eBay Vehicle Protection Program scam
A new type of escrow scam is showing up on most of the east coast craigslist motorcycle boards. This scheme will advertise a great deal to elicit lots of responses, and each responder gets a few bait emails explaining that the item is “in eBay’s hands” because a previous sale there was not completed.
Lately, scammers are posting with gmail addresses that almost always contain a first name. After a potential target responds to the ad, the gmail address is abandoned. I have seen this trend in real estate as well. This particular scammer used cametamegastore1@cametastock.com to send these emails to me in an auto-responder fashion after I contacted him. No matter what my emails contained, these three messages came from the scammer as immediate responses in this order:
First of all, please DO NOT REPLY at this e-Mail if you don’t have the amount available, or if you don’t intend to be serious.
I’m from Orlando, Florida.
This is the second time when I try to sell the motorcycle. First time I tried eBay.
Because all the time I use only 100% safe methods I sent the motorcycle through eBay Vehicle Protection Program to a buyer from Alaska.
I paid all the shipping fees from my money and when the eBay have requested the payment the seller have refused to pay because he don’t have the full amount.
Now I have the motorcycle in the eBay hands and is ready to be delivered to the next buyer.
If you want to purchase it and only if you are a serious buyer then send me your complete name and address for shipping.
The time delivery will be only 3 days and the motorcycle will be delivered at your home address full registered in your state and under your name.
This scam appears to be sophisticated for a few reasons. Above all, eBay does have a Vehicle Protection Program that was designed to shield buyers from scam artists on eBay Motors. After some quick searches, a shopper could be falsely convinced that this program exists as a transaction escrow service instead of just a monetary guarantee. Also, the ad text itself plays on a buyer’s emotions. This seller appears to be frustrated with dead-beat buyers and tire kickers, which is a typical grief that one-time sellers profess in their listings.
The second email…
The bike is in perfect condition. Full working. The technical inspection has been made 3 weeks ago.
Now the motorcycle is in the eBay hands and not in my possession it. If you will not like it and you will decide to return it then you will receive the full refund. If you will decide to buy it then eBay will release the funds to me.
If you agree with the terms then send me your complete name, address FAX number and I’ll redirect the motorcycle to you.
I’ll wait for your reply!Regards!
…and the third email…
eBay Protection Program help the sellers and buyers to stay safe with all the transactions.
How it works:
1. The seller ships the goods to eBay. They will inspect the goods and will contact you through email with the payment details.
2. You will send the payment to eBay.
3. After eBay will confirm your payment they will delivery you the goods in 3 days.
4. As soon as you will receive and you will inspect it if all will be ok and if you will decide to keep it then eBay will release the funds to me. If not you will receive the full refunds and the goods will be returned to me.
Tips that will save you from this scam:
- eBay does not handle merchandise or hold and release funds
- make sure the email address on the ad listing and the one you communicate with are the same
- avoid shipping, deal locally, and meet the seller in person
Do you think you have been scammed while using the web to purchase a vehicle? Read on to learn How to Report an Online Scam.
Wow! Talk about timely. I got caught squarely in this exact fraud regardig a 2004 Honda CRV for $2,890. I told myself over and over again “if its too good to be true, it is”, but then rationalized each concern because of wanting that great deal. We moneygrammed the money last night per instructions and then this morning ran across a Craig’ list scam advisory about people requesting wired funds. We were able to stop payment, and get the money reimbursed while we did more checking into Ebay motors VPP. Then I ran across your posting. Dead on with what is happening to us. Luckily, we got out before it became a very expensive lesson. I am too old and smart to get caught by this, but the greed nearly got me. Thank you for posting!
We just went through something very similar. The car was real, checked out on carfax but was registered in New York. We found it on craigslist and contacted the seller who claimed to be local. The car was supposed to be in Reno and the payment was to go to an agent in California. We checked everything out and made payment then found some information describing this scam. I went back to reverse the transaction and the funds were still in the account. We were lucky - we got our money back including the $100 transaction fee. I can share all of the e-mails, but they are very similar to yours. The lady claimed to be going through a divorce and would get the car which she just wanted to get rid of. It was very underpriced, which got our attention very quickly. I guess if it is too good to be true…it probably is a fraud.
Wow, just like the others mine was the same exactly thing. I cant believe that low lifes do this sh**. Thank god for this webpage and the customer service at Moneygram that said hey you need to inquire about the EBAY AGENTS. I am so thankful that i didnt get shafted. i hope that others will see this page.
Here ia an email i got after seeing an ad on autotrader.
Same MO as above. It seems funny so I google and found this post
Thanks
”
The car is located in Idaho at a shipping and storage company. So for this transaction we will use eBay company.Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address
- I start a transaction on eBay company,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car,
- they send me the money.
