Watch out!! Scam alert!!

[FabianC18]

Hey guys, 

I just want to share what happened this weekend. 

I posted in this forum that I am looking for a 57-60 Buick Dynaflow torque converter. The next day aaca member TRIPPY1AA (joined aaca last friday) contacted me that I should email "Mason" at msnyder@gmail.com. He has one for sale. 

So I emailed Mason. 

He replied that he has one and asked how much I would pay for it. I sent him a link of a torque converter that was sold here in this forum in 2013 in TX for 149 bucks. I said I would feel comfortable paying around 150-200 Dollars. He agreed to sell it for 160 incl shipping and I should pay via Paypal. He said "while sending as family and friends to avoid delay payment." and here I got suspicious. 

1st. Who would include shipping for 10 bucks. It`s much more. Torque converter is very heavy.

2nd. Why for family and friends? There is no delay in payment. But there is no buyers protection for money sent for family and friends!!!! 

So I asked him for his number and called him. I could barely understand him and asked if he could send me some pictures of the converter. He hung up on me and later texted me a picture. guess what. It was the picture from the link I sent him earlier. The converter that was sold in 2013 in TX. 

 

Long story short: if do don`t know the person, I highly recommend NOT sending any money as  "family and friends", only "goods and service" Otherwise you don`t have any purchase protection. 

Thanks and Merry Christmas

 

Fabian 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by FabianC18 (see edit history)

[Guest]

Sounds like you did some good due diligence there Fabian. Nice job.

When I'm buying from a stranger for the first time and they ask for the PayPal f&f, I always send it the regular way but add 4% to cover seller's costs. Get the protection every time, have not been burned and legit sellers would never complain.

Cheers, Greg

[FabianC18]

Good point. I would also pay the 4% to be on the safe side. 
better safe then sorry 

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, FabianC18 said:

I could barely understand him and asked if he could send me some pictures of the converter. He hung up on me...

 

One way to make sure pictures are legitimate:

Ask the "seller" to send a picture of the item next

to today's newspaper, or some other identifying object.

That way he can't simply glean one from the internet.

 

He may have been from some foreign country.

Evidently your $160 wasn't worth much of the

criminal's time.  He has probably moved on to

cheating widows out of their life savings.

 

Glad to hear you thwarted him!

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[JRA]

I have experienced similar attempt of fraud. Fake sellers are always in a rush!

 

 

[Bryan G]

This is getting to be very common; it happened to me this summer regarding a part I've been advertising for (another hobby of mine).

1) Guy emails me and says a friend told me I was looking for the part.

2) Came up with an off-the-wall shipping price (in this case, the opposite, $50 for something that weighs 2 lbs.)

3) My item doesn't exist in Google-land, no photos out there. So...he told me he didn't have a camera. 

4) Payment must be by PayPal friends and family. I gave him a try (hadn't heard yet of this scam) and did what I usually do, paid with "regular" PayPal and included an extra $5. He sent me a full refund in about 60 seconds and told me "good luck". 

[marcapra]

I experience phishing emails almost daily.  I never take a stranger's word for anything.  You did the right thing in checking him out first.  

 

[padgett]

One clue is that they rarely know your real name.