Scam Example
Underpriced Advert Scam - Email Exchange
Below is an email conversation (kindly sent by a user) between one of our users and a scammer. The scammer(white email) was selling a car well under priced, which attracted the user(grey email).
Hi,
Your Mini is advertised for £4990 - is this a typo?
Thanks
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I have received your email regarding my car on Autoweb.
The car is in perfect working condition, the mileage is low and accurate ,there are no scratches and the car was never involved in an accident. Always kept in a warm garage. It is a UK model with UK specs. The car is still registered in the UK. It will be shipped from France as i know live here. I want to use a company that handles shipping, payment and title transfer too. Something between escrow and cash on delivery .I get paid after they deliver the car to you. They have offices worldwide. Using their services I can have the car delivered to your address in 7 working days and we can both feel safe about this. Being a large transaction you don’t need to pay the full price. The company told me they accept 30% security deposits for transactions over 4000. I will pay the shipping charges but I am not offering insurance. If you want it insured during shipping you need to pay an extra 200. Payment will be made after shipping starts and you will be able to confirm shipment with the company before making payment. Money will be sent to the escrow company not to me.We can agree on a testing period for you and during this period the money will still be in escrow.I can give 3 days to have the car tested at any dealer you want.Please tell me if this will work out for you and if there is anything else that you would like to know about this deal.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Gordon Sandler
Hi Gordon,
Having read your offer below, I am very interested in this deal.
I travel to France on a regular basis and am planning a trip very soon, would it be at all possible to collect the car and pay cash for it instead of shipping it as I am a little concerned about possible damage in transit.
Where about’s in France is the car currently?
Please feel free to call me on +44 ******** if you wish to discuss this with me, it is best to catch me in the evenings as I work during the day.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Kind regards
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I am in Lyon and so is the car. You coming here to collect the car would be great because i could save on shipping charges,but how can i be sure you will take it because i have other offers and i don't want to tell people car is sold. You could not come at all.
How soon is your trip planned? I need to know because another man in London said he is willing to send a refundable security deposit to an escrow company in the UK so i can keep him the car until the end of the month.He wants to come here then but i told him i need 2 days to make up my mind,cause i need to sell it before the end of january.
Hi Gordon,
Lyon is quite simple and quick to get to.
I obviously want to see the car before I buy it and therefore can make no hard and fast promises to you right now that I will drive it away as I haven’t seen it. But the fact that I am willing to fly to France instead of just buying one locally I hope will work as some security for you over how serious I am – I don’t intend to mess you around Gordon, it is a very good deal and if the car is in the condition that you have advertised it at then I will almost certainly be taking it away.
Before I go ahead and start booking flights though, would it be possible to scan and email a copy of the registration document to me with your address, alternatively you could fax it to +44 ******** for the attention of Lisa ********, just so that I can be sure that the car is legitimate and registered in the UK – I am sorry if this seems as though I doubt the information you have given, but I hope you understand that I need to feel sure before I spend money on travel to Lyon.
If all is in order, I will be looking at getting a flight out to you within a week, perhaps Tuesday.
I appreciate that you have interest from another buyer and need to sell the car by the end of the month, if you would rather take a deposit from the man in London and secure the car for him then I understand. But if you are prepared not to secure the car for him until I have seen it then I will look into the necessary travel and transportation arrangements once I have a copy of the V5 registration. As you are concerned that I might not come, I will email you my flight details once booked to work some way towards reassuring you that I am serious. If I don’t arrive, then you won’t have lost much time at all and will still be able to go back to your other interested party.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Kind regards
Lisa
Just talked to the other buyer and he said he will be making the security deposit to the escrow company www.uamia.com first thing Monday morning,so unless you ca pay the company sooner the car is sold. Sorry.
Hi,
I’m sorry – I don’t quite understand how someone could pay money for a car that they’ve not even seen, personally, I’m not prepared to do the same.
Thank you for your time.
Lisa
Paying the deposit will not force you to buy the car. The deposit is fully refundable and it is paid just to make sure you are serious about buying it.
Hi,
I think I might still pass thanks, I don’t agree that I should part with any money, refundable or not, before I have viewed the vehicle.
Thanks anyway,
Lisa