Buyers beware of scam!!

[Kars35]

I was looking for 2 1921/24 Buick 4 cylinder heads. I was contacted last night from a guy in CA with exactly what I was looking for. I was given a price of $200 for both of them and he said he would look to see what shipping would cost and let me know the next am. I told him I wanted pictures of them both to make sure we were on the same page. The next morning he rang the phone off the wall and said he has them boxed and ready for shipping. I said what about pictures, and he said he doesn't know how to take pics and send them by phone, and he has never owned a computer. I said, you told me you're friend had the camera what happened? Well, it's the holidays and he left to see family. Ok,,,,,so I said I was weary of scams, and he assured me he was not that kind of guy. So I went to town to send money to him from Walmart to Walmart. He seemed fairly legitimate, so I wasn't too worried. He then called me before I sent the money with a new and cheaper price for shipping. He also seemed extremely eager to have the money sent. He said each head weighed 75 five pounds, and shipping was $155.35. I said ok. While still driving, he called again and said hey,,, you don't have to send the 35 cents, that he would cover it. Hmm, how weird. Now with all the phone calls, and acting too eager, I called my dad and had him weigh the cracked head that we had, and it weighed 34 pounds without the rockers, valves, springs, or cover. Ok, so now I called him and said whats up with that? He said oops, you're right. the total weight was 75#'s and he doubled it by accident because there were 2 heads. Ya right. I told him i'm not going to send money unless he took pics of both of them from the top, and both of them together from the bottom. He said OK. Well he called back and said he couldn't find a camera and he just sold both of them to another guy for $100. I know better, there were never any heads to begin with. His name is Willy, Mario Keelen. Supposed to live in Hayward California. He for sure is a con artist. Buyer beware!!!! He contacted me through the aaca in Buick parts. P,S, still looking for heads. 

[michaelod]

As soon as he told you to send the money from Walmart to Walmart that was your indication this was clearly a scam.  No one does that.  Anytime you hear these weird payment schemes just move on as there is no point in pursuing further contact. 

[MrEarl]

Did you report the pm or thread he replied to. What is his ID here? 

[Larry Schramm]

Simple to vet is to have him take a picture of the item with todays news paper and maybe put a quarter next to the items to confirm that he has the part(s).  This keeps the scammer from grabbing an internet picture for use.

 

No camera/no picture, then No tickie/ no washee.

Edited December 24, 2016 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[Grimy]

Hmmmm...  He has never had a computer but found your ad on a computer.

I live in a city adjacent to Hayward.  tell him you have a friend who can be there in 20 minutes to look at the heads.

Let me know...

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, Grimy said:

Hmmmm...  He has never had a computer but found your ad on a computer.

 

Excellent logic, Grimy!  You should be a judge.

Liars always trip themselves up somewhere---

Edited December 24, 2016 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Grimy]

I'm a former Federal criminal and civil investigator. A recently deceased attorney friend told me I should have been an attorney and I replied that I thought about it but remembered that I promised my mother I'd always earn an HONEST living.  Sorry, all you abogado members out there!

[60FlatTop]

Today's newspaper? They still make those things?

Bernie

[Larry Schramm]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 2:58 PM, 60FlatTop said:

Today's newspaper? They still make those things?

Bernie

 

I still have home delivery of The Wall Street Journal every day except Sunday.  I also get the local paper a few days a week.

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 12/30/2016 at 9:29 PM, Larry Schramm said:

I still have home delivery of The Wall Street Journal every day except Sunday.  I also get the local paper a few days a week.

 

Agreed.  A good newspaper has thorough news coverage.

Sometimes, an article in The Wall Street Journal will be

a half page of text.  A TV news story is like reading 2 or 3

paragraphs of a printed news story.  There is nothing in television or radio

news coverage (and usually not on the internet, either)

that comes even close to the thoroughness of an excellent newspaper.

[60FlatTop]

Independent newspapers may not provide the consistency of of the TV news. Creative journalism has its place, but a more "common core" helps the masses to understand.

 

[Seldenguy]

One of my most highly regarded literary authors Mark Twain spoke of " If you don't read the newspaper's you are uniformed, but if you do read them you are misinformed." I've always admired him since I was old enough to read. And I'll continue to read the published word until my eyes fail. I do not condemn the person that wishes to look at his/hers screen, however my preference is to sit in my recliner laid back with a book or newspaper. Probably just getting old and set in my ways.--Bob

[60FlatTop]

Good to see your name pop up! I have a couple pictures of Clarence and Skyrocket sitting right next to my mouse. I am going to scan them with a bunch of other stuff this week.

 

The Written Word, how different my life would be without it. Three feet above my head are the McGraw Hill mechanics books my Mother bought me in 1959.  ....and every other book collected over half a century!

 

Funny thing about readers. They know how to spell because they saw the words. U no watt I meen.

Bernie

[buick man]

… Kars35 you were right to apply caution and if he was talking to you via a cell phone all the more reason to doubt as he could take and send photos that way, but perhaps and just as a pause for a food for thought exercise for everyone ... an entirely different alter-reality universe may be at play here… one that most of us do not live day to day but which is very much as real and coexists … the guy just does not have the means and can't afford a computer even factoring in his lucrative full time $ 8 an hour job with zero benefits but consistently reduced 28-34 hour work week as management decrees and has no choice but to use the public library and sit's down at one of their computer terminals thankfully provided through that social commons institution and finally has access to a computer…or perhaps the guy he knows who does have a camera and as well also owns the computer he was using and anyways still can't afford a digital camera, as rent and food takes a toll deflating that dream cloud as well… and being able to scan a photo is even further down his dream list as well  ...