One of the worst weeks of my life! (long) NO DISNEY, NO CAR, I WAS SCAMMED!

[myfavvac]

I too am so sorry and feel so bad for you and your family. It’s just so despicable and absolutely frightening people can be so EVIL. Thanks for sharing this information because you might also help prevent someone else from being scammed. It’s all very disheartening.

 

[Planogirl]

What a mess! I'm so sorry that this happened to you and thanks so much for warning others. I hope that something can be done.

 

[KibbyCat]

Did you contact Craig's List at all to let them know what happened? I'm sure they have some sort of avenue for you to report scams so that they can be aware and keep other users from having the same horrible thing happen to them.

 

[standleyent1]

Hopefully the FBI Internet Crimes Division will be able to track these scum bags. There should be video surveillance at the bank where you wired the money to and they should be able to track the time the withdrawal is made and put it together with the person who makes the withdrawal for an identification. I work in the Digital Video Surveillance industry and it can be very effective when set up correctly. Its unfortunate that we have to live in a society that preys on good people who just want to be a good provider for their family and work real hard to give a little something extra like a trip to Disney.
Saying many prayers for you!!
Keep your head up and a smile on your face!

 

[C.Ann]

I feel so bad for you and your family.. Although you're terribly upset, I admire your DH's attitude and his belief that God will take care of you somehow..

As I was sitting here reading this I kept thinking, "I wish this person could have read my mind.." Although I live in upstate NY, I keep waffling back and forth over selling my 2005 mini van.. It's in perfect mechanical shape - with only 28,000 miles on it - and for the amount of driving I do, I'd rather have a clunker with a little bit of money leftover in the bank due to my limited income.. But - that's neither here nor there - and won't help you with this situation you are currently in.. Just wishful thinking that might have prevented this evil person from ripping you off..

Anyhow, I'm going to pray real hard for your family.. That somehow everything will work out.. Until then:

 

[tileman]

So sorry to hear.
I myself almost got took for $4,500 for a golf cart on CraigsList
They we like we out of town please send the money and when we get it will will set up time to drop off the cart.... Yea right

Good luck and hope things get better for you.

Ron.

 

[tinah159]

Sent you a PM.

 

[Vivianne]

So sorry to read about your awful experience.

Hopefully, somehow something can be salvaged here. Please don't beat yourself up over this with worry. Your family needs you, try to think like your DH. Others more savvy have fallen for these types of scams. Take care of your health, your children depend on you.

 

[IDoDis]

I'm sorry this happened to you.

I have a friend who lost her house to scammers. She thought she was refinancing, but after everything was signed, she found out she had been tricked and had basically given her house away! She was a widow who never had to deal with things like this before because her DH had always taken care of these things. She had good equity in her home and was trying to lower her mortgage payment since she was living on just income now. She lost $120,000 in equity, and lost her home. She had to move out and had to rent a house.
A few months after she moved into the house, a pipe burst downstairs while she was sleeping. When she woke up, she opened her bedroom door to a gush of water! The water had reached up the upstairs and the entire downstairs was flooded!!! She lost so many things that she had bought with her DH including cherished wedding photos that could not be replaced. My heart just broke for her. First she lost her DH, then her house, and then her cherished items. No renters insurance, either.

So you are right -- this is horrible, but it could be worse. You still have your family, your children and a roof over your head. You will get through this. I'm so sorry!

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Just sending pixie dust that everything works out, and that horrible person gets caught. I just don't understand how people who do things like this to others can live with themselves!

FYI to anyone interested. Another thing to look out for...We were looking for a used car this spring and were willing to travel an hour from our house. We found a beautiful Audi A4 Quattro that was too good to be true with a Boston area zip code on Auto Trader's website. The guy finally wrote me an email with a sob story on how it was his wife's car and she was deathly ill and needed to sell it for the money. So I emailed back (of course telling him how sorry I was), and he writes me back the car is in Florida, he will only sell it through eBay motors and the price includes shipping from FL. Well, 2 days later my DH found another 'too good to be true' deal with the same zip code and emailed the person just to see what would happen. Got the same sob story! It made me sick that someone would lie about a spouse dying of cancer! When I finally found a used car, the guy selling it was licensed in this state to sell used cars. He said certain states don't have strict title laws and if we ended up getting the car from out of state, it could have been a totaled (ie flood, etc) car with a new clean title.

 

[Cesilie]

oh my goodness dear, you're not the only one... i was involved in a mess like this but over a computer.... with the same sort of deal...


keep up on the FBI they WILL help you, it took almost 6 months for me to get my $ back but God provided for me in that time You're in my prayers and good things will come out of this situation... I learned to try and stay away from buying expensive things off of ebay and craigslist here because its very very filled with criminal activity... I hope everything works out for you!

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Others more savvy have fallen for these types of scams.

My Dad's old boss who was very business savvy lost money to Bernie Madoff!

 

[KristinU]

Just adding my hugs and also a word of thanks for posting your story. Perhaps your sharing will protect one of our fellow DISboards members from falling for the same scam. How doubly/triply/quadrupally rotten to use the "military shipping off" story as the front for this scam... grrr!

 

[summerrluvv]

Craigs list=scammer list to me. I list baby items and get emails from scammers with the nigerian check scam BS.

I hope you get your money back, that totally stinks.

 

[travelbug]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I really admire your husband's understanding attitude. Please keep us posted. I hope the FBI will follow up and find the slimebuckets running the scam.

 

[mamo-4-wdw]

I also think you should call the local tv station and let them know.

 

[C.Ann]

Not a bad idea at all - really! I have seen one of our local tv stations here get more accomplished than any law enforcement agency; BBB; Attorney General; etc.. I say go for it!!

I also think you should call the local tv station and let them know.

 

[MinnieGi]

SO sorry, this happend, this is just horrible. I can easily see how you and many others have fallen for this scam. Such lowlifes to take advantage of people!

I hope some how you get your money back and get to take that once in a lifetime Disney vacation!!!

 

[ceecee]

I have heard so much about Craigslist that is negative. I wouldn't buy a car sight unseen and certainly wouldn't send $. Hopefully, the FBI will help. You lost your down payment? Or did you send the entire amount?

 

[mrsklamc]

Opinions vary on Dave Ramsey around here but one thing he says is 'So you've done something stupid with money? Congratulations, that means you are over the age of 12."

It would be easy to just charge the vacation so good for you for not. I hope things look up soon.