Pedroturbo

Hello there,

I currently have a vehicle for sale on ebay and was contacted by a phone number via text on number +3531537293828. It requested that I email him back to his email address Richard@ianricard.com to which I did. When he emailed back however I was suspicious straight away as he was so keen to by my vehicle he would pay full asking price and ship it to Ireland. I tracked his IP address via his email and he/she is actualy in Lagos, Nigeria. X-Originating-IP: [41.220.68.31]

Since then I have received an email as follows:

Hello Peter,

There is a little complication. I got a notification from the agent that they don't have an account with PayPal. They did make me understand that the only means of payment that they accept is money gram transfer. They have as well insisted that before they can make arrangement for the pick up they will have to collect a commission fee of £450. I have tried to see if I could get this sent to them through money gram's website but unfortunately I would be needing to use a Credit or Debit card which I didn't bring here.


More so, I will certainly not be able to go to a money gram outlet here nor a post office -where I can equally get the money sent to them- because I am offshore.


Sequel to this, I will need you to help me with sending the commission fee of £450 to my agent through money gram transfer.


To make it explicit enough, find below the analysis of the required money including all relevant charges.


Bike: 2200
Commission to Agent: 450
Western Union Charges: 30


Pay Pal Charges(3.4%) 91.12


Total: £2,771.12


In this light I have paid the sum of £2,771.12 as detailed above through PayPal. Here is the shipping agent details you will be needing for the Transfer.


First Name: Andrew
Last Name: Lloyd
Address: 41 Foxdene Green
Lucan, Dublin
Republic of Ireland


You are to go to any post office around you to get the payment done asap. Do get back to me as soon as you are contacted by PayPal.


Thank you very much for your understanding.


Cheers,


Richard


The exact time this email was received I also received an official looking email from Paypal which of course I knew was fake however it was asking me to login via the email. I have contacted Paypal and they don't seem to give a **** and if you are scammed in this manner you are also not protected. Luckily I am always cautious about online personal information so I narrowly avoided being scammed. So if you are currently selling a vehicle especially on ebay beware and please don't get caught out by these thieves!

Peedee

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like a typical motor-type buyer scam.

Some right scuzzy people about. I love the threads were people carry on the scam on lead them on, always makes for good reading!

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Oh yes send him a few emails back and ask for proof of him woth a photo and todays newspaper and holding a goat close to his genitals

Always could for a laugh

Some great scam busters forums for entertainment

stualex

iTrader: (3)

Had similar, think I posted it on here. I played him on for ages saying that I had received the money and would send the wife down to pay.

He had the cheek to get arsey when I ignored him and he said he was going to contact the authorities.

I should imagine this would work on some people, my mother in law would have fallen for this had I not kept her right.

dj219957

how do you get the ip from a email?

Pedroturbo

If you have a Hotmail type account and open it through the outlook view on internet explorer then go to your inbox the email before you click on it should say actions to the right handside with a drop down arrow. click that then click view message source and within the coding it should normally say sender IP however always check that it doesn't say X original IP as this will mean that the sender IP is a forwarding IP in this case the sender IP was simply google!

I would love to lead him/her down the garden path but I don't want to waste my time with the little fraggle.

Everytime I use ebay I hate it more and more lol

Pedroturbo

oh forgot to add now you have the IP simply google search locate my IP and some websites will even show you on a map the approx. location. Its useful atm until they work out how to screw with that aswell

legb4rsk

'because I am off shore'

arn't they all!! Dead give away.

Pedroturbo

LOL I no its so stupid, At the point of receiving all this genuine money lol the sender does not no my address has not seen or inspected the bike nor has he give me a contact number for the collection firm. The scam I think is purely to get me to use the link to paypal so he/she can access my paypal account.

dj219957

thanks - good info

A.S.B Breakers

iTrader: (14)

https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...o-do-next.html

chopperman

Yeah its a scam. I had two try it on at the same time once. I just gave one the other details saying it was my new contact haha.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_scam
this could be fun

http://www.419eater.com/

N_Scooby

iTrader: (2)

I can look into this scam for you.

