Avoid-Fraud.com

craigslist scams and fraud

37 Comments »

• debra says:

  February 7, 2009 at 8:47 pm

  thank you admin for those texts. I have learned a lesson today.
• John says:

  February 14, 2009 at 7:14 pm

  Nice! You saved me from losing my money. I will donate to you! Have a nice day!
• Ashley says:

  February 18, 2009 at 9:10 pm

  Nice post. I will post also on craigslist because people can learn from this site. I suggest for others to do the same. Also I will donate to you.
• eBay fraud - a full night job for fraudsters says:

  March 8, 2009 at 10:21 pm

  [...] don’t get live to ebay. After that fraudsters will reply to you with some common texts like these. 2. Classic scam on eBay(2). After spamming for ebay users, fraudsters will post fake auctions and [...]
• Fraud prevention - Craigslist.org scammers exposed says:

  March 27, 2009 at 10:07 pm

  [...] used by scammers on craigslist.org in the FOR SALE section. You can see here some examples of texts used by fraudsters. I will update this list 2 times a day. If a scammer’s email isn’t here you can post it [...]
• Steve says:

  April 16, 2009 at 2:20 pm

  wow — they don’t change the wording much, do they?

  Latest one I got:
  First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my car. I sell it at this price($2,960.00 ) because i’m in a divorce with my husband.
  Now the car is in my property and 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 clear title.
  From the beginning you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services.
  We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated at eBay and I have a purchase protection account for $20,000.00
  The final price that I want for this car is $2,960.00 including shipping and handling.

  If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate the deal through eBay.
  I will wait your answer very soon.
• Tom Cronin says:

  April 18, 2009 at 1:28 am

  cooper.shania@gmail.com
  Here is one more for your list of shame
• John says:

  April 21, 2009 at 4:06 pm

  Here’s a good one: Darell Crown darellcrown@gmail.com
  This is for a 2001 Mercedes SLK 320!

  Hello, You made the right choice!My car is in great shape,no engine problems,damages or hidden defects.It was always garaged and never smoked in.The car it was at my wife and she loved it very much, but she did not enjoy it as she died in a IRAQ 3 month ago. It brings very bad memories to me, I want to get rid of it.I’m a single father with 2 children and i have problems with money,that’s why i’m selling it so cheap.The mileage is 41,010 and the price is 5200 $.We will use eBay`s protection program for our safety.I just need your full name and address so i can open a case.(with no further obligation or fees). Have a nice day!
  Let me know if you want any more details,
• Amanda says:

  April 25, 2009 at 6:19 pm

  Fraud craigsist ad: sale-36uga-1111446386@craigslist.org

  Hello there and thanks for your interest about my 2001 BMW 330i Sport Package Automatic Transmission .The price for the car is $4,000 and this price includes the shipping to your home.The car has 116k miles .The VIN # is : WBAAV534X1FJ66023 .Non-smoker car. Well maintained .Garage Kept .No accidents The car is like new, no accidents history, clean interior and exterior, no scratches, no damages, no mechanical or engine problems.It has a clear title ready to be signed and notarized on your name.The car come at your address with all inspections made and a service book. I will not require the money up front because you haven’t seen/test driven the car yet. The sale will be thru eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection Program, meaning that they will hold and insure your money until receipt of the car in good condition. You will be given a 5 days inspection period before releasing the payment to me. The inspection period is starting from the day you will receive the vehicle. Craiglist recommend for all the buyers and sellers to use eBay VPP for safe transaction. If you wish to purchase it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate the deal through eBay.
• St-Amant says:

  June 3, 2009 at 2:34 pm

  Sorry your iPhone is in Canada, i have wron the site when i write you.

  This is the site: http://www.cargo-spedition.eu.tp

  And the Tracking Number: 1BS21609D1

  In first e-mail i put you only http://www.carg-spedition.eu.tp

  Pay today and after you will get the iPhone….

  Thanks
• Rob says:

  June 9, 2009 at 5:47 pm

  I was moments away from buying a car when I looked up their email on google. Your site came up and update 8 is almost word for word what the mails i received were. Thank you so much!!!! You saved me a HUGE MISTAKE!
• The scammed twice guy says:

  June 18, 2009 at 7:39 pm

  i have a friend who has also lost $16500 over selling there vehicle to these scams in the UK. watch out the send fake money orders or checks and its your ass that gets charged. BEWARE you learned “its to good be true” from the ones you love most

  I almost bought a 2006 DODGE RAM 3500 for $3900 yea fuckin right and im the pope!!. Anyway those pipe dreams where ended when i stumbled here.

