Wednesday, May 9, 2007

An Email Exchange with an eBay Motors Scammer


The eBay member that forwarded the following email messages understood early on that she was dealing with a thief that hijacked an eBay member's account to list an automobile on. The eBay listing stated that inquiries were welcome to the email address posted in the body of the listing. The automobile was listed as being located locally to the eBay member, but the scammer states in email communications that the automobile is in Germany, thus inferring that it cannot be inspected or taken for a test drive.

Read the conversation for yourself and be aware of the warning signs. Luckily, the potential buyer did not lose a dime; she did, however, waste the scammer's time for awhile. Take notice of the scammer's lies, inconsistencies, and spelling and grammatical errors in the "official eBay documents".

From: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
To: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: mini on ebay
Date: Sat, 5 May 2007

Hi.

Are you still offering this at the buy it now price? Can I come and see the car this weekend?

Thanks.

Date: Sun, 6 May 2007
From: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: Re: mini on ebay
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Hello,

First of all you must know that right now Im located in Germany due to my job and the car will be shipped from here. I have a car from my job to drive here, so I can`t keep this one anymore, pay insurance and all the associated taxes, as I have a 5 years contract here. It is very difficult for me to drive a right-handed car in Europe, so I`m forced to sell it.

There is no outstanding finance on the car. It has no damage, no scratches or dents, no hidden defects. It is in immaculate condition, meticulously maintained and hasn't been involved in any accident. The motor runs awesome. The tires are like new. Also, I found about the very high import duties and I've changed my mind and I've decided to sell the vehicle. I want to sell it in UK because is still registered there. You will get from me the keys and all documents to register the car into your name.

Buy it now price is £4,300.00 with shipping/handling included. The car will be insured during transportation and will be delivered in front of your door.

If you are still interested we will complete the deal only through Ebay using their Vehicle Protection Program. If you agree with these terms, please reply with your full name and shipping address. I will forward your details to ebay and they will notify you about our deal.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Date: Sun, 6 May 2007
From: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
Subject: Re: mini on ebay
To: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I appreciate all of the details you have sent through. I can relate to being relocated and understand the stress of sorting out all the details. As the car is not located in the UK at the moment is it possible that I can ask a few more details please.

I did an hpi check on the car and it seems you have only owned it since 12 March 2007. Was this a recent purchase?

Also normally I'd like to see the car before I buy it or at the very least speak to the seller. Is it possible to arrange a call? I can't find anything on ebay about their vehicle protection program. Can you please send me a link to the information on Ebay before I send my details to you? I will normally only buy through ebay and paypal so there hopefully will not be an issue with this.

Thanks for understanding my caution.

Kind Regards,

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Date: Sun, 6 May 2007
From: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: mini on ebay
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Hello,

Thanks for your e-mail. Yes, this was a recent purchase but as I sayed in my e-mail, I had to move down here and have to let it go. However, all I need from you is your name and shipping address and I will have than ebay send you all the details needed.

Regards!!!

Date: Mon, 7 May 2007
From: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
Subject: Re: mini on ebay
To: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk

Hi ya,

Here's my name and address:

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

I'd like to come to Germany to test drive the car before I buy it. I can come on easyjet as it's quite cheap. Plus that will save both of us the hassle on shipping.

Also can you please send me the link on the vehicle protection program please? And I'd like to arrange that call with you to discuss the car.

Thanks! I am really looking forward to this car it's such a good deal.

Kind Regards,

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Date: Mon, 7 May 2007
From: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: mini on ebay
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Hello,

Thanks for your e-mail. However, I will not be able to meet anyone at this time, as my work requires a lot of travel in the country, this is why I choosed ebay to handle the transaction for us. I will have ebay send you all the deal details and after they will contact you, please let me know so we can make the final arrangements.

Regards!!!

From: eBay Safety Department
Reply-To: ebay@safety-board.com
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
Subject: [eBay Motors Purchase Protection - Case ID: 140114745559]
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007

Verified Member Profile

eBay Member: carsmini2006 (Mathias Schwark)

An eBay Member in good standing since 02-Mai-07. Identity and/or Contact Information Verified. Continues to meet strict Membership Criteria. Committed to Dispute Resolution and Mediation.

Purchase Protection Coverage up to £10,000

Case ID: 140114745559

Buy with confidence on eBay Motors!

eBay's Vehicle Purchase Protection program protects your vehicle purchase against fraud and material misrepresentation.

E-mail address: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk

Vehicle Purchase Protection

Ensures that you receive the vehicle you paid for, with coverage up to $20,000 against fraud or material misrepresentation.

The program covers cars, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes, boats, watercraft, off-road vehicles and trailers.

Your vehicle purchase is protected for up to $20,000 or the vehicle purchase price, whichever is lower.

Buy Confidently with our Vehicle Protection Programs
Vehicle Purchase Protection

Ensures that you receive the vehicle you paid for, with coverage up to $20,000 against fraud or material misrepresentation.
Condition
Guarantee by Seller
Provides added confidence that the vehicle’s condition is accurately described and protects you if it is significantly different.
Extended Warranty
Protect your vehicle from unexpected repair bills.

The Seller has selected Vehicle Purchase Protection in this transaction

Buyer INTENTIONALLY DELETED should feel confident purchasing from eBay Member Mathias Schwark.

eBay Member Mathias Schwark has been verified by eBay Safeharbor Team and is committed to customer satisfaction and resolving disputes via mediation.

Vehicle Purchase Protection | Overview

The Vehicle Purchase Protection program protects your vehicle purchase against fraud and material misrepresentation. This program is provided by eBay Motors for FREE on all eligible transactions completed on eBay Motors. There's no sign-up, opt-in, or registration necessary.