I just need your Mothers Maiden Name and your Bank Account details to get started

Pedroturbo

Legend

wrx_2005

I too was selling my Subaru WRX via Auto-Trader and got a load of scam messages , here is one that came through:

Hi again,


Thank you for getting back, Anyway, I agree to buy at your price and i am keen myself. How I wish i could come for inspection but i'm currently offshore for my missionary and will be away for quite a number of weeks,precisely 9 weeks according to the programme.


Here is the deal, I know you can't possibly wait for 9 weeks but I will make full payment to you and once your payment clears, I will arrange for a shipper to contact you and pick it up from you. This is the best way I can handle this professionally cos I am keen like I said earlier.


Due to this inability to bring cash physically, the best way to pay for me would be through PayPal which is safer for you and plus i will cover the PayPal transfer fees. Kindly send me a PayPal payment invoice or create an account at www.PayPal.com if you don't have one.


I hope we have a deal? Have a nice day and please,I'd like to know certain things too; Are you the first owner? What is your reason for selling? I'm sorry, just want to be sure about the sale before i proceed


Regard


as you will know, there are plenty scam merchants operating when it comes to selling a vehicle, ebay is not exclusive, they also use AutoTrader, PistonHeads, and not to forget Gumtree. I have had them all. Sometimes I play along with them, but most of the time I just give them a very strong offensive reply.

Pedroturbo

I hate these scams I have a friend whos nan lost 15k to a scam who is no mental state to even know she was scammed. Also my mrs bank account was robbed by a fake HSBC email saying that her internet banking was under threat and must login immediately using the link. luckily my mrs got her money back but as for my mates nan that is not the case! I think through tight knit communities such as scoobynet we could help each other avoid such scams by keeping our guard up and sharing experiences such as these.

Once again top notch work from Scoobynetters !

wrx_2005

here is some info from PistonHeads, on how to avoid scams and what to look out for:

When Buying

"Please Contact Me Outside The PistonHeads System" Scam

This scam will have an advert that asks you to contact the seller "outside the PistonHeads System" or they claim to be unable to receive e-mails through PistonHeads. They will also commonly have text in the images claiming the same thing. This is a scam.

"Please follow the link for further info and contact details" Scam

Whilst our dealers are allowed to place links to their website within adverts, please do NOT follow any links which are designed in a way to look like a part of the PistonHeads website. We have been made aware of scamners asking people to visit websites such as http://pistonheads.zymichost.com to find further contact details. This is just another ploy for you to make contact outside the PistonHeads system. May we stress again that we do NOT take custody of any car on our website!

When you contact them, they will claim to be out of the country and that PistonHeads is selling the car for them. The scammer then sends you an e-mail from a range of different e-mail addresses that look like they're from PistonHeads, such as salesteam@securepayments-pistonheads.com. The victim wires the money, thinking they're talking to PistonHeads, and are told their vehicle will be delivered in a few weeks.

Always contact the seller through the PistonHeads classifieds. We keep record of the initial contact between buyer and seller and can warn buyers when they have contacted a scammer. If you contact them outside of PistonHeads, we can't do that, and that's specifically why they ask you to contact them directly. Also remember that PistonHeads does not sell cars for anyone.

Moved to Malmo, Sweden Scam

A scam where a car is placed on our classifieds section; the owners claim to be 'a nice retired couple' who have recently moved home to Sweden. The e-mail is usually accompanied by a picture of the notional couple. This is a scam.

These 'sellers' arrange to meet you in the UK (normally Liverpool), but request you transfer a large sum of money as insurance for the meeting. The money is transferred to them - usually through an insecure method like Western Union money transfer, but they never show up and your deposit is lost.


Armed Robbery

There have been cases where buyers looking for a particular model have placed wanted ads on the internet. The advertiser has then been contacted by e-mail or phone and offered a car matching the specification required. The buyer is then requested to meet the seller and to take cash.

