Scams Abound...

We still have our 1974 Thing for sale and there are a couple of ads
out there that people occasionally come across. How many red flags can
you spot in this request I received yesterday? (I didn't bother with a
reply, for obvious reasons...)

Hello Owner,
My Name is wilson, I saw your advert concerning about 1974
Thing. Pls let me know your last offer for it , describe th present
condition for it and provide me more pics if available. I will be
looking forward to read from you urgently because i want this
transaction to end before i travel. Regards,


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

I posted my chopped 66 on the Samba and got their typical scam artist
replies. Not from the Samba mind you but some of the jerks that lurk out
there.

One was verbatum like their warning letter. I told the guy I knew what he
was up to and to stop e-mailing me as I had no interest in selling him
anything and that i knew he was a scam artist. He replied with a very angry
e-mail and cursed me out!?? Go figure?

Mike

Chopped 66 custom bug

John Willis wrote:
> We still have our 1974 Thing for sale and there are a couple of ads
> out there that people occasionally come across. How many red flags
can
> you spot in this request I received yesterday? (I didn't bother with
a
> reply, for obvious reasons...)
>
> Hello Owner,
> My Name is wilson, I saw your advert concerning about 1974
> Thing. Pls let me know your last offer for it , describe th present
> condition for it and provide me more pics if available. I will be
> looking forward to read from you urgently because i want this
> transaction to end before i travel. Regards,
>
>
> --
> John Willis
> (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Probably a scam, but it wouldn't hurt to follow up a little and see if
it turns out to be real. The thing is, I'm trying to sell my '73
beetle on thesamba and I got an email much like yours. What tipped me
off is that they were asking for pics and present condition when ALL
that info was explained in the add with good pics to boot. I didn't
follow up, mainly because the "buyer" was in "Belgium".

Darn scams. Watch yourself out there.

~Anthony

I think the common scam is that somebody "owes them money" and will
have this somebody mail you a check that is in excess of what you are
asking for the car. They'll say it is the most expedient way of getting
money to you.

They then ask if you could send them the difference - the really dumb
ones will come pick it up.
Of course, the check you were sent is usually forged or made of rubber
so you're out whatever you sent him.

I would just reply, at least until they come up with some caca-meme
payment scheme. What moron buys a car unseen? Once it doesn't feel
right, you can always say no then.

I too had posted a 1968 Beetle for sale on thesamba. They do maintain a list
of scammers email addresses and Everett wants you to add the name and
address if it is a new one. You can send the entire email, header included
to And if you get bored you can always play with
them. I had one guy asking where to send the check and I gave him the
address of the Police department. The scam is called the "Nigerian Advance
Fee Scam." From of course, the country of origin.

I never saw a check.
Jeremy

"John Willis" > wrote in message
...
> We still have our 1974 Thing for sale and there are a couple of ads
> out there that people occasionally come across. How many red flags can
> you spot in this request I received yesterday? (I didn't bother with a
> reply, for obvious reasons...)

What we need now is some kinda virtual internet nuke that traces these perps
and blows them to hell... along with everybody else in the Nigerian internet
cafe they operate from.

"Michael Cecil" > wrote in message
news:1110383288.4051714c288333b46e908c1b5041d770@t eranews...

> Maybe The Samba or someone else should start maintaining a list of known
> scammers. [...]

Symantic is working on a dynamite scam filter. I kid you not. It uses some
awesome heuristics to filter out known scams. I'm using it now and it really
does work. 'course, if sites want the same thing we're going to be seeing
fees. Spendy stuff!

For those who posted comments...

I'll not be answering this email. Why? Everything feels wrong about
it. From the broken English to the question about the last offer I had
to the request for pictures (which he's already seen if he looked at
the ads I've got up) to the need for urgency. None of this is the way
anyone I want to have dealings with would present himself or herself.

The bad English I understand. There are two items that really tip me
off about this being a scam-the question about the last offer is the
first and the need for urgency is the second. What I might sell him a
car for has nothing to do with what the last offer was (if indeed
there was an offer.) And the only need for urgency that might be felt
would only be felt by him, not me. I am obviously in no hurry to sell
this car and if he wants to buy it he can ask to make an appointment
to see the car like anyone else and if we come to an agreement he will
pay in US dollars in cash before the keys are surrendered and the
title is signed and handed over. That is the way a deal is done around
here.

Scam? Yeah, I think so. Other than showing it here in order to help
others who may by unwary enough to fall for it, I feel no need to
respond to the email. I've had dealings with unsavory types in
transactions before. It always helps to be ready for them and to avoid
them if at all possible. This one I can avoid.


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

I didn't
> follow up, mainly because the "buyer" was in "Belgium".

I come originally from belgium and indeed, the nigerians seem to have
discovered the
heart of europe.
I frequently remove nigerian scam pamflets hanging on poles and in
supermarkets here
in South Africa, the usual work from home scams.
What can you do about it.

Bart Bervoets

"John Willis" > wrote in message
news
> For those who posted comments...
>
> Scam? Yeah, I think so. Other than showing it here in order to help
> others who may by unwary enough to fall for it, I feel no need to
> respond to the email.

unfortunately John, some "sellers" are only worried about getting money into
their paws....if I personally don't like something about a "deal" i don't do
it....of course that is the sellers right...


> I've had dealings with unsavory types in
> transactions before. It always helps to be ready for them and to avoid
> them if at all possible. This one I can avoid.
>

HEY NOW....i paid.....LOL