news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8090559.stm
I saw this, and noticed that nowhere did it mention that these scams draw people in by offering cars at way below typical prices, relying on buyers' greed to drive the deal forwards. Invariably the "car" is not in the UK - who in their right mind pays for a car (£15,000 in the case of the buyer shown) that they have not seen/driven?
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Some people couldn't smell fish if they were stood next to a bin in a fishmongers - it's these people who get caught out (and the greedy buyers who think they can make a fast buck themsleves out of the deal).
If it looks to good to be true it probably is has worked for me for years, but there's a new group of gullible people entering the University of Life every second and the web gives credibility to everything if the page is glossy enough.
Fortunately the web is also very good at getting information on these scams before you pass on the money.
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I am astonished that normally sane people would put so much trust in what they see on the internet.
I cannot tell you how many times I have had to deal with someone who has been scammed via the net (be it Nigerian scams, boiler room scams, fake US Bonds scams, motor scams).
Would you place £15 grand on the pavement outside your house overnight? No! That is, effectively, what these people are doing. Quelle surprise when it has gone. Gosh, who would have taken the money?
To borrow a phrase, you can warn all dumb/greedy people some of the time, some dumb/greedy people all of the time, but not all dumb/greedy people all of the time.
The bloke who lost £15k looked like a financial adviser to me!
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offering cars at way below typical prices relying on buyers' greed
The clip shown on the BBC1 news at lunchtime was the same setting, but the content was quite different and she did say something like "if it looks too good to be true then it proabably is".
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ah but we've known about this for yonks. No flies on us! :-)
JH
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A dodgy postcode ought to be a sure sign that you should walk away - I don't know of any postcode ending 89GR like the one in the clip kindly provided by Oldnot bold.
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my old gran used to have a saying for virtually everything
for this subject matter, it would be " a fool and his money is easily parted with"
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I must be your Gran, then Westpig, as I said the same when I saw the piece on the BBC news at lunchtime.
Imagine paying £15k for something, sight unseen from a seller you've not met in person. I'd love to know how much of a bargain he thought he was getting.
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i havent seen the sketch but go to any car auction and look for the schmuck with his children who gets trotted up on the heap while we all larf
and then goes on to get knocked down by the next car through
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Bellboy,
I am trying to understand the humour in the situation you describe.
An ordinary punter - a family man, not even a financial advisor or similar - is ripped off by a bunch of professional con-men.
I see the similarity to the thread subject, but are you saying this is OK? Just funny?
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Would you buy a used car from........?
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Imagine paying £15k for something sight unseen from a seller you've not met in person. I'd love to know how much of a bargain he thought he was getting.
my mate's wife and mine were comparing notes the other day...apparently we are both a couple of 'pains in the rear' when watching Watchdog, because we keep moaning that many people are too stupid to be allowed out with a wallet
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I think this is the BBC being lazy (again) and also a "slow newsday" syndrome. While this sort of scam does occur with cars, it is just a specific example of a general problem, it happens with other goods too. There was an example not so long ago about someone being had on the sale of a musical instrument.
JH
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Indeed JH - it's common in the equine world, boats, you name it. Guess more people buy cars each year than all other high value consumer purchases, but still.
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Why is somebody running somebody up a "con man". If you can't stand the heat, don't go into the kitchen and if you don't know what you are doing don't go to a car auction.
All is fair in love and war, and car auctions - it is an even playing field for all. If someone does not know how to play the game them people will take advantage of them.
On that note, I better complete the entry forms for some I've got going to the block on Friday...two look nice but haven't got any brakes, one has 93k on the clock and looks like it has but I know it had two old MOT's with 240k and 255k recorded! The old MOT's will not be included.
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