  I also was scammed locally by a white van selling stereos. DAVINCI SOUND supposelly $3000 stereo for $350 outta a van at the 230 truck stop off the 401. When i got home it was all fake and empty and blown speakers.

  We must all learn the hard way?????? i hope not and this blog can help some sorry chap from doing the same shit i had,

  What a world
• lindsey says:

  June 26, 2009 at 2:18 am

  Hey all, just thought I would mention all those people that send out emails about wanting to buy whatever you have listed, but want you to ship it overseas and want to send you a “cashiers check” or money order. I even had a guy tell me that I had to take his credit card number and pull the funds from that, and ship a REFRIGERATOR to Houston! I have my car listed for sale, and have gotten several emails from people offering to pay over my asking price by cashier’s check, but they want me to cash it, and send the extra money to their third party shipper who will then ship it to them. I have found that all inquiries on items I’ve listed that end with @gmail.com seem to be frauds.
• AMARJIT says:

  June 26, 2009 at 5:28 pm

  HI
  you saved me from a big fraud I was planning to buy a camry throgh ebay purchase protection programme. Many Thanks saved me lot of money OBLIGED
  AMARJIT
• Brian says:

  July 9, 2009 at 5:51 pm

  OMG..I just got the same response about a vehicle off of Autotrader. Thought there was something fishy and googled this ebay fraud protection plan thing..here is the emails i received!

  francis442@msn.com/francis554@netzero.net
  First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX I sell at this price (5.300$) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. The car it`s AWD Turbo STI.
  When the divorce has finished i own this car. Now as a women i don’t need and it brings me bad memories. This car is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, flaws or any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clear title.
  From the begining you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services.
  We will use vehicle Protection Program because I am affiliated at eBay. The final price that I want for this car is 5.300$ including shipping and handling.
  For more photos regarding my car: http://www.use.com/8b64c46f8e1fb10dd18b
  I will wait your answer (if you are interested to buy) ASAP.
  Thank you and have a great day.
  Diane

  The car is in Texas, in a sealed container, ready to be shipped. Because my work requires a lot of traveling, I made sure that the car is ready to be shipped as soon as I find a buyer for it. The price already includes the shipping fees.

  The transaction will be made through eBay for the safety of both of us . I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell it only through this program because it is the safest way to complete a online sale. This way, you will be able to inspect the vehicle before any money reach me and on the other hand I am sure I have a serious buyer.

  Here is how the process works:

  - you give me your shipping address so I start the transaction on eBay Motors and then to use it for shipping
  - they review and accept our transaction and provide you with the payment instructions,
  - you make the payment to eBay Motors VPP,
  - they give me the confirmation that they received your payment to them and I start the shipping,
  - you receive the vehicle and inspect it,
  - you tell them that you want to keep the vehicle and only then they send the money to me.

  All car’s documents are in the glovebox and you’ll receive them along with the car. This includes the title, all service records, original manuals and a bill of sale. The title and the bill of sale are signed by me, all you have to do is to put your name on them and the agreed amount on the bill of sale. You will need the full service records so you can transfer the remaining warranty under your name.

  eBay Motors will hold the money until the car is delivered to you. You will have 5 business days for inspection. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back at the end of the 5 business days on my expense and have your money back from eBay Motors VPP. But I am sure this will not be the case and you will love it.

  In order to move forward I will need your full name and shipping address.

  eBay will get in touch with you with further details and instructions.

  Looking forward to hearing from you!
• Inna says:

  July 14, 2009 at 10:02 pm

  Hello everybody. Unfortunately I had been scammed by those morrons. We bought Toyota Camry for $6500 which we never received. Had to learn it hard way back in 2007.
  Well, after we realised that it is a scam I contacted local police and FBI, who started investigation and it lasted for few month. It happened to be that these morrons are from Romania. They receive money in England and then transfer them further until the tracking is lost. SO whoever sent their money to those sellers can be sure that they went overseas…
• Dawn says:

  July 16, 2009 at 9:44 pm

  Thanks for your interest in my car,

  I think I covered everything in my ad, but again this is a 2006 Infiniti M35 X AWD, with clear title, automatic transmission and 37,500 miles on it. The overall condition of the car is excellent. The paint is in perfect shape. There are no dings,scratches, any damage on the body or rust. The interior is also in perfect shape. This vehicle has been very well maintained and kept both smoke and accident free.