The following types of fraud and material misrepresentation are covered:

Paying for a vehicle and never receiving it;

Sending a deposit for a vehicle and never receiving the vehicle;

Paying for and receiving a vehicle:

that was a stolen vehicle at the time of the transaction;

with an undisclosed or unknown lien against its title;

of a make and/or model that is different than what was described in the seller's listing;

without receiving the title for that vehicle from the seller, if it is impossible for you to obtain a title from the appropriate Department of Motor Vehicles;

whose title is subject to an undisclosed salvage, rebuilt/rebuildable, unrebuildable, reconstructed, scrapped/destroyed, junk, lemon, manufacturer buyback, or water damage title brand at the time of the sale;

with a model year that is different than the model year described in the seller's listing;

with an odometer reading that is different than the odometer reading described in the seller's listing

Your vehicle purchase is protected for up to £10,000 or the vehicle purchase price, whichever is lower.

Payment Instructions

Payment must be submitted via Western Union Money Transfer.

If you are not familiarized with Western Union Money Transfer services please visit: www.westernunion.com

Pay for the transfer with cash at a local Western Union agent.

Western Union Agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer service to their customers on behalf of Western Union. In the United Kingdom, Western Union Agents are primarily retail locations - grocery stores, check-cashers, mail box centers, drug stores, travel agencies and depots and other retail locations.

Independent Western Union Agents may impose different limitations on the maximum amount that can be submitted per day. For this reason, in case of a larger amount to be sent, we recommend that you go to more than one agent and submit the total sum in separate transfers. Click here to locate the agents in your area.

Purchase protection and refund

Currently, the Seller (Mathias Schwark) has a £10,000 deposit in an eBay managed purchase protection account. Transactions with this seller are covered by purchase protection against fraud and description errors. For your safety this account was locked today, for a 30 days time period. The Seller is unable to withdraw any money from it within this period.

Should you need a refund for this transaction, the insured amount will be taken from the seller's purchase protection account and sent to you. The refund is sent to your bank account, by check or money order. The way you are refunded is at your sole discretion. Refund requests are processed within 48 hours.

Purchase Protection Coverage

Here are the situations suitable for a refund request:

• If the vehicle doesn't arrive and/or the seller stops communication after the payment is received;

• If the vehicle you receive is clearly different from what you purchased in a way that significantly affects its value or utility. (The eBay Claims Administrator makes this determination in its sole discretion and may require you to provide a written statement from a qualified appraiser, at eBay's sole discretion);

• If your vehicle arrives in a much longer period than the one you agreed on (more than 20 days from the payment clearance day)

Sincerely,

Howard Marshall
eBay Motors Financial Department

Mathias Schwark 's Selling Standards

Disclose pricing, shipping and return policies in a clear and accurate manner
Disclose contact information, if requested to do so by a buyer
Respond to disputes filed and participates in mediation, if buyer requests
Commits to meeting eBay Motors Standards

For further questions please contact us at eBay@safety-board.com

Copyright © 1995-2007 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

From: eBay Safety Department
Reply-To: ebay@safety-board.com
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
Subject: eBay Safeharbor Department [eBay Motors Purchase Invoice # 140114745559]
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007

eBay Motors Purchase Invoice # 140114745559

eBay member Mathias Schwark started a new transaction through eBay

We have verified all the details of this transaction and concluded that they are accurate. Please follow our instructions to complete the transaction safely. Your vehicle purchase is protected for up to £10,000 or the vehicle purchase price, whichever is lower.

Payment must be submitted via Western Union Money Transfer

If you are not familiarized with Western Union Money Transfer services please visit: www.westernunion.com

Seller Information:

Mathias Schwark
Goethestr. 34
Potsdam
14482
Germany

Buyer Information: INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Total Amount: £4,300.00

Deposit : £0,00.00

Subtotal : £4,300.00

TRANSACTION DETAILS

Transaction Date: 07 Mai 2007

Case ID: 140114745559

Item Description:

2006 MINI MINI COOPER S BLACK

Sale price: £4,300.00

Quantity: 1

Shipping and handling: Check with seller

Insurance: Offered

Seller ships to:

*Please check the details for an accurate delivery in order to avoid delays:

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

How to make payment

Click below to find the nearest Western Union office

Find Agent Location

Submit payment using Seller's details as payment details:

Send a fax to eBay with the following information:

MTCN ( Money Transfer Control Number )

Sender's Name and Address

Receiver's Name and Address

Amount

We strongly recommend that you also fax the Western Union payment receipt to our Central Fax Number: +1 (330)-754-2107

IMPORTANT

For security reasons please DO NOT submit the payment details to the Seller or any other unauthorized person/corporation.

• The payment details are confidential and will not be released under any circumstances.

• Seller is authorized to ship only after eBay verifies good funds.

• Upon payment verification, the seller is authorized to ship the vehicle and submit tracking information.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO SUBMIT PAYMENT

First Name: Mathias
Last Name: Schwark

Address:
Street: Fritz-Lang Str. 1
City: Potsdam
Zip Code: 14482
Country: Germany

• When payment is received, it will be verified and secured into a non-interest bearing trust account. Payment verification process usually takes less than three hours. After payment is secured, the Seller is authorized to ship merchandise. The seller has three business days to send the buyer and eBay the tracking number of the shipment. If no tracking number is provided, a full refund is immediately sent to the buyer.

• Buyer receives the merchandise and has three days to inspect it. If it is complete and as described, the buyer should accept the merchandise. If he refuses the merchandise, the buyer must ship the merchandise back to the Seller within three business days.