The payment type will be establish by eBay after start the transaction. They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You have 5 days for the inspection period. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 30 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need the following info from you so I can set up a new transaction case through eBay:
1. full name
2. shipping address
____________________
i faulks me i get cauth with that loosing money
first i am from montreal quebec canada i respond an ad on a locol site for a boat they said
First of all, please DO NOT REPLY at this e-Mail if you don’t have the amount available, or if you don’t intend to be serious.
I’m from Orlando, Florida.
This is the second time when I try to sell the motorcycle. First time I tried eBay.
Because all the time I use only 100% safe methods I sent the motorcycle through eBay Vehicle Protection Program to a buyer from Alaska.
I paid all the shipping fees from my money and when the eBay have requested the payment the seller have refused to pay because he don’t have the full amount.
Now I have the motorcycle in the eBay hands and is ready to be delivered to the next buyer.
If you want to purchase it and only if you are a serious buyer then send me your complete name and address for shipping.
The time delivery will be only 3 days and the motorcycle will be delivered at your home address full registered in your state and under your name.
hum exept it was not a bike iy was a boat
i sent my adress and every thing for the sipping to the sellers he or she send my adress to ebay about 3 hrs after i receive an official bill from ebay motor protection with all the detail for the shipment they ask me to send money by money gram to ebay and they hold the money until i receive my boat after i inspected i have to confirm to ebay it was in good shape then they send the money to the seller
surprise surprise 4 day after saw the same ad where i found it first but in an another city in ontario i do i fake email and he respond me li ke the first time i transfert everything in my local law and f.b.i hope they get cautgh!!!!!!!!!
sorry for my english i am french
I almost got caught up in the same thing. I was saying it was too good to be true and it was. They are using anything possible. I almost got scammed on a New Holland Tractor with about 6 implaments. I am currently emailing this gentlemen, he/she is using gmail. If there is some way we can trace this and give the people a dose of their own medicane. That would be so sweet.
I just ran in to this same scam. I started off like most of you feeling like this was to good to be true. My case started with Auto Trader for a Mini Cooper very low miles. Below are the emails to follow.
The car has a clear title, is in an excellent condition, no dents or scratches, it was always garaged and regular maintenance and oil changes were done in time. Hasn’t been involved in an accident or flood damage. The motor runs very well. You know the price but if you want extra photos and Carfax report just let me know! I don’t want to offend you but the car is priced for a fast sale so please if you intend to apply for a loan or financing do not reply.
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
The car is located in Idaho at a shipping and storage company. So for this transaction we will use eBay company.Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address
- I start a transaction on eBay company,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car,
- they send me the money.
The payment type will be establish by eBay after start the transaction. They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You have 5 days for the inspection period. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 30 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need the following info from you so I can set up a new transaction case through eBay:
1. full name
2. shipping address
Please let me know your ebay user id and phone number also in order to start the transaction.
I will send your shipping information to eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection and they will set up the transaction. Let me know as soon as they contact you with the payment instructions.
I received an e-mail from eBay saying that they opened our transaction. The transaction # is 2449117506. Let me know if they contacted you too. If you need guidance on this transaction just reply to the eBay invoice and let them know! I am sure they will help you in any way!
Hope this helps the next person -
Yeah, The UNICEF guy is attempting to sell me a Hybrid as we speak! Thanks for the heads up!
Before I left, I went with the car at the shipping company and I took many pictures. I have attached all the pictures that I have made so that you can see that the car is in excellent condition overall. If you like the car and you want to buy it, let me tell you more about the deal.
The car will be delivered to your location on my expense once we start the transaction through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection. It will be inspected upon arrival by eBay staff(you can also inspect it your own if you want) and you’ll receive all the needed car papers along with the car. eBay will take care of the financial part by holding the payment in their bank account managed by an eBay representative.
Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address;
- I start a transaction through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection;
- they send you the payment instructions;
- you make the payment into the eBay VPP trust account(they will provide you with that information in the purchase invoice which you will receive from them);
- they confirm to me that the payment was made;
- I ship the car to you(shipping delay will be 5-7 business days);
- you receive the car(you will have 5 days to see, test drive and inspect the car and see if you are satisfied with it) - eBay VPP will secure the funds until the car is delivered to you with properly executed title.
- after inspection you confirm to eBay that the car is as I have described it and that you are satisfied with it;
- they finally pay me after your confirmation.
If the car doesn’t satisfy you, you have the option to ship it back in 15 business days on my expense(also getting your money back from eBay VPP), but I am sure that you will love it!
I have sold one year ago another car this way and I was very satisfied with the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program. It worked exackly as it should. I hope you got the idea of how it works. In order to proceed further I will need your full name and shipping address to set up a new transaction case through eBay. Then eBay will get in touch with you for further details and instructions.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks!