  See more pics at : http://s837.photobucket.com/albums/zz300/amberhiggins34/

  I have to get $4,900 for it. I priced it low because I moved and cannot keep paying insurance on it since I am not driving it. My time is limited due to my job, so I decided to use eBay and their Vehicle Purchase Protection Program (the car was also listed on eBay). They handle all the paperwork and collection of selling price, and will hold the payment until you verify the Infiniti is as described and want to keep it. I have already enrolled and paid all the necessary fees.

  Let me know if you want any more details.

  Thanks,
  Amber.amberhiggins@hotmail.com

  Thanks for the warning. Here is another one.
• Mayra says:

  July 17, 2009 at 5:17 pm

  Hey guys, thanks a lot you save a lot of money, something like this happened to me, I was skeptical on making the purchase so I decided to look it up and see I found this web page and it help me to save a lot of money. All the emails have almost the same content. An mosty they come from overseas, mine was from UK trying to sell me a 2004 lexus for $3500. I couldn’t believe it it was a good deal. I almost close the purchase, however when I asked to provide with his name, address, phone and other infromation, he change the subject and tried no to tell me, the I suggest him that I will only make the payment through pay pal, telling him that I have a pay pal account and that it would be safer. His answer that he nedeed me to have the money in cash and that I would make the payment through moneygram I was like what? That sound weird.. Plus I would say I give him my info and he call me and we talk but for a few minutes. On the e-mails he told me that supposedly he used to work on the US but that he was planning to move back to UK. And that actually was living in London, when he call me he didn’t have like a brithis or Us accent, his accent sound more like indu, oriental or even hispanic, he had difficulty talking in english however his english on the e-mails was perfect and his name sound like british or even american, this is the e-mail address that he used (stevens_wellers@msn.com), I didn’t found him on craiglist he actually post his “car” on nj.com classifieds so as you could see, they are everywhere. It was too good to be true that’s why I decided to search for info and my doubts were right It was a scam that I almost got caught up on. Don’t believe in this is all a lie even if the used well known companies as their “third party” protection, mine used the ebay buyer protection program telling me that an ebay agent will hold the money until I got he car,but I knew it was something wrong about this and thank god I react on time. I hope people read this and don’t get involved in those people if we could call them people scam.
  Mayra
  Kearny NJ
• Diane says:

  July 25, 2009 at 6:37 pm

  I was looking for a truck to buy and checked Craigslist. Well, I found two GREAT deals. Both sellers were in the armed services, one stationed in UK and the other in Montana. Both trucks had no visible license plates and when I checked the VIN numbers that were given, one was in someone elses name and the other wasn’t a valid number. Luckily my husband has access to information to trace auto registration information. Decided to check on the EBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Plan because I had not heard of it before. I’m so glad I did because I was leary of the deal since the price was so good. Look out for the White Toyota 4Runner and the Black Ford F150 truck listed. SCAMS!!!
• Me says:

  July 30, 2009 at 1:35 am

  I just had a find on Craigslist for a 2006 Mini Cooper for only 5000. No accident or any other problems. Just like the person above me, the person was also stationed in the army and in MONTANA. I was abotu to close the deal, then found this page and CALLED Ebay because the “Protection plan” in my email looked weird. They asked for a Moneygram (which ebay doesnt allow) and gave me the name nad address of 8277 Brilliant Pompon PL
  Las Vegas NV 89166 United States for Marianna Monje. I looked for that address on google and found nothing and no such name. everything is weird.. especially when I found this : http://tinyurl.com/nqr83u it has the SAME PERSONS name in that scam..for the same amount of money.
• McE says:

  August 3, 2009 at 8:11 pm

  There is someone using Angellahelms261@gmail.com that is selling a 2004 Chevy truck with a fraudulent scanned in Arizona title. The wording is very similair to the above listed ads. She is listing an address out of San Luis AZ. To date we have located three other vehicles that she has attempted to sell.
• Craigs List says:

