Possible scammer on CarSales, thoughts?

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Dan Donoghue, 30th Jul, 2019.

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  1. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    So I have listed my car for sale because we simply don't need two cars and are just throwing money away with insurance, servicing etc.

    I listed it for sale yesterday and only 2 hours later I got contacted.

    The person emailed me and the email rings a few alarms for me, Here is a copy and paste of it:

    Where is it located at the moment? what's your final price? Why are you selling it? does it need anything to be replace or repair? I'm cool with the condition as described on the advert. I work for Fly In Fly Out (FIFO)Mining Oil and Gas and we are presently in remote area .We do not have access to phone at the moment and that's why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Regarding the payment, I can pay you through direct bank deposit (EFT),using PayPal instant bank wire transfer service. I will need your Account name, BSB and Account number. If you are not comfortable with that, you can set up a PayPal account properly at www.PayPal.com.au and I will make the payment through PayPal, this way, all I will need is your PayPal email address.

    I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up and deliver it to my place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your account. With the issue of my details, transferring the name of ownership and signing of all paperwork will be done by the pick up agent. If you are not comfortable with that, you can cancel the registration and i will buy Unregistered.

    Await your reply

    Regards


    I replied to them and told them the following:

    Hi Kim, the car is on the Gold Coast. It's listed at $32K.

    Nothing needs replacing or repairing everything in the car works as it should and it has been looked after very well.

    I will need a photo of your license both front and back before I can agree to selling the car through online only as it is a very none standard method of sale.

    Kind regards


    I went light on the details and basically put them into a position that if they are genuine they need to prove it.

    What are your thoughts?
     
  2. SLP07

    SLP07 Well-Known Member

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    Ofcourse its a scam why would you even reply!
     
  3. Propagate

    Propagate Well-Known Member

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    SCAM - same thing went the rounds in the UK years ago, you'll probably get a few more similar ones. I cant remember the way it worked, but something to do with courier aspect, like they paid you the value of the car PLUS the courier's fee but you had to then pay the courier. The buyer then applies for an EFT reversal and gets all their money back, plus what you have paid the courier. They never come for the car, they just do it based on volume of successful scams, taking a few grand each time for the "courier fee". Google it, I can't remember if I have the specifics right but it was along those lines.

    I kept one on the hook for a week or so, had great fun with them...
     
  4. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    100% scam. If you jump on carsales scams, or google carsales scams they list most going around and how not to sell your car.
     
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  5. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Scam, scam, scam...
     
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  6. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    Thanks guys :)
     
  7. Guest

    Guest Guest

    99.9% going to be a scam based on that wording, but a few years ago I did sell a motorbike to someone who worked interstate in the resource industry and they bought it sight unseen and had a courier pick it up. They provided a mobile number, emailed me from a company address, etc.
     
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  8. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    Well if he comes back to me with a photo of his license both front and back then maybe we can work something out :).
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 10th Oct, 2021
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  9. justine77

    justine77 Well-Known Member

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    your car has been well cared for. you dont have any friends or workmates who need a second car?

    usually people look for fairly local cars and will come to have a look and maybe do an racv test on it if they are really serious.

    i did once buy a car privately but it was so full of issues. it ended up having finance on it so i had ot pay the finance company not them. i found that out accidently by possibly an racv guy telling me to get the engine number and pay for a search on the finances i cant rememb er how it was done or what it was called or if it was free or not and its good i did do that.

    its so much better to buy from a dealer as dealers dont tend to buy shoddy cars taht have been in 3 crashes and had all parts replaced that only an expert might be ab le to tell. they tend to have good quality cars second hand cars and so less need for doing lots of racv tests only to find out each time that its a lemon. my current car was fairly new and had done almost no km so i was lucky but in future i'd buy from a dealer and so have my kids usually as less problems.

    do you have your service history.
     
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  10. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    The courier works for a well known Nigerian Prince who is being persecuted so can't reveal their true identity.

    If you send $500 as dowry, he will send you his goat.
     
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  11. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    Yeah full history and also I paid extra for the REVS check to be available on my ad, saves anyone interested having to buy it.

    I don't have any friends who would be interested in a convertible unfortunately :(.
     
  12. Morgs

    Morgs Well-Known Member Business Member

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    I remember my wife had a query almost word for word when she was selling her old wedding dress (save for the car specific talk). But yeah, FIFO oil rig worker looking to buy a wedding dress site (and fit) unseen. The bells were a ringing... alarm bells not wedding bells...

    As a side note the used car market is a little slow at the moment.... good luck :(
     
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  13. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Morgs, no big rush, it sells when it sells just seems wasteful to be paying 2 lots of insurance and 2 lots of maintenance when we only need one car. We own them outright so no real dramas if it sits there for a few months :).
     
  14. WellKnow

    WellKnow Well-Known Member

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    I sold my car last year on carsales the first contact was through email asking if all +3 year service history and 2 keys are in place and if so a bank transfer would be done for the asking $50k and they would send a tow truck to pick it up once transfer is complete.

    I dismissed the emails a few times and i think the third time i replied with my phone number to give me a call. Very next minute a guy rang me and said if all paperwork is in order he will do bank transfer and organise a tow truck next week. again I put him on hold for a few days as I was not sure and after a few calls I asked him if he can tell me where he is from and what company he is working for. Then only he disclosed that he work for a prestige car dealar and they hand pick prestige and sport cars to buy and re-sale and he started sending emails form his work email and even gave a land line to call. After running a check on him through the company he quoted I ended up selling to him and all paper work was done. and I was happy with the price.

    But in your instance the paypal part rings massive alarm bells. And i would say it a scam.
     
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  15. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

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    Last car we sold was to a pawn shop owner from Sydney ... he paid cash and was dripping in gold. Still feel like were were somehow laundered even if he did insist on a receipt
     
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  16. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I was selling something on Gumtree (I think) and had an email from a young lady working in the mines in WA wanting to do some funny sort of transition, couldn't pick up, get a courier yada, yada, yada.

    Alarm bells were already ringing, when a second young lady emailed me a few minutes later. She also worked in the mines and couldn't get to collect. What a coincidence... :rolleyes:;);)

    Clearly it was either one person with two different names and email addresses or two scammers sending multiple offers and getting themselves confused.
     
  17. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Dan,just put it down in the experience list..I have a few like that word for word only the name and contact's are different ..As soon as they say --fly in fly out worker ---in some ways they are only your money will fly out of the country..
     
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  18. bunkai

    bunkai Well-Known Member

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    I've sold a few cars on Carsales and gumtree. I put up a pretty comprehensive description and a realistic price. I tell all enquirers the truth, that I have had several enquiries and that they can come and see the car if they are interested. No point negotiating until they want to buy it and see it. I have found the serious buyers show themselves fast and turn up quickly ;)
     
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  19. Dan Donoghue

    Dan Donoghue Well-Known Member

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    And if he then sends me a copy of an NT license with his name on it, is it possibly still a scammer? I can see the watermark under his name too so it isn't photoshop.
     
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  20. Guest

    Guest Guest

    You should have put them in touch with one another to have some fun.

    e.g. email to young lady 1: "Hey, sorry but I already sold my item, but my friend has one for sale exactly the same, here's her email address [email of young lady 2]" :D
     

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