Car buying SCAM - words of warning

[kaivaksdal]

Just a quick word of warning about scammers operating here on Pistonheads Classifieds.

They contact you claiming to be away (on a ship or working abroad) and want to buy the car for their dad or something...
They are happy to pay the full amount to you by PayPal, but need some help paying their shipping company who will collect the car (but don't accept PayPal).
So they offer to pay you the full amount plus the shipping company's fee. All you have to do is send money to the shipping company on their behalf using a credit/debit card or wire transfer / Western Union....

Needless to say, the funds arrive instantly, you pay the shipping company and then suddenly the money paid to you is stopped as it's fraudulent...

You're a few hundred quid down and there is no money or car sale.

PLEASE keep your eyes and ears open - they tried it on me and my advert
Thankfully, I didn't fall for it!!

Regards,
Kai

[_Batty_]

kaivaksdal said:

Just a quick word of warning about scammers operating here on Pistonheads Classifieds.

They contact you claiming to be away (on a ship or working abroad) and want to buy the car for their dad or something...
They are happy to pay the full amount to you by PayPal, but need some help paying their shipping company who will collect the car (but don't accept PayPal).
So they offer to pay you the full amount plus the shipping company's fee. All you have to do is send money to the shipping company on their behalf using a credit/debit card or wire transfer / Western Union....

Needless to say, the funds arrive instantly, you pay the shipping company and then suddenly the money paid to you is stopped as it's fraudulent...

You're a few hundred quid down and there is no money or car sale.

PLEASE keep your eyes and ears open - they tried it on me and my advert
Thankfully, I didn't fall for it!!

Regards,
Kai

You know the old saying? If its too good to be true.....
No help I know, but would you buy a car unseen? to someone you've never met?

[hornetrider]

kaivaksdal said:

Thankfully, I didn't fall for it!!

Does anybody?

[TTwiggy]

Had this within 10 minutes of posting my ad.

I just laughed and hit 'delete'.

To be fair, PH sent me a warning within 24 hours too.

[kaivaksdal]

True , true, but it's worth mentioning here - sometimes they call enough people and someone falls for it......

[Mr Will]

We try our best to keep the classifieds safe and are proactive in blocking them, hunting them down and sending out warnings after they have been found, but you still always need to be careful when buying cars privately, the old adage of "if it seems too good to be true, it probably it" tends to be very good advice.

Aside from that, the most common scams to look out for are detailed on our Fraud Warnings page which linked from every page of the classifieds (in the left menu) if you ever need to refer to it.

If you do spot anything suspicious then the fastest way of getting it dealt with is the "Report to Administrator" button in the top left corner of every advert, or by sending any suspicious emails to adverts -at- pistonheads.com

[jas xjr]

kaivaksdal said:

True , true, but it's worth mentioning here - sometimes they call enough people and someone falls for it......

must have worked and probably still working , otherwise why would they keep doing it?

[Gwagon111]

Hillo saaar, I am a prince NGokakwango of Nigeria. I am currently serving on my faaaathers navy ship, the SS scamingbd. I'm am liking very much your vehicle, and am willing to purchasing said vehicular very soon. Because I am on a ship, I can't be purchasing your vehicular in personable. Please be sending the car to my shippaging agents. When I receive the vehicular, I will send you the rest of the monies by Western Union. PS this is not a scam.

[carmonk]

CASH. I never accept anything else, certainly not Paypal for a pick-up, it can be reversed just like that and there's nothing you can do about it. As for anything remotely convoluted, forget the whole thing.

[Chiswickboy]

Gwagon111 said:

Hillo saaar, I am a prince NGokakwango of Nigeria. I am currently serving on my faaaathers navy ship, the SS scamingbd. I'm am liking very much your vehicle, and am willing to purchasing said vehicular very soon. Because I am on a ship, I can't be purchasing your vehicular in personable. Please be sending the car to my shippaging agents. When I receive the vehicular, I will send you the rest of the monies by Western Union. PS this is not a scam.

Very well written. :-)

You appear to have good pactice my dear sir.

(Having done muchly good business with that part of the world I PMSL).