Upon arrival the buyer is met by armed men and forced to hand over the cash.

It sounds obvious, but even experienced motor traders have been taken in by plausible stories like this. NEVER AGREE TO TAKE CASH WITH YOU. Also, ask for enough details of the car to satisfy your curiosity that the car is in their possession and that they are familiar with it (particularly if it's a specialist car).

There has recently been a resurgence in this kind of crime across all car classified websites. Please use caution and if you are in any doubt about a seller then contact us via adverts@pistonheads.com.

Wire Transfer Scam

Scammers ask you to send the value of the car they are selling via wire-transfer to yourself or another trusted person and then send them a copy of the receipt or various other details to prove you have the funds to pay.

This is supposedly to avoid time-wasters but in reality they then use this information to impersonate you and withdrawn the cash without your consent.

PistonHeads Purchase Protection Scam

Scammers are using the PistonHeads name to attempt to lure you into parting with your money.

This is a variation on the Fake Escrow Scam detailed below, with the twist that the Escrow site pretends to be associated with PistonHeads and that the seller is supposedly verified by PistonHeads.

More information can be found in the news piece: HERE

PistonHeads has notified the relevant authorities and has requested that the website the scammers use be closed down. In the meantime please be on your guard and be aware that Pistonheads do not offer an approved seller scheme, nor do we offer payment or transaction protection.

If in any doubt note that PistonHeads correspondance will only ever be sent from an e-mail address ending @pistonheads.com - PistonHeads will never be involved in the holding of cars or the transfer of money.

Fake Escrow Scams

This fraud revolved around the scammer setting up a fake website offering Escrow services.

Escrow services act as a third party in a long distance sale, A genuine Escrow Service allows sellers to send goods safe in the knowledge that funds exist and are being held safely until the goods have been delivered. In turn, the buyer can feel secure in that the car can be seen, checked for suitability/condition and the money will be paid over only when this is confirmed to the Escrow Service. In this scam however, the fake Escrow site is run by the "seller" and is therefore not the safe place for your money that it appears to be.

When used with car sales the "seller" normally asks for money to be paid into a specific Escrow service before they will bring the car for you to view. Costs of shipping the car from one country to another, or problems wih timewasters are commonly used excuses for wanting to use an Escrow service. Once the money is paid to the Escrow service it will immediately be transfered out by the "seller" who will disappear, never to be seen again.

The fraud can also work the other way: a fraudulent buyer can attempt to trick a seller into handing over a car that hasn't been paid for by simply sending an official-looking e-mail from a fake escrow service stating that funds have been received and to go ahead with the transfer of the vehicle. The scammer will disappear with the car and the fake escrow service will string the seller along for long enough for them to make a clean get-away.

While genuine Ecscrow services can be a good precaution, you should be EXTREMELY wary of anyone who insists on using a particular site. NEVER follow links given in e-mails, always navigate to the site yourself via a search engine. Check out any site VERY carefully before using it, The fake websites can be extremely hard to spot. Several sites (including eBay) maintain lists of genuine Escrow services which should always be checked.

If in any doubt, do not send any money to anyone. There are always plenty more cars on the market which are not scams. if it looks to good to be true, it probably is.

"Quick Sale Required"

A scam that involves con artists claiming to have a reason for selling very, very quickly. Sometimes this is to do with a claim that they've had to move out to mainland Europe at short notice they say the are in a rush to sell and that the car is cheaply priced because of that.

Bargain cars always attract a lot of responses, especially via e-mail. The fraudsters then try to get potential buyers to send large deposits to secure either delivery of the car or to be the first to look at it. The car probably doesn't even exist - often the pictures have the number plates blanked out or inconsistencies. IF THE PRICE OF A CAR SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE - TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! If anyone's ever in a hurry to sell a car they can sell it to a dealer at a knockdown price rather than punt it around the internet.

Private Registration Scam

The scam begins with an advert for a private registration plate, and ends with you buying a number plate that’s worth only the plastic it’s written on.

