Possible Scam Alert

[Steve Rinaldo]

I thought that I would let you know what happened yesterday. A few days ago I listed on this forum, wanted a Maxwell 2 cylinder engine,by the way I still need this engine. I got a call from a guy in Nevada who said he was cleaning out his house and garage and his father had 2 of the crankcase/blocks that I needed. After several calls the cost came up and he said it would be about$150 to ship them. [how did he know that at 7am Nevada time} The total cost would $500-550 including shipping. Then how to pay came up. No checks of any kind , a possible credit card transfer or bank cash transfer. He said he would call me back but I never heard a thing. I was very skeptical about this whole deal. I found out one thing that we all can use. If you do Google search on a phone number it sould tell you if the phone number is legitimate or not. If you get a call from number 775 455 6818. be very careful. Steve

[46 woodie]

It might be a coincidence, but on another site someone was warning about a scam artist, also located in Nevada. The best way to expose this guy is to tell him you have a friend in Nevada and he will pick up the motors and give him cash. You won't hear from him again. Thanks for the warning!

[Jim Bollman]

I did the local friend wants to look at it first on an RV that was way underpriced. Played the same person twice. Once where they wanted me to send the money and they then said it in a different state, had a friend there to, then it was in storage and could not be seen but they would refund my money if I wasn't happy.

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 minute ago, Jim Bollman said:

...way underpriced... it was in storage and could not be seen but they would refund my money if I wasn't happy.

 

Typical modus operandi of a dishonest person:

"Act quickly without thinking or having time to do research!"

"The item is unavailable for anyone to examine!"

"I'm unavailable so you can't come in person!"

 

Clang!  That's the sound that should be heard more:

Jail cell doors closing on a habitual scammer.

[DB26]

This guy tried to get me a few years ago 

[46 woodie]

Isn't it great to have a site such as this one to alert everyone about scammers like this this guy!!!!

[richasco]

You set yourself up for it, you posted your phone number in an open forum. You should only give it out in a private message.

[John_S_in_Penna]

15 hours ago, richasco said:

You set yourself up for it, you posted your phone number in an open forum. You should only give it out in a private message.

 

I disagree.  Plenty of ads on the Hemmings Motor News

website, and others, list sellers' phone numbers.

Make it easy for honest people to contact you, and

don't penalize the many honest for the one scammer.

 

If I am browsing a forum and see an interesting car 

for sale, it's likely I'm not a member of that forum, so

I would have no way to send a private message.

There are many forums, but I don't belong to them all.

[dibarlaw]

Steve :

Sounds like the same fellow I had a run in with my "Wanted Top sockets for a 1925 Buick Model 25." several months ago. He said that they were at his parents home (somewhere along the California/Nevada border) that was going for the final closing and the real estate agent would not help him post photos. Swear, swear, curse, curse… Said it was a completely finished extra top in a bicycle box. He indicated that they were going to pitch it out. I gave him an offer on it and said I had someone local to come to pay and pick it up. If he could give me a location! Never heard from him again....

[babybuick63]

Guy in Nevada with this number just tried to get me. Said he had what I needed. Grandfather died and he's selling the property. Parts will go to the scrap yard if they don't sell today. In a hurry to get to the airport. Would drop off at the shipping 'broker' on his way. Only wire transfer. Scammer

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, babybuick63 said:

 Parts will go to the scrap yard if they don't sell today. 

 

There's that "Buy immediately without time to think" ploy again!

[Graham Man]

Asking for pictures is always a good idea also, easy in the phone with camera age.  Got a picture of my friends Graham from Canada, that was a big red flag.

[JACK M]

Not a huge investment but a guy claimed to have and had pictures of an original set of hub caps that I wanted.

I saw the exact same photos in more than one place.

This concerned me because these are a popular cap and should have been already sold at the asking price.

I asked him to send additional photos with todays newspaper showing.

He did and I bought.

Not all multiple listings are a scam, but a little insurance is necessary.

 

I sent a guy thirty bucks for a NIB distributor that was listed along with several other parts a month or so ago, a CL ad and paid via PayPal.

A week or so later I had not received the distributor and the ad was gone. I figured I was screwed but would wait a little longer.

The item showed up the next day.

I could probably afford the thirty bucks but all turned out well. Or at least it will when I get the adaptor that will fit it to my Hemi.

 

[Rapps]

Yes It is that one bad apple syndrome!

[Jim Bollman]

Years ago I saw a truck for sale on eBay using pictures of my truck that I had posted online in a forum. Told the seller to take my pictures down and he said they were not my pictures and it was his truck. Pointed out the truck was on my son's trailer in front of my barn and then turned him in to eBay. The ad was pulled. Don't know if he really had a similar truck and was to lazy to take his own photos or if it was a complete scam.

[wayne sheldon]

This sort of thing has been going on too long. As little as I buy and sell (cars or parts), I have run into several such scams. Just a year ago, my only modern car (Ford Expedition) died. What made it worse was that six months earlier, I had sold my last running antique automobile (model T), so I didn't even have that to fall back on. In my hasty search for a quick cheap replacement, I ran into at least two full on scams! (Hurry, must buy it NOW! NO you can't come and see it right now! But send me the money and I will bring it to you!)

 

About eight years ago, before things blew up on me, my wife wanted something different to be her daily driver. We looked at several cars online and/or local. Now, I have never really been into muscle cars, but I don't dislike them. And we found what looked like a good deal on an '80ish Corvette (Linda liked it!). Not a big collector value, and the engine "had been replaced with a GM crate engine". I think we all know, that is a big deal breaker for a serious collector. However, as I said, I am not really into muscle cars, what do I care if the engine is only somewhat close to right? So, the low price seemed justified. We're near Lake Tahoe, near the Califunny/Nevada border, and the eBad listing said the car was in Arizona. So, even that seemed doable. But something didn't feel right. My wife was quite good with computers, for many years trained coworkers on emerging technologies. I looked for clues in the ad, she did the internet searches, and sure enough, the pictures were harvested, and being used on other sites listed in other states, with different details, you name it. So we got her an Audi TT roadster locally instead.