Does this email sound for real to you??

[kbkids]

Here's the situation. My DH has his truck listed for sale on Auto Trader. We received an email a few days ago from a man saying that he was acting as an agent and wanted to know some more particulars on the truck. My DH answered him, and today, about four days later, we get this reply.


Hello ******,
thanks for the detailed information provided on the purchase of
your vehicle .Hope the vehicle is oil changed, serviced and ready to
go,Please be advised of the urgency of the transaction ,i have just
discussed with the customer not long ago regarding payment and pickup
arrangements,He explained that there is no much time left considering
the purpose of the vehicle and that the debtor company already took
more than enough time to release his (check payment).
He has instructed me to inform you that payment will get to
you in a cashier check of $***** payment made out to cover the
expense of the shipper who will be shipping the vehicle since he
would be travelling out of town for business, So you are required to
deduct the cost of your vehicle $***** when payment is received and
send balance of $9800 to the shipper for him to be able to offset
shipping & tax charges, and other cosmetic repair costs.
Upon receiving your payment and balance sent down to the
shipper immediately the shipper's agent will come for inspection and
pick up (of vehicle & signing of title papers), some cosmetic touches
and drive to the prepaid shipper .Confirm this and forward your
LEGAL NAMES, ADDRESS and PHONE NUMBER for payment to be made out.
Please get back to me within fews hours of receiving my mail to
confirm this.I await your favourable response with the required
information for payment delivery asap.
Thanks in anticipation of your understanding.
Kind Regards,
***


Something about it is just not clicking with me, and I can't exactly say why. This man has never seen the vehicle in person - we don't even know where he lives - don't even know the buyers name or the agents' full name, or who he is affiliated with. And to top it off, $9800 to ship a vehicle??? We just shipped a vehicle for a friend from FL to CA for $900. Having worked in banking for years, this smells similar to the man outside asking you to cash a large check for him and you can keep $100 for your trouble - only to have the check bounce. What do you think?? The total amount when you add that incredible $9800 shipping fee is more than you can purchase the vehicle brand new on the lot. It's a 2004, so it's in great shape and worth what we're asking, but again, something just seems wrong to me. What do you guys think??

 

[Brianne]

Sounds like a scam to me. IMHO, unless someone comes to you in person with cash in hand, I wouldn't sell it, no matter how good the deal may seem.

 

[robinb]

No! It's NOT real. It's a scam. The cashier's check will be fake and you will be out of a car and $9800.

 

[Rachie0507]

I think it sounds strange. I wouldn't give any personal info without knowing more about this person.

 

[Microcell]

Sounds like one of those situations where they send you a bogus check and tell you that they need the truck ASAP and can't wait for the check to clear due to some long drawn out story then the check bounces. I read something in the reverse, where there was someone who would bite on this type of email just to string the "buyer" along and mess with thier lives. Maybe someone here has that link to the reverse scams, which were funny! My gut agrees with your gut.

 

[Alice's Mom]

this is definitely a scam, my friend receives these regularly, he sells scooters

 

[kbkids]

Well, alrighty then!! Thanks for backing me up. I didn't tell my DH about the letter yet because he really is eager to sell the truck, and I didn't want him to jump at this without thinking. Appreciate it!!

 

[cheyita]

Is the name Williams Smith? Jeff Dougherty? We got two of those e-mails in the past few weeks with a car we have for sale.

Ignore, ignore, ignore...

 

[kbkids]

Is the name Williams Smith? Jeff Dougherty? We got two of those e-mails in the past few weeks with a car we have for sale.

Ignore, ignore, ignore...

Nope, just simply "Bob"

 

[Lisa L from MI]

I personally, would forward on that email to autotrader....just to give them a heads up

 

[Disneyfan63]

Hi,

If the email is from an unfamiliar screenname or address, it's probably spam. Don't do it.

Jim

 

[SandraM]

http://www.bustedupcowgirl.com/scampage.html

This site has been posted before, but is always worth going back to. Beware, there's sound!
YOUR BUYER IS A SCAMMER.

 

[Patch'sD]

This is one of the oldest scams. Cashiers Check is no Good and your out $9800 and the truck. Reply to E-Mail that your are not intrested in it and have forwarded the E-Mail to your States Attorney General Fraud Division. PS He already has your E-Mail Address, I would suggest you change that has you most likely will get every Flim Flam man type of deal contacting you.

 

[Pam]

Run, run like the wind!

It's a scam!!

 

[Keli]

I really wish there was a way to catch these types of scammers. It is so wrong to do this to people and I sure wish we could effectively put a stop to it.

 

[philaround]

This is a well documented scam. While the cashier's check you receive will look legit, and your bank will most likely think it is real also, IT IS NOT REAL. The hope of this person is that you will have sent the "change" for the overpayment, and they will have converted your check to cash, before your bank receives notification that the cashier's check is phoney. Send him an e-mail asking if you can send the "change" in Monopoly money, you'll never hear from him again.

 

[mickeyfan2]

It smells bad from here. Please look for another buyer.

 

[Danvers]

No! It's NOT real. It's a scam. The cashier's check will be fake and you will be out of a car and $9800.

You are 100% correct!!

 

[Jeanny]

yeah, you may want to report it to the police.... I don't know if they'll be able to trace it, but it's definitely a scam. Run away fast!!!!!

 

[welovewdw]

Ditto above posters - 100% scam. NO doubts at all.