• After the inspection period is over, the Buyer must contact eBay Motors Customer Support with the result of the inspection. If the buyer refuses the merchandise, the refund will be sent to the buyer after the tracking number for the returned shipment is verified. If the merchandise is accepted, eBay submits the payment directly to the Seller within 3 business days.

Copyright © 1995-2007 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

From: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
To: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: mini on ebay
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007

Hi,

Got the invoice from ebay and your last email and am a bit confused. I heard on the news that ebay now owns pay pal. Why would they send information to pay on Western Union and not through pay pal?

Also you said that you are travelling a lot. How is it that you will be able to ship the car to me? Are you using it for work? I have some friends in Germany (Hamburg and Stuugart) they said they'd be happy to speak to you?

In the ad that was placed it was placed by your girlfriend? Is she in England? If so then can I speak to her?

Also why is the invoice in Dollars as you are in Germany and I am in England? Is this vehicle protection thingy in the US or something?

Thanks for all your help.

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Date: Mon, 7 May 2007
From: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: mini on ebay
To: INTENTIONALLY DELETED

Hello,

Thanks for your e-mail. However, I will not be able to meet anyone at this time, as my work requires a lot of travel in the country, this is why I choosed ebay to handle the transaction for us. My whife posted the ad and she is here with me in Germany. There is no insurance in US dollars, everything is in pound sterling. Please let me know if we can make the deal.

Regards!!!

From: INTENTIONALLY DELETED
To: xeloperw@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: mini on ebay
Date: Tue, 8 May 2007

Hi,

Reading the email from ebay I wrote to enquire if I could pay by pay pal and it bounced back saying the domain doesn't exist. The invoice said to email to ebay@safety-board.com if I had any questions.

A friend of mine did an internet search on that email and found it on a blog called http://nekkidtruth.blogspot.com and he told me it could be a scam address. Please can you explain? I am really concerned about this.

INTENTIONALLY DELETED

The eBay member never heard from the scammer again once she informed him that the email address for the invoice is posted on this blog.

If people were not getting scammed, we would be having a good belly laugh after reading the email exchanges and fake "official eBay documents". Luckily, the eBay member that baited this thief did not get scammed, but many people innocently fall for these fake documents, enter into off-eBay transactions, pay via instant money transfer services, and never get either the item or the money back.

This is a reminder. DO NOT enter into off-eBay transactions. Make sure you bid or use the "Buy It Now" feature. If you win or purchase the item, make sure that the listing appears in the "Won" column in your My eBay account. NEVER pay for items via unsafe methods. eBay warns all members to NOT make payments via instant money transfer services such as Western Union and Moneygram.

eBay does not verify or approve transactions, verify its members, or state that its members are in good standing. eBay does not act as an escrow agent, or have eBay agents that collect funds. eBay does not offer sellers "Vehicle Purchase Protection". Sellers do not have eBay "Managed Purchase Protection Accounts" with funds in it held by eBay. eBay does not have an inspection period. eBay does not have a warehouse or own a shipping company. And, email from eBay does not come from domains such as "@safety-board.com".

If you are going to purchase a vehicle from a seller listing on eBay Motors, make sure that you familiarize yourself with eBay Motors' policies. Do not take unnecessary risk. Good sellers answer questions and will provide telephone numbers upon request. Good sellers will allow potential buyers and certified mechanics to do inspections and test drive vehicles. Good sellers provide vehicle identification numbers, copies of the title and registration, service records and additional photographs on request. Good sellers are forthcoming about all defects.

As a potential buyer, if you cannot find a seller to comply with your requests, find another seller that will and that you are at ease with.

***UPDATE***

The eBay member that alerted us to this scam just informed us that since this scam was reported to us that she has been spammed with many Nigerian 419 scam email messages. This is out of the ordinary for her. The eBay member's email address has not been disclosed on this blog, so she can only surmise that her email address was posted elsewhere by the scammer in retaliation for providing us with the email messages, and this is the reason why she is now receiving the spam email messages.

Again, we remind you that if you are inquiring about an eBay listing that you DO NOT write to email addresses posted in listings, as they are most likely bogus items listed on hijacked eBay member accounts. Disregard all the excuses as to why the seller wants direct email contact.

Communicate with the seller ONLY through eBay's "Ask the Seller a Question" (ASQ) link located just beneath the seller's user ID. Make sure that you DO NOT expose your email address to the seller, but DO send yourself a copy of the message by placing "checkmarks" in the two boxes below the message (the eBay default is to AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDE your registered eBay email address to the seller and to NOT send you a copy of the ASQ). ASQ messages arrive in a timely manner; you will be able to determine that for yourself.

If you need to request photos or other information and it must be sent to you via email, provide the seller with a throw-away email address for communication so that you do not subject your primary email address to spam. Provide your throw-away email address in the body of the message. DO NOT provide the seller with your eBay registered email address.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

i was given a similar detail with regards to a 2005 Kawasaki : Ninja Item number: 250122290117. I was told durign communication that the ad was pulled because someone else offered the buy it now price but then didn't have the money. They also asked for my name and shipping address to send it to. ALso were transfered for a job, also shipping free. Mine was from Karin Ostebo dutchess223@msn.com. Thankfully I decided to start googling the name to see what I could find on the person, found it here!

tpritchard said...

I was recently scammed by a kevinsuton@gmail.com over a car. I know others have been cheated and I wanted to see what else I can do to get the word out there. I have reported it to the FBI, local police and the bank. I think the guy has a connection in California but I can't get anyone to investigate. If anyone has any info pls email me

Anonymous said...

I had a similar experience from fred11rapan@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I have a similar story from E-bay motors. The listing said you had to E-mial directly to the seller to bid on the car. I did bid through E-bay and was high bidder but he had already started theis VPP invoive thing...I did give him my billing information. The invoice looks very much like an E-bay thing and the buyer is in LA. The bank iformation is to wire in New York and Las Vegas. the beneficiary is Motors Ltd, 7101 East 56th Street in Los Angeles, 90010.