Allen
FYI… The story is always so convincing. the message I just posted was from the UNICEF guy who responded only at 2:00 - 4:00 a.m. in the morning and refused to provide me a contact number even if I offered to pay the phone charges to discuss the transaction. If you encouter scams like this, please contact the the federal trade commission so a full investigation can be conducted.
FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov)
The Unicef Guys is trying to sell me a 19698 Mach 1 for way too cheap. Thank You
He so stupid he’s even using the same name!!!!
Hi,
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. This is also the reason for the lower price. This is a charity sale, I will donate the money to a children foundation after I sell this car. For this reason the deal must be concluded through a company. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past.
I am currently on a trip for UNICEF. The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this. I hope that is fine for you. The car will be shipped on my expense to your location.
The car has clear title. The condition of this car is excellent. The paint is in perfect shape. There are no dings, scratches, any damage on the body or rust. This vehicle has been very well maintained and kept both smoke and accident free. If you want to see more pictures just let me know.
I am ready to reserve the car for you. If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
I am waiting for your email.
Thank you,
Allen
Hi Joshua,
Before I left, I went with the car at the shipping company and I took many pictures. If you like the car and you want to buy it, let me tell you more about the deal.
The car will be delivered to your location on my expense once we start the transaction through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection. It will be inspected upon arrival by eBay staff(you can also inspect it your own if you want) and you’ll receive all the needed car papers along with the car. eBay will take care of the financial part by holding the payment in their bank account managed by an eBay representative.
Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address;
- I start a transaction through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection;
- they send you the payment instructions;
- you make the payment into the eBay VPP trust account(they will provide you with that information in the purchase invoice which you will receive from them);
- they confirm to me that the payment was made;
- I ship the car to you;
- you receive the car(you will have 5 days to see, test drive and inspect the car and see if you are satisfied with it) - eBay VPP will secure the funds until the car is delivered to you with properly executed title.
- after inspection you confirm to eBay that the car is as I have described it and that you are satisfied with it;
- they finally pay me after your confirmation.
If the car doesn’t satisfy you, you have the option to ship it back in 15 business days on my expense(also getting your money back from eBay VPP), but I am sure that you will love it!
I have sold one year ago another car this way and I was very satisfied with the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program. It worked exackly as it should. I hope you got the idea of how it works. In order to proceed further I will need your full name and shipping address to set up a new transaction case through eBay. Then eBay will get in touch with you for further details and instructions.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks!
Allen
A friend got the same scam from a Seargent in Croatia. My friend puts the money into an e-bay trust account and has ten days to inspect the car. What is interesting is that the Seargent was going to ship the car military freight and the car could be delivered anywhere in the US on the tax payers dime. Finally the retail Kelly Blue was $16,000.00 and he was willing to sell the car for $3,000.00 and that price included shipping cost from Croatia. I just talked to my friend this morning and he has received two additional offer on cars, same basic scam. Finally all of these offers were from Craig’s list. Beware!
Wow good thing I ran into this website I was looking for a car and found one on autotrader a 2006 bmw 330ci way under retail value 14200 with only 35,000 miles. My wife and I thought this was to good to be true, so she began researching and foud this website. He sent me a carfax report that showed the car to be in good shape which sounded more convincing at the time this person has changed his name it is now ALEX FREWERD and he is using a googlemail so whatch out guys I will be calling the FTC phone number and just hope that this guy gets caught.
The car has a clear title, is in an excellent condition, no dents or scratches, it was always garaged and regular maintenance and oil changes were done in time. Hasn’t been involved in an accident or flood damage. The motor runs very well. You know the price but if you want extra photos and Carfax report just let me know! I don’t want to offend you but the car is priced for a fast sale so please if you intend to apply for a loan or financing do not reply.
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
The car is located in Idaho at a shipping and storage company. So for this transaction we will use eBay company.Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address
- I start a transaction on eBay company,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car,
- they send me the money.
The payment type will be establish by eBay after start the transaction. They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You have 5 days for the inspection period. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 30 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need the following info from you so I can set up a new transaction case through eBay:
1. full name
2. shipping address
Me too. Looking at a CLS55 and it is stored in a Idaho shipping / storage facility in a locked container. Mileage was not correct on carfax to the pic of the instrument panel, asked several times on this and was never really given a solid answer, just that i am interested in the car or not! ( always uses exclamations, his trademark ) He would ship for free to canada? How so, i said? No reply, bogus shipping company and such were forwarded after. When i said that the customs and border patrol need the docs on the car and if it is in a locked container how the hell can it confirmed? No reply. Also will not meet you to confirm the car and VIN number due to he does not allow test drives due to damage could occur. This guys a joke, Alex Frewerd, and uses Unicef as is good samaritan ploy of sale. All the same as everyone elses experiences, he will get caught, hopefully some good people get taken. But the rule is correct, if it is too good to be true, it is.
