G Man

I have the 81' on E-Bay. I got an e-mail that I am not sure about. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Let me know what you think. The e-mail message reads: Hello Jim, I want to ask for the porsche 928, pls can you explain the condition of the vehicle to me, and also let me know if you accept certified check for the payment method, pls get back to me asap. God Bless.

I won't give out the e-mail address of the person who sent it to me publicly but if you want I can PM it to you. Advice please. I only have two days left and have no bids yet.

FlyingDog

You seem a little paranoid. That seems like a normal question for a car auction. If he had asked about foreign certified checks or wire transfers you'd have reason to worry. He may want to know asap because he's looking at another car.

AFARR

I'd send back an e-mail--specify that the Check has to be for the EXACT total on the car. Check has to CLEAR before shipping/pickup. If it is a USA cashier's check, can be verifed within 24 hrs (just call the issuing bank).

I get suspicious about those also--usually the $2000 car they want to pay for with a $8000 check and you "Western Union" the refund to them...

Another thing--don't sweat it too much that people don't bid early--I hate to do that (I use a bid snipe service).

AFARR

Giovanni

Eventhough it sounds like FRAUD FRAUD FRAUD, I would have some fun with the "potential" buyer. At the end, he will sent you a certified check for XXX amount over the original amount. He will ask you "not to worry, you sound like a person that I can trust....blah blah blah". Please wire transfer the xxx difference and keep the price of the vehicle that we agreep upon. After 3 weeks of the certified fund being deposited in your account, you will get a letter stating it is a counterfeit item. The vehicle may or may not be on its way to the buyer but he/she does not care, he got the money from the wire transfer. It is an Ebay Classsic case. Do a search on this site, countless examples.

Randy V

The 'God Bless' was the final tip-off to me that this is a scam. This salutation is often used by third-world scammers.

I could be wrong, but...

G Man

Thanks for the advice guys. I will e-mail back and tell him what AFARR said.

jyoon

all these scams seem to ask questions that are already answered in the adds. they always ask for maintenance records and such, that are already described.

Brett Jenkins

When I sold my 944, and when I sold my 924s, I got several of these a week. They were always full of bad grammer and had some very American sounding name attached to it. They were all frauds.

It's not worth the trouble messing with them. Just let them go away.

IcemanG17

I know if I was serious about an ebay car I would want to talk to the owner myself & would ask for his phone number and give him mine!
Brian

fraggle

If you've got some time, read up on the scam here:

http://www.419eater.com/html/letters.htm

These guys REALLY mess with them.

docmirror

Accept a certified check, let it clear the issuing bank, then give him the car. There's a big ho-ha on ferrarichat.com about taking cash for a car these days. I have to say cash sounds really good to me. I would fear a certified check, as I've seen two forgeries that looked darn good - right up until the bank had to honor it. Then it was 'sorry, no good'.

Doc

BrianG

Escrow is a great thing!

SharkSkin

Careful, some "certified" checks can "clear" only to end up not being honored some time later, like 10+ days after the fact. Or so I've heard. Make sure it's from a bank that you can walk into and get cash for it -- THEN hand over the keys.

Oh, and Fraggle... how could you mention that and overlook http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com

Th Dude

That link Fraggle posted is fantastic.

D

Mark

Derek -

If you like that one...try: www.ebolamonkeyman.com

Have a hanky handy - you will have tears streaming down your face from the laughter!