My money is gone out and then a notice that the transaction was "cancelled" from VPP due to an error in shipping tracking numbers. A new invoice was sent to me and I was told my money would be wirred back....no such luck. I am contacting FBI in the morning.

adam17 said...

I just had a similar situation happen to me and have been researching it today to try and figure out if it was a scam. I received the invoice for the vehicle that I wanted to purchase today. What made me suspicious is the invoice came to my email address I had contacted the seller on, however this is not the email address ebay has on file. The seller even gave me his number when I emailed him for it. His email address is wpeace44@yahoo.com. He keeps emailing me to assure me it's safe to send the money as a money gram. I saw your posting anonymous and my invoice has the same company as the beneficary Motors Ltd in LA. Can someone give advice on what I should do? Something needs to be done people are getting ripped off by these jerks!

Unknown said...

I am currently in convo with a person over a tractor. The New Holland tractor with 5 implaments are with a shipping company and no one is allowed near it. I am about 12 hours away from this location and I am trying to convinence them I will pick it up. I will keep you up dated. If anyone has any methods of tracking email. please let me know. They are using gmail. I want revenage for all that have been caught in this.

Anonymous said...

I had a similar experience. E-bay sale on 05 lexus ended early. Buyer couldn't get money. The seller's name was Scott Russell (anssrl) located in San Diego. He sent very authentic looking e-bay documents. Would not give me his phone number. I notified e-bay and they verified it was a scam.

Anonymous said...

The same situation happen to me. I was purchasing a vehicle. I sent the funds to a Wells Fargo Bank in Las Vegas and the company name was LTD. The Beneificary was Courtney D Levy but the name of the person I was during the transaction with was Nicholas Steven. I received the same email saying my funds will be return on Monday. We will see. I have already made some contacts so hopefully something positive will happen. This is sad..

Anonymous said...

Just had this same scam almost played on me for vw eos listed on craigs list. Seller "Jason Stuart" asking for a wire tranfer to Motors Ltd., 7101 East 56th Street in LA. Close call... I had second thoughts on the way to the bank. "Deal was to good to be true."

Anonymous said...

After reading your threads regarding Motor Ltd. 7101 E. 56th St., LA, CA 90010, We had 2nd thoughts on purchasing a Smart car. The price was too good to be true. The seller said the the car was already at the shippers because the previous ebay bidder was not approved for the loan, and had set up a VPP case number. He also contacted us directly by email, then changed the email saying that his other email was not working properly. He wanted us to use Money gram to send cash. There were just too many red flags for us to go through with the transaction. We'll just be on the 18-month waiting list for a legitimate deal.

Unknown said...

Here is another eBay scammer that I am dealing with today. She is selling a gorgeous '69 Mach 1 for only $4,500. I looked at all the pictures and I'm sure they were taken from a legitimate eBay auction. The link to Ebay Safeharbor and Purchase Protection look legitimate, but the purchase protection says $20,000 and eBay actually offers $50,000! I wonder how many people this scammer has taken money from. I already turned everything over to eBay so they can take it from here. The beginning of the messages start from the bottom.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Alicea Aniston mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: July 30, 2008 1:34:22 PM EDT
To: John
Subject: Re: Mustang
Reply-To: mucstang@yahoo.com

Hey,

Got your info and already sent it to eBay hoping they will contact you soon with all the details.
After you will hear from them please email me back because I need to know for sure if this is a done deal!

Hoping to hear from you soon,
Nice doing business with you.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Date: July 30, 2008 12:28:27 PM EDT
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Mustang



On Jul 30, 2008, at 12:22 PM, Alicea Aniston wrote:

if you are serious about this and want to move forward, I would need your complete name and shipping address so I can open a case with eBay and after that they will contact you and will explain you better how the whole process works so we can complete this transaction successfully and in the best manner !


--- On Wed, 7/30/08
From:
Subject: Re: Mustang
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 3:54 PM

How do I send the money to ebay? Is the money held in escrow? I am interested in this car, but I really would like to see it in person and am willing to travel to IL to see it in person. I am ready to book a flight to Chicago and rent a car to drive to Morton to the shipping company. Can you please send me the name of the shipping company so that I can make arrangements to go and check it out? Thanks!

On Jul 30, 2008, at 11:44 AM, Alicea Aniston wrote:

Hi again,
The car is already at the shipping company in Morton,IL sealed and ready for the shipping. I'm very busy with my job and I'm left out of the town so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my car over the internet. The total price that you will have to pay for the car is $4,500.
Here's how our deal works :
In order to complete this deal the payment must be sent to ebay. As soon as they receive the payment will notify me to start with delivery. After that you will receive all information about delivery so you can be able to track your shipment online.ebay will hold your payment until you receive and inspect the car (you have 5 days for inspection) If you will find the smallest problem with the car you will ship it back on my expense and ebay will send you your full amount back.
You can see more pics at: http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u352/muccelmicut/
Please let me know if you still want to move forward with this deal so I can initiate a transaction with ebay?
Looking forward to hearing from you..




Begin forwarded message:

From: Alicea Aniston mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: July 30, 2008 12:22:22 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Re: Mustang
Reply-To: mucstang@yahoo.com

if you are serious about this and want to move forward, I would need your complete name and shipping address so I can open a case with eBay and after that they will contact you and will explain you better how the whole process works so we can complete this transaction successfully and in the best manner !


