Third ad in as many weeks, each of them exactly the same in content , only difference being different phone numbers, advertising a BMW 6 series 630 on a reputed used car website(am I allowed to mention which one?)
Anyway this particular ad stands out because its the cheapest price on a used 630 at present in the UK.
Which was exactly the same in the previous 2 advertisements.
The phone numbers are never answered and as with the present ad go into an answerphone, however on each occasion emailed an interest in the car...
Anyway i get this email in reply from a Mr Anderson(with a btinternet email address)
Hello again,
I am glad to know that you are looking forward to close this deal. The BMW
is UK supplied, UK specs. As it's impossible to meet, I prefer to make the
transport through a company that has their warehouse close to where I live.
They offers also an exchange protection service.
You will make the payment into their trustee bank account. The payment is
kept there until you receive and accept the car. I signed for a 5-day
inspection period. I hope it's enough for you to check it with your mechanic
and to check the papers with DVLA or with your local dealer. I am confident
that you will love the car, but if, for any reason you will be not pleased
with it's condition you will be fully refunded and and my car will be taken
back by the transport company. Again, I am sure this will not be the case,
as the car is in perfect order.
Thank you,
Stuart
My questions
Doesnt this look like an obvious scam or am I mistaken.
He then sends me an email backed by the said used cars website verifying the cars details !
Any thoughts on this welcome.
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"am I allowed to mention which one"
No....!
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It's not hard to make an email look as if it comes from another domain. You can spot that it's been done if you look in the email's (usually hidden) header information - and you know what to look for.
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My thoughts regarding that are if an individual has set up a scam sale through the site, then they may also be able to send information via that site because there's nothing at that point to suggest any wrongdoing. By itself, that mail doesn't prove anything.
If it's a private seller and he's had a series of adverts for the same model of car that are consistently way below the average price then I'd be concerned. It sounds like you're not sold on the idea either so I'd consider trusting your instinct on this one.
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Any thoughts on this welcome.
Hello JohnX
As another John (McEnroe) said: "You cannot be serious."
But just in case if you are another potential BMW 6 series driver like "enough is enough", then the said unnamed website has a section dealing with precisely the scam you are referring to.
>>It's not hard to make an email look as if it comes from another domain
Hello WillDeBeest
The email addresses actually work. That is the only way you can contact these scammers. Their phone numbers are almost always bogus.
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Is this a scam,If so why is it being allowed? - JohnX
I forgot to reply to the question in the title. I think it is your duty to report the attempted scam to the website, to the Police, to Trading Standards, and anyone else who might take some itnerest in trying to stop these toerags. If it was the USA, you can bet that the FBI would take real interest in setting a trap to catch these people. I know they actually do bother chasing cyber criminals there, whereas here in the UK this type of fraud is seen as a low priority affair.
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When I reported a similar advert to AutoTrader, it was removed within the hour and I got a nice eMail thanking me for taking the time to report it.
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SNIP
As mentioned further down this thread:-
"Anyway you've been told what the policy is as I say if you have a problem with it e-mail HJ or one or all of the Mods."
DD.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 04/12/2007 at 10:17
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scam...scam...scam...million percent scam. Don't touch it, don't reply, kill the correspondence right now....forget it.
It is West African in origin, specifically Nigerian.
The grammar used is absolutely redolent of the Nigerian 419 scam (I have gazzillions of dollars I wish to share with you).
West African fraud was bread and butter at my old job.
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Now for the surprise bit
I get this email from the said website supposedly backing up the cars authenticity
Thank you for using A(deleted on mods request)
Please note that this is not a contract and you have no obligation to a commitment. This is only a verification result and we do not mediate any sales.
Our customer, Mr. Stuart Anderson, notified us of his intention to sell a vehicle trough our web site and also about the suspicion he is expecting to encounter from his potential buyers due to his recent change of location, to Czech Republic.
Seller Details:
Snio
Vehicle Details:
MAKE: BMW
MODEL: 6 SERIES
PRICE: £22000
We verified the vehicle details following seller's request and we can assure you of the following:
- Vehicle registration documents are valid, VIN (chassis number) and VRM (vehicle registration number) match
- The vehicle is not recorded as imported, not recorded as stolen by the police, not recorded as a theft by insurers, not recorded on the security register as a risk
- No mileage discrepancy is currently indicated by the national mileage register (NMR)
- Online ad description and pictures of the vehicle are accurate
- The vehicle is not reported stolen, cloned or involved in a crash
- Owner details match to the DVLA database
- The vehicle passed MOT
We could not find any issues verifying the seller and the vehicle.
Also the seller is willing to use a third party logistics firm that will handle the payment and the transport.
Our legal department did background checks on the company indicated by the seller and confirmed their legitimacy and their aptitude of performing the transport and the payment exchange services for this transaction.
In conclusion, if you consider purchasing this vehicle we encourage you to follow the procedure pointed by the seller as there are no risks involved into this transaction.
If you want to proceed please contact directly the seller. We do not mediate any transactions between buyers and sellers, we only verified the legitimacy at the request of the seller.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Insurance
=========
With one search we will find you the best quote from over 30 leading insurance providers.
Click here http://(deleted on mods request)CARS/owning/insurance_centre.jsp
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the above URL into your internet browser.
Cheap Loans
===========
Submit your preferences online to find the best rates in the market.
Click here http:/(deleted on mods request)CARS/buying/finance_centre.jsp
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the above URL into your internet browser.