  September 11, 2009 at 12:26 am

  Here is one on Craigslist listing a 1964 21 Window VW BUS

  Hi,
  As I’ve told you at this moment I am in in Great Falls, MT in a military base getting ready for Afghanistan. This means that I do a special training program and I am not allowed to get out of the unit or give calls whenever I want.The shipping won’t be a problem because I can do it at no cost for you. You will receive the vehicle along with all the documents including title, bill of sale, full service records and more ..Because it is a large transaction we will complete the deal only using an authorized third party like eBay, using their Business Purchase Protection Program.The payment will be handling by eBay and you will benefit of 5 days inspection time period (test drive) and the option to accept or reject the vehicle on my expense. If you are still interested just send me your full name and shipping address. I will forward your info and they will notify you about our deal.
  Thanks,
  Daniel Wilson

  From: CCC
  To: Daniel Wilson
  Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 7:49:41 AM
  Subject: Re: I will Buy Your Bus

  Hi Daniel,

  I am very interested in the bus and if it is in good shape like you say I am sure we can come to an agreement.

  Do you have more pictures you can send me? What is your phone number, I would like to talk to you more about it.

  Thanks Daniel,

  Phil
  ——Original Message——
  From: Daniel Wilson
  To: Phil
  Sent: Sep 10, 2009 6:20 AM
  Subject: Re: I will Buy Your Bus

  Hi,
  I am selling this bus because my platoon has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Sept 15. 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.I do have the title , clear, under my name.The bus has 32,550 miles, year 1964.
  It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4900. The bus is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Regards,
  Daniel Wilson
• Eric Tapia says:

  October 6, 2009 at 10:16 pm

  Wow, that Daniel wilson is the guy i’m doing ‘business’ with right now thru craigslist/email.

  By any chance is his email danielwilson87@gmail.com ?

  I put up an add selling my PSP and he replyed wanting to buy the system. He made up some story that he was away at work so he’s going to send his mover to pick up the item. He also said he will send me a check for the item and the funny part was that he wrote it for 1000 dollars or so, I forgot what it was.
  He told me his mover made a mistake and to take an extra 100$ for my troubles etc.. Such a scam.

  The latest email is:
  “Re: The PSP on Craigslist
  …
  From:
  daniel wilson
  …
  Add to Contacts
  To: Eric T
  Good to hear from you,
  i want you to know that am currently away from home now and thats why
  i told you to send the fund to my mover and its my mover that will
  come over and pick the item.my mover is in NY right now to get
  something done for me and after she gets the money then she will come
  over and pick the item up.the excess fund is needed over there so as
  to off set some bills before she leaves.i will want you to kindly go
  the nearest ups office as early as possible so that you can get the
  payment and do the necessary things needed.”

  This person wants me to pick up the check from ups and cash it in, send him the rest. I’m just going to ignore his emails, or probably scare the guy into calling the cops on him. =]
  Thanks guys.
• Cera says:

  October 7, 2009 at 3:01 am

  From Christian Kidman – chrkd24@gmail.com
  Hello,

  Sorry for the long email I have tried to touch all bases. More info about the car at the end of this e-mail.
  I do not sell my car in payments and I do not trade!!!
  This is a non smoker vehicle – VIN#: 1GYEK63N55R219544 – ALL WHEEL DRIVE – clean title – Actual Mileage: 53630, the car is in my possession from 09/14/2005.
  I am selling this vehicle because I need money fast as I have to meet a mortgage payment deadline so this transaction must be completed fast as time is my main priority.
  Here you can find more pictures with the car: http://s812.photobucket.com/albums/zz48/harperv33/
  (if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web browser window)
  EXCELLENT condition, clean title; the body and paint are great, no scratches and no dents; the interior is clean; it has never been involved in an accident, clean car fax.

  I’m an US Air Force Sgt. currently stationed in UK and 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 UK the buyer would have to pay very high import/custom taxes. So I decided to sell the car back in the US.
  The shipping will take up to 7 business days and you will also have 10 days to inspect and test drive the vehicle from the moment it arrives at your place. There will be no extra or hidden taxes for you to pay since the car is still registered in US. In case you decide not to keep the car I’m responsible for shipping back costs.
  As I’m unable to travel in the near future and I don’t have anyone back home to help me with the sale I decided to sell this car through eBay or craigslist.
  Our transaction will be entirely through eBay and we both will be covered.
  The final price is $4,800 including shipping from Europe 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. I don’t want to offend you, but the car is priced for a fast sale so please if you intend to apply for a loan or financing do not reply to this message!
  Thank you,
  Sgt. Christian Kidman