I am sad to say that I was almost a victim to this scam. Guy posted 2001 Honda Accord on Craigslist only to take it off the day after… I had already responded to the car when it was mentioned that the car was at the shipping facility at ebay in San Jose, CA and that ebay motors was taking on this transaction for him due to his heavy travel schedule. YEAH RIGHT!!!! I knew it was too good to be true - 2001 Honda Accord for $2500, when retail on the car was $8000, but again like many other innocent citizens,….. was convinced into believing the price b/c I wanted it so badly and it was such a good price. I had already submitted the money via MoneyGram but the rep. at MoneyGram told me that if this is for payment of an on-line purchase, then I should use another method of payment due to the many fraudalent activities online but I told the rep… I got this information from ebay and yet the rep insisted on using another payment method but I went ahead and wired the money. Thankfully a few hours later, something fell over that just said “I don’t have a good feeling about this”… even if it is from ebay… I called MoneyGram and was able to retrieve my money back. I went on-line to check ebay’s website and surely enough… ebay specifically states that seller’s should not ask for immediate payment via Western Union or MoneyGram. I just hope this posting can help others ahead of time before they fall victim to this cruel scam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the heads up everyone. A friend of mine almost bought a boat from someone using the exact same scam on kijiji here in Ontario. Sure would be nice to catch who ever is responsible.
Again thanks all.
Alex Frewerd tried “selling” a 2007 Acura TL with the same exact email, but I googled his Idaho # and saw that it was a scam.
The ol’ saying ‘it’s to good to be true’ sure applies here, huh? We, too, almost got sucked into an FJ Cruiser that Alex Frewerd has for sale on Autotrader. Thankfully I happened to google his name and this website came up. I filed a fraud alert through the Autotrader scam info. Please, everyone, do the same and let’s catch this scum-bag!
I am so thankful that I found this site with everyone’s comments…it has definitely saved me from falling into this guy’s trap..the “so called” Mr. Alex Frewerd. I can’t believe he has done this to so many people. Too good to be true is right and we should never forget that!! It’s amazing how he sends a clean CARFAX report although I was suspiscous when the car has changed hands 3 times in the last 2 years and has been from Florida to Wisconsin. Then his cell number says it’s out of service..any thing that made me feel uneasy and he will not provide his phone #. He will send you nice fancy, clean pics and lots of them too but don’t be fooled!! Again, thank you everyone for taking the time to help save another victim..he’s a professional scam artist. He tried selling a 2006 Mercedes Benz E55 AMG at $30k when it goes for close to $60k. Watchout! He tells us the same sappy Unicef story:
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
Wow, on a hunch I thought I would run his e-mail address in google just out of curiosity - looks like this guy is really busy these days - I responded to a craigslist ad for a 2005 prius. Then the item was delisted - thought it sold (good price and all). Then this e-mail appears from alex.frewerd@googlemail.com saying he had personal problems and he could not attend to the sale of the car hence the late reply. We may be naive consumers but the fact that we’re all here crying over the same too good to be true deal says we’re learning. Obama would be proud - he is ashamed of everything else. Now, back to my French lessons :)
Thanks! almost got caught, too!
Same Alex Frewerd story, different car. This time a 2005 Toyota Prius on AutoTrader. Supposedly he’s in Denver and so are we. Only the phone number on AutoTrader is out of service and there’s no VIN listed.
The wording on our emails was EXACTLY the same. Trip for UNICEF pull your heart strings story; car in perfect condition; sell through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection; etc.
Thanks again to everyone who posted warnings!
Glad I googled and found this site. Another AutoTrader listing, then delisted and the exact same reply from Alex Frewerd (Nice BMW X5, about $15,000 under book…too good to be true). Knew something was up because he listed the wrong phone number for the area the car was supposedly in. Also, the pictures had palm trees in the background (not many of those here in Michigan). A promise of Carfax, more photos, no financing.
Thanks for the postings.
I am in the car business and actually import cars into canada for clients, I am in the process of looking for something for myself and after hearing every scam in the book for the last 5 years I am quite aware of whats real and whats not, well our friend “ALEX FREWERD” just emailed me about a bmw x5 i guess i had emailed him about with the same email word for word as the rest of you guy’s got I would have never sent him the money anyways and just so you guy’s know I have literally emailed about 30 different people selling their cars privatley on autotrader and 30 of them have been scammers, bottom line if it sounds too good to be true then it it!
Thanks and thankfully some of you were able to get your money back! NEVER EVER send someone money via western union/money gram etc
Another scam from the unfamous Alex .
This time is a Lexus from autotrader.com
**************************************
So sorry for my late reply but due some personal problems I wasn’t able to handle the car sale. Please let me know if you are still interested in the car! The car has a clear title, is in an excellent condition, no dents or scratches, it was always garaged and regular maintenance and oil changes were done in time. Hasn’t been involved in an accident or flood damage. The motor runs very well. You know the price but if you want extra photos and Carfax report just let me know! I don’t want to offend you but the car is priced for a fast sale so please if you intend to apply for a loan or financing do not reply.
