Need Some Car Buying Advise | Update: Scammer Revenge

[corax]

Would be fun to make this backfire on them...sorta like that computer for sale scam a few years ago.

the Powerbook Prank?

[Seanz0rz]

deff a scam dan, sorry.

[Robinhood4x4]

The first email set off all kinds of alarms when I read it. Not only is her english terrible, the grammatical mistakes and the words she's using really sounds like a scammer.

The ebay thing rings a bell too.

It's a definite scam.

[CJM]

Its a scam, first email screams of it like Steve says.

Scam, scam, scam

[4x4mike]

She sounds like a dude. I remember reading something similar to this about eBay and buying cars. Was shipping part of the sale?

[DHC6twinotter]

To be honest, I didn't really think much about the first email. The grammar was bad, but I figured maybe it was just a foreigner trying to sell a vehicle. It did make me a bit more cautious, but not to the point where I thought it was a scam. Second email gave it away.

Mike, I thought the writing style seemed more like a dude as well, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. They did offer to ship it.

Oh, they just sent me a bunch more pics, but none of them were pictures I asked for. No frame or engine pics.

I guess the old saying, "If it's too good to be true, than it probably is" is true.

Thanks for the input guys.

Oh well, I guess the vehicle search continues.

[CJM]

Dead giveway is those people who post things like vin numbers too, specially when they trace back to another vehicle.

One time I found a lifted tundra for 7k and they sent me the vin-it checked out to be a 1989 pick up lol..

[DHC6twinotter]

Yeah, although the VIN number they gave me for this vehicle matched, unless they got the VIN off another 2000 4Runner SR5 4x4. The location they gave me matched what was on the carfax as well, although they could have just as easily read the carfax themselves.

[corax]

I still think you should do some reading on 419eater and string the scammer along just to waste their time - could be one less person they try to victimize. Create / use an alternate email address, they won't even notice.

So what is scambaiting? Well, put simply, you enter into a dialogue with scammers, simply to waste their time and resources. Whilst you are doing this, you will be helping to keep the scammers away from real potential victims and screwing around with the minds of deserving thieves.

[DHC6twinotter]

Keith, great idea. I was pondering the same thing today while I drove in circles at work.

They still haven't sent me pics of the frame or the engine, so maybe I'll keep bugging them about the frame pics. Or ask them to check the synthetic blinker fluid.

Any suggestions?