The scam works in one of two ways:

Either the number plate never belonged to the seller, s/he has simply sent you a plate that bears no legal relevance and you receive no retention or transfer documents relating to it.

Or, the registration plate is legally endorsed and is sent with the retention certificate; meanwhile the original owner reports the registration as stolen. Subsequently, the plate you’ve received is rendered obsolete and worthless.

To avoid becoming a victim please insure you receive the correct documentation and that the authorities are informed of any changes.

When Selling
PistonHeads Phishing E-mails

We are aware of a large number of e-mails being sent from a variety of e-mail addresses, claiming "I am highly interested to purchase right away but first of all please help me clear my doubts. I found a topic on the pistonheads forum that regards you personally. I would rather hear it from you than trust the forum discussion. Here is the topic: [link]"

The link directs you to a fake version of our login page in an attempt to steal your username and password.

If you logged into the account then we would advise you to login to PistonHeads through: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/ and then click on Change Password on the left and follow the instructions.

It would be advisable to do this immediately. If you cannot log into your account then please let us know and we will reset your password and let you know.

If you have not logged into the fake address then you do not need to worry. We are working with the authorities to remove this site.

Buyer Waiting Scam

Rather than being carried out via e-mail, this scam is done over the phone.

Scammers are calling sellers, telling them they have a buyer for their car with money ready, but the seller just needs to pay a £4.99 fee over the phone with a debit card first.

The sting in the tail with this scam is that they then go ahead and withdraw as much money as possible from the victim's account, emptying it completely if not stopped.

We advise that you are very wary about any company phoning up claiming to have buyers waiting as soon as you make a payment. Even if they do not intend to empty your bank account, genuine companies will not require upfront payment from the seller and you are likely to be left out of pocket waiting for imaginary buyers to get in touch.

Foreign Buyers/Agents

The most common scam attempted via the internet is of a foreign buyer or agent wanting to buy your car or bike, despite not having seen it. They say they'll agree to the asking price. The details of the scam vary, but usually start with asking for your name, address and sometimes bank details.

Sadly, you need to be suspicious of any buyers from Africa for this reason. Sometimes these scams also originate in the Netherlands.

BE WARY OF ANY BUYER WHO SHOWS MORE INTEREST IN OBTAINING PERSONAL DETAILS THAN THE CONDITION OF THE GOODS THAT YOU'RE SELLING.

Overpayment


NEVER ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR MORE THAN THE AGREED PRICE. These scams usually involve faked cheques or bank transfers that exceed the agreed amount. The criminals request that you send them the difference when they discover the 'mistake'. Subsequently the banks then discover that the cheques were fake or that the bank transfer wasn't of valid funds and debit your account leaving you out of pocket.

PayPal Scam


The legitimate seller is e-mailed by an interested "buyer" or scammers. The scammers suggest making payment through the secure payment site PayPal, and claim to have transferred the agreed sum into the seller's PayPal account. However, they've actually transferred nothing. The scammers say PayPal is holding the money until they've received the goods. It is likely you'll receive e-mails that claim to be from PayPal - they'll look authentic and reassure you that it's safe to proceed. These are fake

Remember:

PayPal does not hold funds until an item is sent.
Beware of fake PayPal e-mails.
Follow the PH golden rule: trade face to face.
E-mail adverts@pistonheads.com if you have any doubts.

More Information
VSTAG and Action Fraud

The Vehicle Safe Trading Advisory Group (VSTAG) website www.vstag.co.uk contains up-to-date information on everything relating to buying or selling a car and also offers advice on what to do when things go wrong. The website www.actionfraud.org.uk allows victims to report individual frauds, these are then added to a national database with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.

MissJess

I had this today. Fortunately we were suspicious and checked. I Googled the address, 41 Foxedene Green, Dublin. The person we had to send money to was Andrew Lewis. The email address I corresponded with was bobrober268@yahoo.com.

It looked genuine but asking us to email payment@epaypal.au.ms was the clincher and made me check.

Some people could easily be fooled. Scum the lot of them!