–
Alex
************************
What a SCUMBAG!!!
watchout for alex frewerd…SCAMMER
Folks, his/her name now is Adam Crosman. BEWARE.
—
The car is here in Edmonton ,Canada and I have it prepared for immediate shipping.
If we reach an agreement, I am willing to take care of the truck shipping to your address.Shipping will take 5-7 days maximum. I have managed to obtain a low cost shipping, only $400 and I presume it would be fair to split the shipping cost so, we’ll pay $200 each. Meaning, that the car and the shipping/handling will cost you $5,800.00 I think this is reasonable.The car is registered in US and yo don’t have to pay anything.
I have an account with ebay so I can close this deal through them.eBay will hold the money until you receive,test and accept the car ( 15 days ).In order to validate our deal i need to forward your details to ebay as my buyer so they can release our invoice with payment method and security program.If, for some reason, you disagree with the car (I assure you that is NOT going to happen since my car is in IMMACULATE condition inside and out) it will be shipped back to me on MY EXPENSE and you will receive your money back.
I have closed my auction because somebody wanted to buy from me and he offered me a very good price but since than I never heard from him and turns out to be a dead beat, but above all this the car its still available for sale at the same price, its in perfect shape not dents or scratches.
If you wish to proceed further, I will need your FULL NAME and FULL ADDRESS so I can start the transaction with eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection Program.
–
I didn’t give him/her anything. BTW the posting was in Craiglist, and it was pulled after I contacted him/her via email.
Hey, found another Alex Frewerd car.. 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 in MN… watch out
Alex Frewerd… alex.frewerd@googlemail.com This past week…same story as above to purchase an ‘06 Odyssey advertised in Santa Barbara, CA (559)921-4773. Number was always busy, so upon requesting a contact number, he gave me (208)936-2099.The rest is the same story… Ad found in Auto Trader, pulled the ad, but sent me photos and the Carfax report (About 30 photos, of every detail, but none of them had the odometer). Said he would set it up for purchase through ebay, will be shipped from Idaho, etc.). I was suspicious, then found this blog and confirmed my suspicions. Hope that helps anyone else out there.
Alex tried to sell me a 2003 MB SL55 AMG for well below its true value. Thanks to this blog, I caught the scumbag. Great job and thanks to all of you who have contributed. Has anyone contacted AutoTrader or eBay?
Thanks to the internet. Alex tried to sell me the MB SL55 AMG also. I googled him and all this great information popped up. I sent him the websites I found. This really good information. Thanks
Im in the car business and i should of known better–if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Same scam bmw 545 on autotrader,bad phone number then he finally contacts me via e-mail–I just emailed him or her and told him to man up and rob people face to face–what a coward!
Tony i wish u wouldnt have sent him this website cause every email contains what his mistakes are. He just tried to scam me and it was alot harder to figure out. Has anyone got scammed by a john.hampton55@msn.com. Thx for the website it saved me from getting scammed out of a bmw 330CI. Lots of Luv to these posts
Alex tried to sell me a Range Rover Sport. He sent at least 20 photos in front of a very extravagent house/neighboorhood. I asked several times where the car was located….He never answer that question. The crazy thing is on the carfax report it listed the car was in Florida but when it was listed on Auto Trader it was listed as being in a different state. The car fax report is what has me baffled. I’m glad I thought to goolge his name. Without this site I would still be carring on with this SLIM BALL.
We only went as far as:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
Here is the details from janice.carter80@yahoo.com:
The car is already at the shipping company in Manhattan,New York sealed and ready for the shipping. I have a contract with eBay so this deal must go through them. I’m very busy with my job and I’m left out of the town so I can’t meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my car over the internet. According with the eBay you have 5 days from the time you receive the car to inspect it and decide if you want to keep it or not.
Here is how it will work:
1.First of all I will need the following details from you:
- Full Name
- Full Shipping Address
2. After I will receive the details from you, I will forward them to eBay.
3. After they will process your info, they will send us both invoices. The invoice will send you the details on how to make a refundable payment.
4. eBay will contact me and I will ship the car to you. After you receive the car you will have 5 days to test, verify and do whatever you need to the car. If you will buy, then I will receive the payment details from eBay so that I can pick up the money.
5. If you will decide that you will not buy the car, eBay will refund the money and I will have the shipping company come pick up my car. If you wish to make the transaction, please send me the necessary info so that we can proceed. I look forward to hear from you.
Thank you
P.S. here you have some details and pictures :
They sent 15 pictures of the car.. A Car Fax report showed 17 reports against the car.