  Features Options Included: Air Conditioning, Climate Control, Dual Zone Climate Control, Tinted Windows, Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors,Leather.
  Show additional features Options Included: Air Conditioning, Climate Control, Dual Zone Climate Control, Tinted Windows, Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors, Leather Steering Wheel, Power Drivers Seat, Power Passenger Seat, Memory Seat Position, Heated Seat, Tow Package, Roof Rack, Rear Air Conditioning, Wood Trim, Digital Info Center, Homelink System, Tilt Steering Wheel, Steering Wheel Radio Controls, Moonroof, Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag, Side Airbags, Keyless Entry, Security System, ABS Brakes, Traction Control, Rear Defogger, Fog Lights, Intermittent Wipers, AM/FM, CD Player, CD Changer, Anti-Theft, Leather Interior Surface, Adjustable Pedals, Park Distance Control, Rear A/C, Running Boards, Navigation, Bose Sound, On Star, Heated Front & Rear Seats Navigation System, Premium Sound.
• Barbara says:

  October 19, 2009 at 9:34 am

  Here is another one from Craigslist:

  From: Christine Robinson
  Subject: RE: 07 Honda Gold Wing with trailer – $5500 (los angeles)
  Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:53:53 +0000

  Hi,
  I am selling this 2007 Honda Gold Wing Wing because my platoon has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Oct 25. 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.I do have the title , clear, under my name.The bike has 22,000, year 2007.
  It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $5,500. The bike is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Thank you,
  Christine Robinson
• lin says:

  November 11, 2009 at 5:21 am

  This is an e mail I recieved back from an ad on Craiglist

  Hi,
  I am selling this Toyota Tacoma because my unit has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Nov 16. 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.I do have the title , clear, under my name.The car has 3,956 miles , year 2005.
  It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $5200. The car is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Thank you,

  Christine Robinson
• Mo says:

  November 12, 2009 at 7:43 am

  He is the “Christine Robinson” fraudster in action again.

  From: Christine Robinson
  Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 10:41:35 PM
  Subject: RE: Nissan Altima 2.5 SL MUST SELL – $4500 (Chicago)

  Hi,
  I am selling this car because my unit has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Nov 17. 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.I do have the title , clear, under my name.The car has 21,000 miles, year 2007.
  It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4,500. The car is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Regards,
  Christine Robinson
• Michelle says:

  November 18, 2009 at 10:43 pm

  Here is another one!

  From: Christine Robinson [mailto:cristinerobinson66@msn.com]
  Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:06 PM
  To:
  Subject: RE: TOYOTA TACOMA TRD CREW CAB 4X4 – $5200 (New Orleans)

  Hi,
  I am selling this Toyota Tacoma because my unit has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Nov 20. 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.I do have the title , clear, under my name.The car has 3,956 miles , year 2005.
  It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $5200. The car is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Thank you,
  Christine Robinson
• Pete says:

  December 28, 2009 at 7:35 pm

  Here is another one, a real tear jerker:

  RE: 2002 Volkswagen Passat 4Motion AWD,GLX LOADED – $3700 (washington)‏
  From: Debra Downey (betty.russo@msn.com)
  Sent: Thu 12/03/09 1:21 PM
  To: peter

  Hi,

  The car has 47,240 miles,automatic and manual shift mode trans,1owner.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 19 child 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 Volkswagen Passat was his car and it brings me bad memories and that’s the reason I want to sell it.The last price is $3,500.
  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://s840.photobucket.com/albums/zz321/2002-Volkswagon-Passat/

  Thank you for your interest!
  Debra & James Downey
• lm says:

  March 5, 2010 at 8:24 am

  I got hit by this same scam. I filed compalints wit the FTC, ICL NYC attorney general, ebay, craigslist, and posted my own warning on craigslist. Luckly I was able to get my money back because the third pary ‘ebay agent’ wasn’t able to pick up the money even after my car was never delivered, and they had the nerve to ask me to send the money to another recipient. This was a huge red flag, and I discovered it was a scam. I was able to redirect the money back to me before they were able to get a hold of it. This is what I posted on craigslist to warn others:

  BEWARE – SCAM ON 2004 MINI COOPER – $2900 (NORTH JERSEY)