--- On Wed, 7/30/08 Re: Mustang
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 3:54 PM

How do I send the money to ebay? Is the money held in escrow? I am interested in this car, but I really would like to see it in person and am willing to travel to IL to see it in person. I am ready to book a flight to Chicago and rent a car to drive to Morton to the shipping company. Can you please send me the name of the shipping company so that I can make arrangements to go and check it out? Thanks!

On Jul 30, 2008, at 11:44 AM, Alicea Aniston wrote:

Hi again,
The car is already at the shipping company in Morton,IL sealed and ready for the shipping. I'm very busy with my job and I'm left out of the town so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my car over the internet. The total price that you will have to pay for the car is $4,500.
Here's how our deal works :
In order to complete this deal the payment must be sent to ebay. As soon as they receive the payment will notify me to start with delivery. After that you will receive all information about delivery so you can be able to track your shipment online.ebay will hold your payment until you receive and inspect the car (you have 5 days for inspection) If you will find the smallest problem with the car you will ship it back on my expense and ebay will send you your full amount back.
You can see more pics at: http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u352/muccelmicut/
Please let me know if you still want to move forward with this deal so I can initiate a transaction with ebay?
Looking forward to hearing from you..



Begin forwarded message:

From:
Date: July 30, 2008 11:54:19 AM EDT
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Mustang

How do I send the money to ebay? Is the money held in escrow? I am interested in this car, but I really would like to see it in person and am willing to travel to IL to see it in person. I am ready to book a flight to Chicago and rent a car to drive to Morton to the shipping company. Can you please send me the name of the shipping company so that I can make arrangements to go and check it out? Thanks!

On Jul 30, 2008, at 11:44 AM, Alicea Aniston wrote:

Hi again,
The car is already at the shipping company in Morton,IL sealed and ready for the shipping. I'm very busy with my job and I'm left out of the town so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my car over the internet. The total price that you will have to pay for the car is $4,500.
Here's how our deal works :
In order to complete this deal the payment must be sent to ebay. As soon as they receive the payment will notify me to start with delivery. After that you will receive all information about delivery so you can be able to track your shipment online.ebay will hold your payment until you receive and inspect the car (you have 5 days for inspection) If you will find the smallest problem with the car you will ship it back on my expense and ebay will send you your full amount back.
You can see more pics at: http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u352/muccelmicut/
Please let me know if you still want to move forward with this deal so I can initiate a transaction with ebay?
Looking forward to hearing from you..


Begin forwarded message:

From: Alicea Aniston mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: July 30, 2008 11:44:11 AM EDT
To:
Subject: Re: Mustang
Reply-To: mucstang@yahoo.com

Hi again,
The car is already at the shipping company in Morton,IL sealed and ready for the shipping. I'm very busy with my job and I'm left out of the town so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my car over the internet. The total price that you will have to pay for the car is $4,500.
Here's how our deal works :
In order to complete this deal the payment must be sent to ebay. As soon as they receive the payment will notify me to start with delivery. After that you will receive all information about delivery so you can be able to track your shipment online.ebay will hold your payment until you receive and inspect the car (you have 5 days for inspection) If you will find the smallest problem with the car you will ship it back on my expense and ebay will send you your full amount back.
You can see more pics at: http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u352/muccelmicut/
Please let me know if you still want to move forward with this deal so I can initiate a transaction with ebay?
Looking forward to hearing from you..

Begin forwarded message:

From:Date: July 30, 2008 8:35:16 AM EDT
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Mustang

I am interested in this car. Can you please let me know where it is located so I can come look at it? If it is what you say, I will pay you cash for it! Thanks.

On Jul 29, 2008, at 6:04 PM, Alicea Aniston wrote:

Hi,
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my car. I sell it at this price ($4,500) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. Now as a women i don't need it. This car is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, flaws or any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clean title. This car may be purchased with money back guarantee.
In summary you are permitted to buy and drive this car for 3 days or 500 miles. If you don’t want the car, you can return it to me for a full money refund! From the begining you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the ebay.
If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate a transaction case.It is simple and is great for both parties so that any lack of trust is eliminated.
I will wait your answer(if you are interested to buy) very soon.

Thanks



Begin forwarded message:

From: Alicea Aniston mucstang@yahoo.com
Date: July 29, 2008 6:04:00 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Re: Mustang
Reply-To: mucstang@yahoo.com

Hi,
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my car. I sell it at this price ($4,500) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. Now as a women i don't need it. This car is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, flaws or any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clean title. This car may be purchased with money back guarantee.
In summary you are permitted to buy and drive this car for 3 days or 500 miles. If you don’t want the car, you can return it to me for a full money refund! From the begining you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the ebay.
If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate a transaction case.It is simple and is great for both parties so that any lack of trust is eliminated.
I will wait your answer(if you are interested to buy) very soon.

Thanks


Begin forwarded message:

From:
Date: July 29, 2008 10:15:56 AM EDT
To: mucstang@yahoo.com
Subject: Mustang

Why so cheap?

Anonymous said...

This scam is alive in well. I received an e-mail that looked like it was from eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection program. I googled Motors Ltd and 7101 East 56th Street, LA address and found this site. The spoof e-mail looks very legit, but I checked my mail account on the actual eBay site and had no message. I forwarded the spoof e-mail to eBay, hopefully they can catch this guy.

Kristy said...

Scammers sell on ebay motors to and the vpp that ebay offers is hard to get thwem to do any thing about fraud.Its nearly impossible they seem to protrect the scammer not the guy left with no money.

Anonymous said...

ebay motors vpp is a fraud and scam in it self fake protrection to get you to buy or sell.