WHAT A SCUMBAG P.O.S————-
HERE IS MY EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM THE “SELLER”..
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my 2001 BMW X5 4.4. I sell it at this price ($3,200.00) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. When the divorce has finished i own this car. Now as a women i don’t need it. This car is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, flaws or any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clear title, 3 months transferable warranty.
From the begining you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services.
We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated at eBay and I have a purchase protection account for $20.000. The final price that I want for this car is $3,200.00 USD including shipping and handling.
If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate the deal through eBay.
I will wait your answer(if you are interested to buy) very soon.
All, it’s now hitting the boat scene on Craigslist big time. I’ve come across 2 of them in the last 2 days. Here’s one from the seller sa_f@rocketmail.com who ended up posing as Sandra Flores.
“Hi,
you made the right choice! my boat is in great shape,no engine problems,damages or hidden defects. It was always garaged and never kept outside. I`m a single mother with 2 children because i divorced with my husband and after the divorce i own this boat,i don`t need it and that`s why i`m selling it so cheap.The price is 6500$.we will use eBay`s protection program for our safety. I just need your full name and address so i can open a case. (with no further obligation or fees).”
This boat (that happened to be a SunTracker) was worth over $20,000 so I knew something wasn’t right but thought I’d play along. I asked a few questions and got this response:
“Hi,
I want to tell you that we will use eBay in this transaction in order for both of us to be 100% protected and insured by them.eBay will supervise this transaction so there won`t be any problems.They will take care of the shipping and all the small details.You will get the boat and you will have 5 days of inspection in which you can decide if you buy the boat or not.If you won`t like my boat(not your case)you notify eBay and you send the boat back on my cost,if you want to keep it you announce eBay you send the money(payment method and all the details will be set up by eBay)and you keep the boat.
eBay will send you an invoice at your email in which you will see how to start the this transaction and in which you can see that this transaction is legit.Please get back to me with your full name,full address and phone number so i can forward your details to eBay in order for you to receive the invoice.Wait your reply”
So I told her I wanted to see the boat before any transactions occured, and got this response:
“Hi,
The boat is located in Houston(i just moved here with my new job),like i told we will use eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection,so we can both be protected and insured.I just need your full name and full address so eBay can send you the invoice in which you`ll see how to make this transaction.The shipping is free i will take care of it and i will send the boat with all the papers( registration, warranty papers,transfer papers etc ) i am just waiting your full name and address to complete the shipping papers and start the delivery process.
Thanks”
Of course - she JUST moved to Houston with her new job. Of she posted this conveniently on the east coast - over 2000 miles away. Hmm….wouldn’t you think it would make sense for her to sell the boat locally? Nah - of course no one in Houston wants a $20,000 boat for only $6,000. Only people on the east coast want that deal…….right?
People - please beware, and do not get caught up in this scam.
Same story. Alex tried to sell me an 2005 MB SLK AMG 55 for $25,000. Everything else is the same. Thank God for Google!
Alex Frewerd is a scam! Do not purchase anything from him.
Found the SLK AMG55 on Autotrader and have received the EXACT same mails as Dominic!
It’s obvious what will happen: You transfer funds electronically and you never get the title or the car.
Something else that others may find interesting: The very next day after leaving Alex Frewerd my email address, I was bombarded with SPAM. It’s dying down now but the coincidence makes me wonder.
The old adage of, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” couldn’t be more appropriate for this scam.
Google is a great tool!
Unbelievable! Thanks so much for this posting, and just in time too. I knew the offer was too good to be true!
I just ran into two potential scams posted to the Philadelphia Craigslist. Both of the vehicles were greatly under priced. After responding to the ads, none of the vehicles were located in the state of PA at all and both had similar stories - such as went through a divorce, or too busy at work to meet face to face, etc. Each described doing everything through ebay (because of their VPP program), sending a refundable payment to ebay, and how I have 5 days to inspect the car, and so on. Just read the scumbag’s emails below.
Email from Scammer 1:
Hi,
After the divorce I moved to Mandan, ND and the car is here with me.
The price includes the shipping costs. I have a contract with eBay so this deal must go through them. Do you have an ebay user id?
It’s a very busy time at work and this is the reason why I choose to sell the car over the internet. I’m sure that you know what I mean.
According to eBay you have 5 days from the time you receive the car to inspect it and decide if you want to keep it or not.
Here is how it will work:
1.First of all I will list it on ebay for you with a buy now option.
2.After you will use the buy now option they will send us both how to close the deal. In the invoice you will find the details on how to make a refundable payment. They will secure and insure your payment until you get and check the car.
3. eBay will contact me after that and I will ship the car to you. After you receive the car you will have 5 days to test and verify the car.
If you will buy it then eBay will forward the payment to me.
4. If you decide not to buy the car, eBay will refund you the money and I will have the shipping company come to pick up my car.