  Do NOT respond to the ’seller’ of a 2004 mini cooper from seller Linda Thomas at http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/1599293262.html. This is a total scam. They say that they can’t be there to show you the car in person, but that they have a contract with Ebay’s Vehical Protection Program. This is false. Ebay’s VPP is only valid if you buy or sell a car via ebay. They will ask you to send cash via western union or money gram to a third party ‘ebay agent’, upon which they will ship you the car and give you 5 days to inspect it. They will take your money and run and will never ship the car. NEVER send anyone money through western union. Nor should you every buy a car without demanding to see it in person and requesting the person’s phone number. This scam has been going on for two years, but has spiked in the recent month. I got super lucky to get my money back when the third party agent apparently become unavailable to pick up the money – my guess is that they got caught and went to jail. They had the nerve to ask me to send the money to someone else after they never shipped the car when they said they would. Luckily, I was able to redirect the funds back to me. This ad is a scam. I have flagged it twice, but it is still on craigslist. Do not respond to any car that seems to be good to be true. They typically price the cars between $2,900 and $4,000. Attached is the pictures of the car that they are trying to sell, which is totally fictional

  When I outed them and told them I knew it was a scam and that I gotten my money back and reported them to the authorities, this is the response I got from them:

  FUCK YOU, FUCK YOUR MOTHER. in max 3 days I will be at your door and I kill you and I kill your fam……

  I went to the police, but they couldn’t do anyting since it orignated from another state. Please be careful using Western Union or purchasing anything without seeing it first and getting the sellers full contact information.
• Michelle says:

  March 16, 2010 at 10:00 pm

  Man, I knew this add was too good to be true. Here is the Craigslist add and the email responses, I asked for a phone number both times, so below is their response. Beware of Sharon Sullivan sharonsull55@msn.com
  Scam for sure! I of course didn’t give out my address, and am glad I didn’t, would hate to get the kind of response I see on another post on here. I will report this everywhere I can think of.

  Mini Cooper S 2006 – $4700 (Portland)

  ——————————————————————————–
  Date: 2010-03-11, 9:28PM PST
  Reply to: sale-bfccf-1640215658@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

  ——————————————————————————–

  PREMIUM PACKAGE: Multifunction steering wheel w/cruise, Chrome Line Interior, Center arm rest, Automatic air conditioning, On-Board Computer, Harmon/Kardon Sound System.
  SPORT PACKAGE: DSC, Front fog lamps, 17″ Alloy Wheels 5-spoke bullet performance run-flat tires, bonnet stripes, xenon headlights w/headlamp power wash
  STEPTRONIC PADDLES
  AUTOMATIC
  HEATED SEATS
  HAS EVERY OPTION AVAILABLE

  EMAIL RESPONSE BELOW TO ASKING FOR A PHONE NUMBER TO TALK ABOUT THE CAR, AND ME SEDNING MY FRIEND TO SEE IT WHO LIVES NEAR GREAT FALLS MONTANA, IM IN WASHINGTON STATE.

  Hi,
  I am selling this car because my platoon has been sent back to Afhanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before Mar 21. 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..I do have the title , clear, under my name.The car have 20,000 miles, year 2006 and VIN WMWRE33586TJ37581.It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4700. The car is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Regards!!!

  I ASKED AGAIN FOR PHONE NUMBER AND THAT I WOULD PICK THE CAR UP MYSELF AND PAY IN PERSON, AND DRIVE IT HOME MYSELF. AND HERE IS THE RESPONSE. IDIOTS!

  Hi again,
  As i told you, at this moment I am in MT state in a military base, getting ready for Afghanistan (I hope for the last time). I do a special training program each day and I am not allowed to get out of the unit or give calls whenever I want. The shipping will take 3 to 5 days depending on your location and it’s not a problem because i have considerable discount from eBay and I can do it at no cost for you. As long as I’m dealing with eBay and they can ship the vehicle anywhere in the US,I listed the car in several states because it increases my chances to get it sold much faster. I want to mention that the vehicle was inspected by eBay and fulfils the CO2 Emission standards from all the 50 states so it wouldn’t be a problem for you to register it in your state. You will receive the car along with all the documents including title, bill of sale, 2 set of keys, full service records and more. Because it is a large transaction, we will complete the deal only using an authorized third part like eBay coz I already prearranged the whole process with them, using their escrow Safe Pay Program for vehicles not listed on their website. The car is located in their warehouse in MT (ready for delivery). I’ve asked them to allow viewers to go there and inspect the car but their reply was: “We are not a showroom!” In this case, I will offer a 5-day period to inspect the car from the moment you receive it, before I’ll have your money. I think this is more than fair for both of us.The payment will be handled by eBay Escrow, and you will benefit of 5 days inspection time period (test drive) and the option to accept or reject the car on my expense. If you are still interested just send me your full name and shipping address. I will forward your info to eBay and they will notify you about our deal. Like this you’ll be able to talk directly with them and ask all you want to know.
  Regards!!