Anonymous said...

just about got taken. Deal was too good to be true, you know... 2008 Harley Davidson. Every time we tried to solicit personal info on this guy he dodged.. first clue. Then he sent a phony ebay page that we couldn't access links on the bottom of the page. I reported to fraud alert on ebay. Almost lost it there - thankfully, didn't fall so hard as to send money to this jerk. Mark Jewell is the name he's using. Obviously not his real name - he said he was a doctor in Vegas - no doctors in Vegas with that name. Phew!!

Unknown said...

I FELL FOR IT, NOW I'M OUT $3000.00 CRYING MY EYES OUT!!!!!

2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 SEMonday, March 23, 2009 11:52 PM
From: "minceytrvs@gmail.com"

Hello,
Sorry for the delayed response, but I'm in England right now and I have been very busy. Anyway, thank you
for your interest in buying the car. The car is located in US right now and has US papers. Why is the price so low?
I am going trough a divorce, and I had to move out of USA. I cannot register the car here, as it is made for USA,
according to USA standards. So all that I want to do now is to sell the car at this price, because I need to sell it fast.
(I already made a deposit here to buy me another). The title is clean and you will have absolutely no problems
to register the car in the USA. The car have 49,930 miles, VIN 1N4BL11D05C311057 and automatic transmission.
It is in immaculate condition, rust free, no scratch and hasn't been involved in any accident. The motor
runs very well. The interior looks great. This car needs nothing. I want this transaction to go smoothly enough
as I am caught in the middle of some very important events and have little time at my disposal. I already have tones of
emails so I hope you understand that I need to sort them out. The price is $2,950 USD. THIS IS MY LAST PRICE.
I will not negotiate the price. Also, I take in consideration only those buyers who are really interested in buying the car, to
be sure that I don't waist my time with endless discussions. This way, I shall be assured of the serious intentions.
So if you are interested please email me.
P.S. You can see more pictures here:
http://s730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/minceytravis/

Thank You!
Mincey Travis

Anonymous said...

Almost lost lots of $$ from a Bloom Ryan H, SSgt USAF" ryan.h.bloom@gmail.com
He is selling on Craiglist a 2006 HONDA CRV for $4850. He eve wrote a comment stating how honest he is. I want to assure you that there is nothing to be worried about this deal. I would never cheat you or swindle you!! I have a reputation to protect and I am a good Christian .You have my word and good faith on the fact that I'll keep my end of the bargain. I have never lied and cheated anyone and I will not risk my career, my freedom and my future for anything in the world! I would rather close this deal with other person than to know that you'll be very stressed hoping that I am a honest person, until you receive your container.Your peace of mind is a lot more important than this deal!!!

Beware this is an embarrassment to the US military

Anonymous said...

5/12/09 Phew, I almost fell for it but I googled the buyers name and found this site and one other site. The seller name is almost identical to the consumer that posted a comment before mine: Staff Sgt. Ryan A. Bloom. Using the email: bloom.a.ryan@gmail.com
After I sent him my initial contact with questions he sent this email:

Hi,

Thank you for your interest in my car.This is a 2005 Chrysler 300
TOURING SEDAN 4 DR 3.5L V6 FI DOHC 24V with Navigation,REAR WHEEL
DRIVE,Driver Air Bag,Anti-Lock Brakes,Air Conditioning,Alloy Wheels,Cruise
Control,CD Changer,CD Player,Passenger Air Bag,Passenger Air Bag,Rear Window
Defroster,AM/FM Stereo Cassette,Leather Seats,Power Door Locks,Power
Mirrors,Power Windows,Power Steering,Power Seats,Sunroof/Moonroof,Tilt
Wheel.

VIN: 2C3AA53G85H554014

Mileage: 68,000

Here you can find more pictures of the car:
http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss208/Chrysler_05/
(if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web browser window).

The car has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage.Flawless exterior/interior condition,no scratches and no dents.It has never been involved in an accident.The engine starts and drives like new and the paint looks great.It
comes with US clear title which will be signed and notorized in the buyer's name.Have original manuals and all keys.

I'm an US Air Force Staff Sgt.currently stationed in the United Kingdom.The car is here with me. It was bought in the US and shipped to Europe, but it was never permanently registered here, the car is still registered in the US.The car is for sale locally as well, but there are slim chances of this to happen. In order to be able to register this car here in the UK the buyer would have to pay very high mport/custom taxes that will double the price. So I decided to sell the car back in the US.

The price is $4,950.00 US Dollars including shipping from the UK to the US and delivery to your home address.So if you decide to buy this car or need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you
Ssgt. Bloom.A.Ryan

THEN I REPLIED ASKING HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT THE EXCHANGE AND HE SENT THIS EMAIL ABOUT EBAY:

Hello,

I will have the car shipped from UK by an US Air Force cargo plane so there won't be any additional shipping costs. The shipping will take 6-8 days, depending on your location.Shipping will be door to door,to your home address,somebody must be home when the car arrives to sign for the reception.The car will arrive with all the papers and
documents required for registration and the keys. The clear title and the bill of sale will be already signed by me.

The payment will be done through eBay.You will send the money to eBay and as soon as the payment is confirmed they will notify me to proceed with the shipping. I will ship the car you will receive it and you will have 5 days for inspection, both the car and the paperwork and the option to accept or reject the car.The inspection time period will begin as soon as you sign for receiving the car at your requested address.During all this time eBay will hold the money into a trust account.So, this is not a blind transaction,you can see the car before decided to buy it.If you are satisfied with the car and decide to keep it you inform eBay about this and they will release the money to me.
If the car is not as advertised and decide not to keep it eBay will
refund you the money, no questions asked,and shipping back the car
will be my concern. I think this is more than fair for the both of
us.Please take in to consideration that I will get paid only after you
receive the car and make sure everything is as agreed.

Anonymous said...