Free 30 Day Warranty
====================
Attract even more buyers with a free 30-day warranty courtesy of Warranty Direct.
Click here http:/(deleted on mods request)warrantydirect.co.uk
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the above URL into your internet browser.
(deleted on mods request) Vehicle Check
=========================
Get the complete picture of your new car with a vehicle check from Auto Trader.
Click here www.vehiclecheck.co.uk
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the above URL into your internet browser.
Regards,
Customer Services
Note: This is not an automated email message.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
(c)2007 (deleted on mods request) All Rights Reserved
Terms & Conditions www.(deleted on mods request)
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the aboveURL into your internet browser.
Privacy Policy www.(deleted on mods request)
For AOL customers and customers who receive the Technical Difficulties page please cut and paste the above URL into your internet browser.
Company registered details edited out
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for
the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error
please notify the sender.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 02/12/2007 at 11:43
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No surprise that the email you've received isn't in very good English.
No doubt the company concerned will be very interested to know that this is going on.
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The scam happens on AT and also the well known auction site as a classified listing. Whilst searching for my new car I have come across so many. Once advert had a 2005 Porsche Cayenne for £10000.00. To be fair it was white but even so. The email address was abviously not based in the UK. The 'auction site' did not appear to be interested so I gave up emailing them the listing violation in the end. So long as 'the auction site' are coining it in, I don't think that they are too worried, unless of course its a violation that circumvents fees payable to the company.
Generally it seems that the scam involves wiring the funds to an overseas bank account. They say that once they have cleared funds they will arrange to ship the car to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steer clear. I hope people are not that silly to agree to it.
Anyway, IMO if it seems too good to be true then it probably is!
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And this is the actual ad-still on the site, but hopefully not for long since i have just called them re scam alert
2006 BMW 6 SERIES 630i Sport 2dr Auto Coupe
Price:
£22,000
Features:
* 24,000 miles
* Manual
* SILVER
* Petrol
* Coupe
* 2996 cc
Full Description:
Glossary of Terms
Manual, 24,000 miles, Silver, ABS, Alarm, Alloy wheels, Audio remote control, Body coloured bumpers, Climate control. £22,000.
Private Seller:
Email address: Email Advertiser
Contact number: snip
As you can see the price is deliberately kept lower than any other 630i so that on doing a search this will come up as the best bargain nationally.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 02/12/2007 at 13:44
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No sat nav and manual but hey ho, seems like absolute value to me. I'll take it!
Let us know what AT say about it.
I'd like to think that they will pass the details of the seller to the authorities but I doubt it.
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I get this email from the said website supposedly backing up the cars authenticity
How do you know it is from the website? Check the email headers for the source IP and do a "whois" check on them.
As already said above, as a minimum report it to the website. Reprot it to others such as Trading Standards to get this type of scam made difficult to attempt.
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>>
>>
You will make the payment into their trustee bank account. The payment is
kept there until you receive and accept the car. I signed for a 5-day
inspection period. I hope it's enough for you to check it with your mechanic
and to check the papers with DVLA or with your local dealer. >> Third ad in as many weeks each of them exactly the same in content only
> >
Never pay up- front before you have even seen the car!
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Sorry to be off topic, but I fail to understand why a company cannot be named here.
If it is a scam, others should be aware of the company.
Also, if some other company offers a good service, others can take the same benefit.
Many other forums do allow "naming" policy.
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Many other forums allow many other things as well. Its a policy decision, see the small print above. If you have a problem with it e-mail HJ.
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Loads of these ads on the well know auction site. Always desirable cars such as modern sports, or trendy classics such as VW split window camper. Usually have sparse details on the ad, and pics are always ripped off the web/other sale ads. Price is normally about 50% of market value. They insist on email only contact, not through the messaging system provided by the site.
If it looks to good to be true.....
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 02/12/2007 at 18:29
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If it is a scam, others should be aware of the company
Others have been made aware.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=55041&...e
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=56...6
Plus other threads where names can be found that come up in the Forum Search.
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So its an obvious scam , and it has been done by the looks of it ,in the past as well...
Does anyone know why the said site, does nothing about it...
Is it because it gains by more scamsters placing ads on its site thereby increasing revenue..
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See why the OP didn't want to name and shame ! Thanks John - that's exactly why the policy exists.
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that's exactly why the policy exists.
But doesn't explain why the policy is not applied in the other threads I referenced?
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"If it was the USA, you can bet that the FBI would take real interest in setting a trap to catch these people. I know they actually do bother chasing cyber criminals there, whereas here in the UK this type of fraud is seen as a low priority affair"
TBH that's exactly why their country is completely out of controll regarding crime. Personally, I'd rather not have 10000 murders a year & pay the price of a few increadibly stupid people being ripped off trying to buy a flash car for well-below it's actual value.
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"But doesn't explain why the policy is not applied in the other threads I referenced?"
Probably wasn't picked up by a Mod for whatever reason, you try editing 2 to 300 posts a day.
Anyway you've been told what the policy is as I say if you have a problem with it e-mail HJ or one or all of the Mods.
Any further public discussion on it will be deleted.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 03/12/2007 at 18:01
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use check car details to check car history
Link deleted. What a prat.
Edited by Avant on 23/08/2019 at 15:21
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Now what have we here? Reviving a 12 year old thread (appropriately about spamming) to post a link to a site registered at the end of July. Interesting to see that these scams go back so long.
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