  WATCH OUT EVERYONE, THIS ONE WASN’T LISTED ANYWHERE YET AS A SCAM, BUT IT IS. THE ORIGINAL CRAIGSLIST POST IS GONE, BUT CAN STILL BE SEEN WHEN GOINT TO THE DIRECT LINK. SO BEWHARE IF YOU SEE THIS SAME POST LATER OR SOMWHERE ELSE. http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/1640215658.html
• Heidi says:

  April 20, 2010 at 11:03 pm

  Scam Alert for travel trailer for $2900. Posted all of Craigslist. Sounded to good to be true, so checked further. Got this reponse from the person:

  From: Michael Dietrich
  To: Heidi
  Date: 04/20/2010 12:33 PM
  Subject: Re: Fw: Camaper Trailer – $2900

  Thanks for getting back to me. The trailer’s price is $2.900. Right now I am on base Camp Robinson in NLR, AR. Shipping this camper to your location is free of charge and it will be handled by a PMC in Pine Bluff, AR. This camper is enlisted in the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program and this transaction will be conducted through them. In accordance with eBay VPP’s terms, you will have the camper for 3 days to inspect it and decide whether you want to keep it or not. Final price is $2900 and the camper will be shipped along with all documents, clean title with my signature on it, owner’s manual and keys. It’s condition is flawless, there is no body damage, all interior equipment is working as it should and there are no mechanical problems.
  These are the steps you have to follow to buy this 2006 Fleetwood Pioneer 3102BDS:
     1. To open the case with eBay VPP, I need your details: Full name, shipping address and phone #.
     2. You will receive an invoice with all the details on how to make a refundable payment. You will have to issue a MoneyGram payment of $2900 to a verified eBay VPP Agent and the payment will be secured with them. Only you will have access to the payment at that point.
     3. I will ship the camper and after you receive it, you will have 3 days to test and verify the camper. If you decide to buy it, I will receive the payment from Ebay. Otherwise, the camper will be collected by the shipping company and shipped back free of charge to you and you will be fully refunded by VPP.
  If you want to purchase, please send me the necessary information so we can proceed.
  Michael
• Myles says:

  April 22, 2010 at 11:30 pm

  Thats funny. They really haven’t changed at all. There is one posted today for you that is definitely a scam after reading your site. Thank you!!
• Jim says:

  May 3, 2010 at 7:06 am

  Scam
  I am selling this truck because my platoon has been sent back to Afghanistan and don’t want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before May 08. 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..I do have the title , clear, under my name.The truck have 77,500 miles, year 2003 VIN 3GYEK63N53G313601.It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4500. The truck is in Great Falls, MT, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.
  Thanks.

  Ya Im interested and I could get you the 4500 before may 8 but How do we go about the the title and money trade with all those’s scams out there

  her reply

  I am in Great Falls, MT on a military base getting ready for Afghanistan. I do a special training program each day and I am not allowed to get out of the unit or give calls whenever I want. The shipping wont be a problem and I will do it at no cost to you because will be made by the army. You will receive the car along with all the documents including title, bill of sale, full service records and more …Because it is a large transaction we will complete the deal using an authorized third party like eBay, using their Business Purchase Protection Program .The payment will be handling by eBay and you will benefit of the 5 day inspection time period and the option to accept or reject the car on my expense. If you are still interested just send me your full name and shipping address.
  I will forward your info and they will notify you about our deal
  Hope to hear from you soon
• Jim says:

  May 3, 2010 at 7:09 am

  SHARON SULLIVAN = scam
  sharonsullivan1980@msn.com = scam
• DJ says:

  June 3, 2010 at 8:54 pm

  BEWARE California craigslist ad for 2004 Toyota Highlander at $2850-seller is amanda.a21@comcast.net
  Of course we almost fell for it until I saw the response to my email. Here is the response.
  Hello,
  My name is Amanda Anderson , I am emailing you regarding the 2004 Toyota Highlander Limited that I have for sale.
  The car is in perfect condition , with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever, never been involved in any accidents. The interior looks great (NO SMOKING). It has 68,020 miles , automatic transmission , 6 Cylinder 3.3L engine size , gasoline , White exterior – Tan interior. I have a clear and clean title for it , no liens or loans ready to be signed and notarized on your name …
  I’m selling my son’s car , who died in Iraq two months ago and I want to get rid of it asap because the sight of it makes me think of him often and often and the pain is too great . Put yourself in my shoes and you’ll do the same (selling the car of your dead son, no offence) !!!
  As you probably noticed , the final price that i want for this car is $2850 if you will buy it today or tomorrow .
  Here are the pictures with the car:
  http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/ac355/toyotahighlander2010/

  Let me know where are you located and any other details you need about it.
  Thank you,
  Amanda

  I noticed the photobucket had been viewed over 400 times yet the car was for still for sale at that price? And the photos had the license plate covered. So I starting hitting the web. I saw this exact same letter on a different fraud website except the ladies name & the car type was different. But they email you back and tell you they are in MT, has to be shipped and all the other fraud B.S. Why are all the fraud losers saying they are from MT?

  Anyways, watch out for this scam!!!!!!
• Kevin Williams says:

  July 15, 2010 at 1:46 am

  Beware of this one. Was very close to falling for this today. 2005 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 Double Cab TRD for $5,600. email addy is yop40@aol.com and name was Candice Boone.

  Below are the emails I’ve had:

  Hello,

  The truck is still available and the price for 2005 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 Double Cab TRD is $5,600. I worked for Toyota and I had access to the Toyota Employee Store. I bought it for a very low price and that’s why I can afford to sell it so cheap right now. It has done 106,000 miles and has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage. It doesn’t have any dents, chips or scratches and the interior is great, never smoked in. The truck has a clear title, no liens or loans and never been in an accident. It comes with bill of sale in your name, title, owner’s manual and all the keys.The truck is located in Lagrange, Georgia ready to be shipped to your address. So if you want to go forward with this deal please mail me and I will give you more information and more pictures.

  I will wait your mail.

  Many thanks,
  Candice Boone

  ————————————-

  Thanks for reply.
  I was recently promoted and had to move to the Bangor, ME. I have made all the arrangements and the car is already prepared for shipping. You can’t inspect it now and the shipping and insurance charges are included in this price. The shipping takes 2-4 days and the car is delivered at your home. I decided to make this transaction through ebay because I believe this protects both buyer and seller and it’s the right way to do the sale. You send the money to ebay and they hold the payment until the car is delivered. You have 7 days to inspect the car and the documents. I get the money after you check the car and make sure everything is as agreed.If the car is not as described and you want to return it, I will arrange to ship it back (on my costs) and you will be 100% refunded by ebay. I’m sure you will love the car and will not want to return it but it’s good to know that you have this option available.The pics are attached and the VIN# is 5TELU42N95Z063591. If you have the funds available and want to buy the car, I need your full name and the delivery address to inform ebay about this sale and receive the transaction details from them as soon as possible.

  Many thanks,
  Candice Boone

  ————————————————

  Hello again,

  I received your address and I will make the final arrangements for shipping delivery tomorrow. The truck is reserved for you right now and I will inform ebay about our deal.They will notify you with the payment instructions in a few hours.I am very pleased with the way things have gone so far. Your cooperation has been such a blessing and I thank you for everything.As soon as you receive the email from eBay get back to me and let me know.
  It’s a pleasure doing business with you!

  ———————————————-

  Hello again,

  I have attached the carfax rapport and I told you in a last mail that I worked for Toyota and I had access to the Toyota Employee Store. I bought it for a very low price and that’s why I can afford to sell it so cheap right now and since I’ve secured my sale through eBay, we have to follow their rules and procedures. As you can probably tell, I have a very busy schedule, so I’m keen on selling the car only through eBay, which is to everyone’s benefit. Therefore I will not waste your time as I clearly can’t commit to dedicating the little time I have at home to the procedures I kindly laid out.

  —————————————–

  These scammers are terrible. Watch out!!!

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