If you wish to make the transaction, let me know when you want me to list it for you on ebay with a buy now option.
I look forward to hear from you.
Thank you
Email from Scammer 2:
Hi,
Thanks for taking a part of your time and visiting my ad….the reason for which i`m selling my 2003 BMW 5-Series is because i want to move further on with my life after my divorce, and let go of all the memories that me and my husband had…It has 66045 miles and the final price is $5,200.
I want to tell you that we will use eBay in this transaction in order for both of us to be 100% protected and insured by them.eBay will supervise this transaction so there won`t be any problems.They will take care of the shipping and all the small details.You will get the car and you will have 5 days of inspection in which you can decide if you buy the car or not.If you won`t like my car(not your case)you notify eBay and you send the car back on my cost,if you want to keep it you announce eBay you send the money(payment method and all the details will be set up by eBay)and you keep the car.
eBay will send you an invoice at your email in which you will see how to start this transaction and in which you can see that this transaction is legit.Please get back to me with your full name,full address and phone number so i can forward your details to eBay in order for you to receive the invoice.Wait your reply
ATTENTION: Use your common sense folks - if someone were really selling a car at a ridiculously low price, they would have no problem selling it to someone in person. Why would anyone go through extreme measures to sell a car to someone all the way across the country and worry about shipping and handling, damaging or losing the car, and the headaches of making the transactions through ebay, all for a car that would be guaranteed to sell the old-fashioned way, meeting the potential buyer face to face.
Just be careful and thanks again for this post.
Same story…. 2007 Prius.
Is there anyway to catch and prosecute this scum bucket alex frewerd?
It seems like the identity of these scam artists are evolving. New name that popped out is now Michele Andrews not Alex Frewerd selling a 1998 BMW 325i. Same ol’ tactics using ebay transactions. Please watch out! It’s an online jungle out there. I got the suspect to respond all the way to sending me an ebay payment request. They would seldom give you a contact phone or any other personal contact information. Moneygrams and other wire money payments are red flags.
forgot to include the email address it uses: mandrews1971@yahoo.com. Below is the email it will send. Note: It sent a link to the pictures of the alleged vehicle. The palm trees in the background. Also, a glimpse of the person who took the pictures seen in the reflection from the side of the car.
Its email below:
Hello there and thanks for your interest about my 1998 BMW 328i Automatic .As you’ve probably already seen on my auction the price I’m looking for my car is $4,000 and this price includes the shipping to your home.The car has 94k miles .The VIN # is : WBACD4326WAV62961 .Non-smoker car. Well maintained .Garage Kept .No accidents The car is like new, no accidents history, clean interior and exterior, no scratches, no damages, no mechanical or engine problems.It has a clear title ready to be signed and notarized on your name.The car come at your address with all inspections made and a service book. Unfortunately a divorce is forcing me to sell it under market value. I will not require the money up front because you haven’t seen/test driven the car yet. The sale will be thru eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection Program, meaning that they will hold and insure your money until receipt of the car in good condition. You will be given a 5 days inspection period before releasing the payment to me. The inspection period is starting from the day you will receive the vehicle. Craiglist recommend for all the buyers and sellers to use eBay VPP for safe transaction. If you wish to purchase it please provide me your full name and address so I can initiate the deal through eBay.
Best Regards,
BMW Pics : http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/negrubm/
I have just run into the same scam on usedboats.com The name he/she is using michael javaux. almost word for word the same scam as all the above posts but for a 2007 tige wakeboarding boat listed 12-15K less than what its worth. very elaborate as the email even contained a link to ebay’s vpp but when you compared the link page to the actually ebay vpp policy page they were subtley different. watch out!
the infamous Mr Alex, good thing I google his email and found this site. He is trying to sell me a Lexus GS300. I am going play along and see how far he is willing to go before I get the authority invole, using UNICEF…what a slambag!!
word of wisdom: “if a deal seem too good to be true….it is” don’t fall for these deals. google….what a thing of beauty
here is his message;
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
I was almost a victim. I don’t need to copy and paste the responses b/c they are all the same. It felt so real b/c he started responding on Friday and gave a contact, but would not answer are return calls. The car this time was a 2006 Ford Mustang convertible for 13,000. I did a google on the name before I sent money. Please research any online deals from private seller. Thanks for this site
The following is what I received in regards to a too good to be true ATV for sale. BEWARE OF BORIS ALLEN USING ALLBORIS43@GOOGLEMAIL. The scam is the same except this time his son who was killed in Iraq owned the property for sale.
Hi there,
If you are interested here’s how we can complete the sale:
In order to complete this deal the payment must be sent to eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection. As soon as they receive the payment, they will notify me to start the delivery (using DAS). After that you will receive all information about delivery so you can be able to track your shipment online. eBay will hold your payment until you receive and inspect the ATV (you have 7 days for inspection, from the moment you receive it). If the ATv is not in the condition I described it, you will ship it back on my expense and eBay will send you a full refund.
