Another scammer unmasked

[Restorer32]

We advertised on this forum for a 1933 Chev engine. Received a reply from Peterpietre@gmail.com who offered to sell us such an engine for $1500 delivered to our front door by USPS. Where do you put the stamps on a '33 Chev engine? Of course he wanted paid by wire transfer. The pics he sent were obviously from someone's restoration photos as the engine was obviously rebuilt and repainted and was on an engine stand awaiting replacement into the chassis. He gave his location as Antioch, Tennessee. When I told him I had a friend in Antioch who would come and pay for the engine he of course disappeared.

[Joe in Canada]

Will the USPS deliver an engine???????????????? I would thing not as in the past they would not handle a dash trim surround as being to large.

[Curti]

No, USPS will not deliver an engine. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

When I told him I had a friend in Antioch who would come and pay for the engine he of course disappeared.

 

It's always good to see one of our hobbyists defeating a scammer!

 

Occasionally I get calls from thick-accented overseas telephone scammers.

I always ask questions to trip them up.  Where is he calling from?

"Dallas, Texas," one Middle Easterner lied.  Oh, what's the weather there?

He said it was in the 70's, when I knew they had been in a summer heat wave

in Dallas with temperatures in the upper 90's.  And what's more, he gave the

temperature in Centigrade, which virtually no real American would ever quote.

 

Wiser than serpents!

Edited March 23, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[lump]

When I suspect a scammer, I often tell them I must get off the phone now, but I will call them back. I ask for their phone number, which they usually refuse. They ask to be able to call me back instead. I tell them I really prefer to call them back. Then I hesitate and say something like, "Wait a minute...is there some REASON why I cannot call YOU back?" Often they hang up right then. But once in a while, in an effort to avoid any suspicion, they will reluctantly give me a phone number. That's when the fun begins. 

 

Years ago scammers used to call small business offices, like mine, and claim to be our "official supplier of toner" for our copier. They always said there was about to be a giant price increase, so they knew I would want to order a bunch right now. If you fell for this scam, they would ship you some overpriced, terrible stuff which wouldn't work right in your copier...resulting in an expensive service-repair call. So one time when a guy called selling scam toner, I went through my above-mentioned routine with him, and he DID give me a phone number to call back. When I looked up the area code, he was somewhere in Las Vegas. I waited about an hour, and then dialed the number. When a voice picked up, I said, "Hello. Is Herbie there?" The reply was negative, telling me there was no one named Herbie at that number. I waited about 20 minutes, and called a 2nd time, asking for Herbie again. Then I waited about half an hour, and repeated. And again, and again, and again, and again, and again...all day long. Finally, late in the business day, I called one final time, (with my entire staff standing nearby and chuckling silently). When they answered I said, "Hi! This is Herbie. Have there been any calls for me today?" 

 

You could hear them cursing through the phone line, even as I held it away from my ear so the staff could enjoy it. I gently hung up the phone, and savored the moment. 

 

I had gotten the idea from an old, old issue of MAD MAGAZINE. Who says you can't learn anything reading a comic book? 

 

[46 woodie]

Maximum weight for any parcel delivered by the USPS is 70 lbs. Also, if it is an automobile part, it must be free from any oil, gas and solvent odors or it will be rejected. Apparently they have equipment that sniffs all packages for drug shipments and certain odors will mess up their machines, not worth the hassle.

[Pilgrim65]

Like it when you catch the 

[g-g-g0]

I had a message from this guy also!

[Mark Gregory]

I had a message also from this guy also .

 

[Luv2Wrench]

but did you get the engine?

 

[old car fan]

I send vacuum tanks out sometimes without payment.I send pics of the progress. no reply,no send .Never had a old car guy get me,good family

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

My time is too valuable to me to waste playing games with those clowns. If I get an email or phone call that has the least suspicious tone I either delete or hang up. If anyone is the least bit serious they will try to follow up.

[John_S_in_Penna]

4 minutes ago, kking15 said:

My time is too valuable to me to waste playing games with those clowns. If I get an email or phone call that has the least suspicious tone I either delete or hang up. If anyone is the least bit serious they will try to follow up.

 

It's always a good idea to hang up on scammers!

But as an honest buyer, if someone hung up on me,

I would get a wrong impression of him, and would likely

just go to the next potential supplier on my list.

[R Walling]

 Sometimes I listen for a while, as I have found out, there are many people that don't know how to talk on the telephone.

 They don't take the time to formulate their statements or questions before dialing.

 A few times I was glad I didn't hand up too soon.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I went to Salem County Flea Market (formerly Cowtown) last Sunday. I guy had a list of parts available. One thing is a 30 Chevy doodlebug with a rebuilt 35 Chevy engine and 2 transmissions, $1500. Kinda pricey but if you can use the 35 engine you can maybe recoup some of it with the extra parts. Contact if interested

[MCHinson]

We have banned this guy a few times recently. He keeps registering on the forum using different email addresses and then sending private messages asking people to email him at Peterpietre@gmail.com. If you receive a private message from someone who has zero posts on the forum and he is offering to sell you something, there is almost a 100% chance that he is a scammer. Please click the report button on the message and we will address it.

[hidden_hunter]

8 hours ago, MCHinson said:

We have banned this guy a few times recently. He keeps registering on the forum using different email addresses and then sending private messages asking people to email him at Peterpietre@gmail.com. If you receive a private message from someone who has zero posts on the forum and he is offering to sell you something, there is almost a 100% chance that he is a scammer. Please click the report button on the message and we will address it.

 

Yep got one before, but looks like you'd already dealt with it between me getting the email and checking the aaca.

 

sure you have a top cover for a type 61 Cadillac....

[lump]

On 3/27/2017 at 8:27 AM, kking15 said:

My time is too valuable to me to waste playing games with those clowns. If I get an email or phone call that has the least suspicious tone I either delete or hang up. If anyone is the least bit serious they will try to follow up.

Yeah, me too, King. But that one time I just wanted to make THEM suffer a little, in return for all the hassle they cause everyone else over the years. LOL

[jvelde]

I had a listing in Buy/Sell looking for a carb and got a solicitation from Peter, but when I looked on Forum he had already been blocked. Yesterday I got another alert through AACA from him, so l reported him. Thanks for staying on top of these guys!

JV

Edited March 30, 2017 by jvelde (see edit history)