Mikefit Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I have been looking for top sockets for my D/B for along time First of the week a AACA member told of a gentleman in Texas that the parts I needed. Contacted him yes I have them he set the price and the shipping cost I ask for a photo of the parts. He also wanted me to pay by some kind of electronic payment plane. I told him I was old school check or cash. Ok he sent me a address in Mississippi. Still no pictures no phone numbers to call him told me he was having trouble with the pictures. What do you think ???? Thanks. Mike Ps last email he said if it was not what I wanted he would refund my money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Sounds like a scam. With todays camera filled world he should be able to get you some photos. Tell him to have a friend take a photo with a phone and send it to your phone. Tell him you are afraid of being scammed and would like to speak to him. All reasonable requests in todays world. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Buyer beware. I would hold out until I at least saw some pics. This has been brought up here before but not much of an excuse in this day and age for not having them, Its pretty easy to text a pic. As far as payment, I dont do electronic payments usually send a M.O. Last part I bought the guy had me do a Walmart transfer. I suppose its like a Western Union, though I have never done those. You pay the amount at the service counter, say which state it goes to. The recipient can go into any store in that state with the auth. code and gets paid within about an hour. Seems like a pretty good way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I would want a photo just to be sure they are the right parts to begin with. Electronic payments are fine. No different than a money order, except the person getting it knows they have it. Now with something like pay pal if you don't do it friend to friend, you have some recourse if you never get the part and he doesn't provide tracking. Western Union or Walmart, once you send the money it's gone, so no recourse there. The problem is the few shady people make it bad for the other 90+ % out there that are honest. I have bought several pieces of literature by sending the money then getting the stuff later (sometimes without knowing exactly what I was getting) and only been burned twice. One of those was even in person though so it's all possible. I will say I have had people having faith in me and just sent me stuff to make an offer on without sending them any money up front. I could have just never paid for it, but I made an offer and what do you know mroe followed and even friends of their's contacted me to buy their stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Ask for a certain angle photo of the parts. If the seller cannot provide that particular photo, move on and forget about the parts as it IS a scam. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 It's a scam. If they asked for Western Union or some other marginal money-moving service, it's always a scam. Pretending to not know how to internet or take pictures = scam. Refund guarantee = scam. He doesn't have what you need. Don't let your desire for the parts overrule your better judgement. Tell him to send the parts UPS COD and see what happens. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I too am for sending pictures. BUT......be sure to have the person put something like the todays newspaper with the part in the picture. Be sure it has a current date. Or maybe have him put a Coke can in the picture upside down on one side of part like right,left,top,bottom. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I can honestly say I have never been scammed out of a part bought online. I try to get stuff from people I either know or 'know of'. I have bought a lot of stuff from forum members from a couple that I frequent. I agree about recourse with a Walmart payment. The one I sent was to a guy I did not know, but he had a great rep on a Pontiac forum. Transaction went without a hitch. One just needs to be diligent and again, buyer beware. I have passed on some 'good deals' or things that I thought I needed on ebay just because I dont know the seller. I have bought a few things that way, but my rule of thumb with an unknown is not to spend any more than I can afford to lose. May not be the right way of thinking but has always worked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 My grandfather always said if you want to find out about someone, give them the chance to steal something small. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 The situation outlined in the original post is a classic scam. A hallmark of it is someone telling you he knows who has it, please call my friend at (xxx) xxx-xxxx or whatever. Wanting Western Union or some other transfer service that has no recourse is another. Having a payment address in a location that is not the same as the parts is something that comes up time and time again. The number of excuses that have to be made up to justify that last one must be huge. Another common thing said is "I'm working on an Oil Rig, and the parts are at home so I can't take more pictures", though I think people are finally getting wise about that excuse. This particular scam, as described in the original post, is rampant right now in every online vehicle forum. Lots of good advice in the thread so far, however don't use Western Union or some similar money transfer service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 The lack of pictures isn't the only huge red flag. If the guy is in Texas why did he give you a Mississippi mailing address? Pass. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 He can manage electronic payments but he lacks the skill to email a picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 My immediate thought on reading the OP was "its a scam!" And it very much most likely is. However, I find myself in an odd place. I do have problems with sending pictures, in spite of the fact that I earned my living for thirty years in cutting edge technology. If a picture is on my computer? No problem. I post pictures here and on other sites occasionally, IF they are on my computer. My old digital camera? From the 1990s? Worked great! The upload to the computer was well designed, had an easy setup to begin with, and offered good choices every time I uploaded from my camera. My wife and I liked it so much, after about two years we bought another one just like it so I could take one on my excursions and she could have on as well if she wanted it. After over fifteen years, one of them failed. About two years later, the other one quit. So we bought a couple new cameras. The upload program was totally automatic. NO setup options. NO upload choices. Ever had to hunt through a couple hundred folders and programs to find your pictures? I once found a few of them in the word processing program. And what made it even worse, was it automatically erased the photos from the camera when uploaded so I couldn't reload them if something didn't work right. I came away from thirty years in high tech contracting with a very low tolerance for bad programming. So, now would you like to hear about my cell phone? Some people do have trouble sending photos. However, that aside, along with the other things already mentioned? It sounds like a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefit Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 Thanks all of you guys I will have to n pass on the parts but I will sleep knowing you all supported me. But not going to mention to my daughter this hat she was right. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgansdad Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Always, always, always, caveat emptor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Been using digital cameras for years. Had Canon cameras since the '60s. Now have three Canon ELPH SD780is just do what I want and cheap on eBay. Cave canem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Not being able to send pictures when almost everyone has a phone that can take photos and email them is a pretty thin excuse. I wouldn't trust it. Run away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Not being able to send pictures when almost everyone has a phone that can take photos and email them is a pretty thin excuse. I wouldn't trust it. Run away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Have fun with the jerk, ask him some Dodge Brothers questions. Bob 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 No excuse. I only have a flip phone and can ask my wife, sister, or neighbor to do pictures for me. There is always some one to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalef62 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 What was the guys email, I just received a message with the same MO, 0 record, in Mississippi, all the usual crap. Reported it and Peter sent him a private message to call him. Peter told him that until he calls him he will consider him a spammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 11 hours ago, Mikefit said: First of the week a AACA member told of a gentleman in Texas that the parts I needed Ok, you saved yourself from getting ripped off, but a part of this still bugs me - you state it was an "AACA Member" who told you about the guy who tried to scam you? First, I'm wondering how you determined he was actually an AACA member? I'll bet it was all a part of the hoax, but if you have a name, it's easy enough to check up on that. Terry 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 (edited) Probably an AACA Forum member. It wouldn't be the first time. The moderators here are wise to this sort of crap, and usually jump all over it. One still must be vigilant. Someone will be the first target. Edited January 16, 2021 by Bloo (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefit Posted January 16, 2021 Author Share Posted January 16, 2021 Kimberly72 !!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flivverking Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Last week I had this " Kimberly 72 "PM me with an email of some friend that has a part I needed.. My instant thought was" I DON'T THINK SOOOOO" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Almost all scammers are new members who have made only a few posts or no posts at all. Most of their activity is via Private Messages. That should be the first red flag that somethings not right. If you suspect a member of the forum is trying to scam you, PM a moderator immediately and let them know. Moderators have a few tools they can use to help determine if they are legit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 We should keep in mind that, as car people, we're a lot more 'tuned-in' to scams than the bulk of the population. A few months ago a friend of mine asked my advice about a Craigslist ad for an RV van he was considering. He sent me the response he got...inherited the vehicle from a relative that died, in the Army in Alaska so can't communicate, eBay Motors will ship it for free (!!!), photos looked like they were lifted from a dealer ad, yada, yada. I told him to run the other way and luckily he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 buying from an aaca member doesnt guarantee you wont get scammed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 19 hours ago, ted sweet said: buying from an aaca member doesnt guarantee you wont get scammed Works both ways. I have mailed out a few parts over these forums that I never got paid for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Only bad case I had was someone said they needed their 69 Grand Prix hood tach repaired quickly for a show so sent them only one I had (GP only had a special filter) with understanding they would send one back. They returned a GTO (no blue filter). When I complained they essentially said "tough". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTR Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 "Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck ...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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