This is not funny! My correspondence is word for word the same as anonymous posted on 5/12/09. Make the comparisons, how can someone track these people down? This Sgt. Richard Parks is a real military man serving in 48th Medical Operations Squadron at ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England , do the google search and see a picture of him. This imposter should be held accountable for impersonating a man serving his country!

..........................

Hi,

Thank you for your interest in my truck.This 2006 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4x4 Truck features a 4.7L V8 FI DOHC 32V 8 cyl Gasoline engine. It is equipped with a 5 speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is Phantom Gray Pearl with a Taupe Leather interior.Milage 25000, Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Tinted Windows, Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors, Leather Steering Wheel, Leather Shifter, Power Drivers Seat, Power Passenger Seat, Heated Seat, Tow Package, Wood Trim, Clock, Tachometer, Homelink System, Tilt Steering Wheel, Steering Wheel Radio Controls, Moonroof, Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag, Keyless Entry, ABS Brakes, Rear Defogger, Fog Lights, Intermittent Wipers, AM-FM, CD Changer, JBL Premium Sound System, Wheels, Leather Interior Surface, Four Wheel Drive, Cup Holders, Heated Mirrors, Navigation System, Premium Sound, Tire Pressure Monitor,the camper shell is included.
VIN#5TBDT44136S552061

Here you can find more pictures of the truck: http://s670.photobucket.com/albums/vv61/cotty_ttoc/
(if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web browser window).

The truck has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage.Flawless exterior/interior condition,no scratches and no dents.It has never been involved in an accident.The engine starts and drives like new and the paint looks great.It comes with US clear title which will be signed and notorized in the buyer's name.Have original manuals and all keys.

I'm an US Air Force SSgt.currently stationed in the United Kingdom.The truck is here with me. It was bought in the US and shipped to Europe, but it was never permanently registered here, the truck is still registered in the US.The truck is for sale locally as well, but there are slim chances of this to happen. In order to be able to register this truck here in the UK the buyer would have to pay very high import/custom taxes that will double the price. So I decided to sell the truck back in the US.

The price is $4,800.00 US Dollars including shipping from the UK to the US and delivery to your home address.So if you decide to buy this truck or need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you
SSgt. Richard Parks
............................
From: Richard Parks Ssgt. USAF [mailto:richard.rparks@gmail.com]


Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 8:29 AM

To: anonymous
Subject: Re: toyota truck





Hello,

I will have the truck shipped from UK by an US Air Force cargo plane so there won't be any additional shipping costs. The shipping will take 6-8 days, depending on your location.Shipping will be door to door,to your home address,somebody must be home when the truck arrives to sign for the reception.The truck will arrive with all the papers and documents required for registration and the keys. The clear title and the bill of sale will be already signed by me.

The payment will be done through eBay.You will send the money to eBay and as soon as the payment is confirmed they will notify me to proceed with the shipping. I will ship the truck you will receive it and you will have 5 days for inspection, both the truck and the paperwork and the option to accept or reject the truck.The inspection time period will begin as soon as you sign for receiving the truck at your requested address.During all this time eBay will hold the money into a trust account.So, this is not a blind transaction,you can see the truck before decided to buy it.If you are satisfied with the truck and decide to keep it you inform eBay about this and they will release the money to me. If the truck is not as advertised and decide not to keep it eBay will refund you the money, no questions asked,and shipping back the truck will be my concern. I think this is more than fair for the both of us.Please take in to consideration that I will get paid only after you receive the truck and make sure everything is as agreed.

If you agree with these terms and you have the money, send me your full name and the address where you want the truck to be delivered to and I will initiate the transaction with eBay. You will receive all the transaction details from them.I will appreciate an answer as soon as possible.

Thank you!
Richard

Anonymous said...

Well, I am glad that I have found this site before committing to anything. I would never buy a vehicle without first being able to see it, and the seller, in person. Here is an address to the sellers newest post regarding a Toyota Tundra 4x4:

http://albany.craigslist.org/ctd/1186716053.html


Keep an eye out for it! Sellers email address: richard.rparks@gmail.com
listed as a scammer by anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Got this email when looking for a used truck:

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in my truck.This 2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab 4x4 Truck features a 4.7L V8 FI DOHC 32V 8 cyl Gasoline engine. It is equipped with a 5 speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is Phantom Gray Pearl with a Taupe Leather interior.Milage 25.150(40.475 kilometers), Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Tinted Windows, Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors, Leather Steering Wheel, Leather Shifter, Power Drivers Seat, Power Passenger Seat, Heated Seat, Tow Package, Wood Trim, Clock, Tachometer, Homelink System, Tilt Steering Wheel, Steering Wheel Radio Controls, Moonroof, Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag, Keyless Entry, ABS Brakes, Rear Defogger, Fog Lights, Intermittent Wipers, AM-FM, CD Changer, JBL Premium Sound System, Wheels, Leather Interior Surface, Four Wheel Drive, Cup Holders, Heated Mirrors, Navigation System, Premium Sound, Tire Pressure Monitor,the camper shell is included.
VIN#5TBDT44156S529865

Here you can find more pictures of the truck: http://s670.photobucket.com/albums/vv61/cotty_ttoc/
(if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web browser window).
The truck has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage.Flawless exterior/interior condition,no scratches and no dents.It has never been involved in an accident.The engine starts and drives like new and the paint looks great.It comes with US clear title which will be signed and notorized in the buyer's name.Have all keys and manuals.

I'm a Canadian Air Force Sergent currently stationed in the United Kingdom.The truck is here with me. It was bought in the US and it is still registered in the US.The price is $5,800.00 CAD including shipping from the UK to Canada and delivery to your home address.So if you decide to buy this truck and need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you
Sgt. Mike Reed"

A VIN search came clean but searching "cotty_ttoc" from the photobucket album led me here...

