing more details
about the purchase.

Thank you

Sure wish I could remember that reverse scam that somebody played before - it would be fun to play with them a while :p

In my new detective duties, I deal with car scams almost on a daily basis.. This one is different but It's be leery of anything that says a 3rd party will "Hold" monies.. Especially a 3rd party that they are connected with. If they'd allow you to pick an escrow company, that may be different. Just shows that you should be very cautious when dealing with things online but, be particularly cautious when dealing with large amounts of money and over seas deals.

Hmmm! Didn't he say before that he was in New York? Now hes in London...must be a jetsetter!

So they'll ship it here (about 1k) and if you don't like it, they'll ship it back (1k) and you don't have to pay a cent! lol

sounds like the same person who was scamming with a vx from england a year ago.
I offered to meet him with the car in dover across the channel and of course haven't heard from him since!
What a pathetic guy! ;puke2; ;puke2;

I'm in the UK and e mailed this guy about looking at the car, but just get the seme reply as the start of this post. I have to say this stinks of a scam, A) it is easy ro re-register in the UK, I have done it, B) if it is in London it is easy to visit, but this does not seem to be possible!! STAY WELL CLEAR.

Yes ,Guys this is got scam all over it...i wrote "her" to see if i could actually push her in to a different deal, Told her i would pay 100% cash $6000.00, no need for the deposit. I told her as well i did not even need to see the car cuz i knew it was a good deal even it it was in half the shape it looked. All she had to do was give me her phone # or call me and we could settle the deal..."her reply. here it is "Dear sir,

For the moment my phone line is down, but we can talk via e-mail. Is the same thing.

The transaction will be made only through SquareTrade. They will keep the money untill you receive and inspect the car.

If you are still interested, please send me your full name and shipping address in order for me to start this deal with SquareTrade. They will contact you with all the information you need for starting this deal.

Thank you After that i wrote her and told her i knew this was a scam and was contacting the "INPW" and posting it here where almost all VX'ers are , If any one knows what "INPW" is let me know..i made it up!..lol! well 2 days now and no reply!!...dang..an i was excited about getting me another VX!!

Iv been interested in different vehicles and came across a '03 Copper red FX35 for $23900. I emailed him and got a response saying I should use their safe service "Square Trade". As said before I suppose to send a deposit bla bla. Knew It was a scam right away, like they say, if it sounds too good to be true.....

On another note, the insurance for the VX is rediculous. If I find a hect of a deal then I might spring for it. Life decisions.

With Allstate I pay less for my VX than I do for my 1984 Mercedes station wagon.

-Tad