Looks like Ssgt. Richard Parks and Sgt. Mike Reed have a lot in common...

Anonymous said...

Richard Parks is trying it in Detroit too:
http://detroit.craigslist.org/cto/1195131007.html

Anonymous said...

Well I am glad I found this page as well. Unfortunately, it appears that richard.rparks@gmail.com is trying his scam in Phoenix, AZ as well. I recieved the exact same email as listed above previously when inquiring about his toyota Tundra. I have asked for pictures of the VIN, Odomoter, and Title. I am curious how far he is willing to take his scam?

Anonymous said...

in reading the comments, was surprised that they were word for word, which tells me its the same person, this one was a canadian air force sgt. and would ship from the UK vis cargo plane. crazy stuff!! what gave them away was the sending of a moneygram.once you send it , its gone

Stacey said...

They tried to scam me today, selling me a 2008 V-Rod on cycletrader.com

http://www.cycletrader.com/find/listing/2008-Harley-Davidson-VRSC-95308094

This is what the guy said:

Thank you so much for contacting me regarding my bike. I've taken very good care of the bike (always garaged),it's in perfect condition without any mechanical problems,with no damages or
hidden defects,no need for additional repairs,clear title without any accidents,liens or loans. The bike has been well taken care of. All power equipment are in working order.I have all the bike's
manuals, 2 spare of keys, all the documents and papers.

I am willing to sell this bike for $6000 (the price may be a little low but it seems fair to me). I was laid off from my job because the financial crises that affected almost everyone including the
company I worked at. I'm in a hurry to find a buyer because I'm in debts with my bank we've moved house to Greenville, NC with my new job.

For payment and all guarantees that we need to make the transaction work we will use eBay's Protection services, also after a few researches i found that eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection
Program will be the best choice for us to handle the payment. Using their services it will be eBay who will handle the payment also you will have a 15 days inspection period in order to check the
bike and the papers. After the inspection period passed you will decide if you accept the bike or in case you dislike it for any reason it will be shipped back on my expense. If you are interested
to buy email me ASAP and i will give you more information about how will this work...

Thank you,
Thomas

I asked questions about the bike but he never would answer me directly, always giving me some generic message until finally he e-mailed me with very broken English.

He wanted me to send money to eBay vehichle protection services to transact the bike, and gave the phone number to call: 213-784-2855. Jessica Stone answered the phone but the only thing she would tell me is to send Thomas my billing address and then wire the money to the address shown on the statement.

We called back and got the physical address of their "company" after not being able to get any information about the legitimacy. When I googled the address (7101 E 56th St., Los Angeles, CA 90010) I found this blog. I immediately contacted cycle trader to report the scam.

DON'T GET SCAMMED BY THESE GUYS!

Anonymous said...

The same scam happened to my family but unfortunately the money was sent to them. Any ideas on how we can get the money back and catch this person.. Looks like he's been scamming for a while!

Zack said...

I was just involved in the exact same thing except with a 2007 GSXR600. Almost identical wording- using the husband divorce thing and her being a woman she doesnt need the bike... I did research on google, 411, eBay, etc. once i started to get really suspiscious. This page helped a LOT! There has to be some way of catching this person(s). If you are in doubt of any eBay emails sent to you, simply forward them to spoof@ebay.com

Pixie said...

Thank you so much for this website. You saved me a lot of grief. I will report this person to Ebay.

Mine is from Jessica Romeyn [jessicaromeyn76@msn.com] and it was for a 2006 VW Jetta TDI for $5,000. Here's a copy of her email to me:

First of all I want to tell you that the car is still available and the price of $5,000.00. My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta is in great shape,no engine problems,damages or hidden defects. It was always garaged and never smoked in, It is in EXCELLENT condition; the body and paint are in good condition,no problem with the engine this vehicle is in good condition inside and out. the vehicle is in Culbertson, MT, United States. stored in a warehouse to the shipping company . I'm selling it at a low price because I've just moved to London,UK. and I can't register it here because didn't correspond with their specs here so for me this car is useless. The title is clear and paid in full i offer shipping and insurance fees.I will ship it from here on my expense through USHIP. I want to take the opportunity to assure you that this deal is 100% legitimate, the financial part of this deal will be managed by the eBay's buyer protection program (They are acting like a third party in our deal). We will use eBay`s protection program for our safety. I have a purchase protection account there of $20.000 and will not deal outside of eBay under any circumstances. I just need your full name and address so i can initiate a Case ID at eBay. All you will need to do is wait for the invoice and follow the instructions eBay provides in there. After you receive the car you will have 15 days to test, verify and do whatever you need to the car. If you will buy, then I will receive the payment details from eBay so that I can pick up the money. If you wish to make the transaction, So if you agree please email me your full name and address so I can start the official procedure trough eBay and they will invoice you and you will know how the shipping will work for our deal. The final price is $5,000.00 including shipping from Culbertson, MT, United States. to your home address. So if you decide to buy this vehicle or need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.
-------

Anonymous said...

almost bought into a scam. 2008 acura rdx for $15,000. the email was brian.venuti@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I found a similar scam on Craigslist's Dallas site. The email address used is clarasvenson@gmail.com. They used a valid VIN for the Jeep and even the trim level and mileage were accurate based on the Carfax report. Everything but the price (too good to be true) looked legit up until the transaction. The eBay emails looked off and the idea of using MoneyGram alerted me that it must be a scam. I wish there was a way to police these scams better, but there is no jurisdiction for emails and internet purchases. BE CAREFUL and avoid all contact with clarasvenson@gmail.com.