Now, if you are serious about this and want to move forward, I need your complete name and shipping address so I can open the eBay transaction and after that they will contact you and will explain better how the whole process works, so we can complete this transaction successfully and in the best manner.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Craigslist in NH:
From: Jeremycandee@ggmail.us
Hi,
If you are interested in my 2005 Toyota Corolla S , it is in perfect condition, with no need for additional repairs, no scratches, dings, special marks whatsoever. It has 23,290 miles and the VIN # is : 1NXBR32E45Z474795. It has a clear title ready to be signed and notarized on your name.
I have the pictures hosted on the net and you can see them at :http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/05corollas/.
The car is located Agoura Hills, CA.
The price is $2,962 including shipping costs anywhere in the continental US. There are no other costs regarding this transaction. I am selling the car because I am in the army, and my unit will be deployed to Afghanistan in September.
The transaction will be closed only through a 3rd party and this way we will both be protected. My time is limited due to my job in the army so I decided to use a service from Pivotal Payments. To begin the transaction I’ll need your full name and shipping address, I will forward the details of our transaction to Pivotal Payments and then you will receive an invoice from them. The car will be shipped insured to your location with DAS and you will have 5 days for inspection.
Thank you,
Jeremy Candee
From Craigslist NH:
From:retyype@hotmail.com
Hello and sorry for my delay,
The 2003 Honda Accord Sedan EX is in perfect working condition.This detailed vehicle makes the exterior look like
it just came off the assembly line.The car has only 90625 original miles.VIN Number: 1hgcm66583a042469
It was never involved in any accident, not even minor ones. The body and paint are great. The interior is super
clean, mechanically, it runs like a cat on carpet.
PICS: http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk305/2003HondaAccordSedanEX/
So if you decide on buying the car, I want the deal closed only through eBay. You will make the payment to eBay and
they will hold the money until you receive the car. ONLY AFTER you receive the car and you inspect it, eBay will
release the payment to me, in this way we are both protected. I signed up for US military forces and I was sent here
with my department to improve the military relations between our country and Croatia . I am located in
Zagreb,Croatia.1 months ago, my wife moved here, with me and brought the car with her, but now we have to sell it
back in the United States, because we can’t drive it here because we can’t register it here; it has US specs and
everything, and registering it here in Europe will take for ever. My final price on it is US 2,900 $. If you will
take it for this price, I am willing to handle the shipping .It will be shipped from here by plane with US Air
Military Cargo so it will not cost me anything. You will get it to the nearest airport in your area and then it will
be trucked forward to your place.From the moment the payment is secured by eBay the shipping process will begin and
it will arrive at your address in about 3 max. 4 working days. Please get back to me asap if you decide to buy, and
include in your e-mail your full name and address where you want it shipped so I can start the deal with eBay. You
will receive all the transaction payment and shipping details from them.
Thank you and have a great day,
David W. Ziegler
Craigslist NH:
From: tomas.bolton@gmail.com
Thanks for replying to my ad. I want you to know the car is in excellent condition with no rust or any kind of damage
anywhere and it doesn’t need any maintenance. The odometer shows 68000 miles. Title is clear and free of liens. This 2003 Honda : Accord Sedan has an automatic transmission and it’s very easy to drive even for a beginner.
My price is $3800. I am now in a divorce with my ex and i am in desperate need of money to pay the mortgage on my house.
That’s my only reason for selling it otherwise I wouldn’t do it.
The car is located in Jacksonville,AR and the deal will be handled by eBay trough their eBay Vehicle Purchase Program . They will handle the title and money transfer
and deliver the car to your location. The best part about this is that you’ll get 5 days money back guarantee. If at the end
of those 5 days you decide not to keep it you’ll get a full refund by them. If you want the Honda and if you have the money
available all you have to do now is to send me your full name and the shipping address. As soon as I hear that from you I
will initiate the transaction through them.
The process is very simple and risk free for both of us.
All the pictures can be seen here:
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/tomas_my_car/accord/8b74_1.jpg
Thank you
SECOND TIME IN ONE MONTH-J.GERBER31@YAHOO.COM SAME EBAY STORY BAD PHONE NUMBERS–HE FINALLY GAVE UP TRYING TO GET MY ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER–IVE CONTACTED AUTOTRADERS FRAUD DIVISION–IF THE GENERAL PUBLIC KNEW THIS WOULD NOT BE TOO GOOD FOR AUTOTARDER THEY NEED TO VERIFY ALL OF THEIR ADS
Hello again Bryan,
The car is located in Idaho at a shipping and storage company and the price is $15,900. So for this transaction we will use eBay company.Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address
- I start a transaction on eBay company,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car,
- they send me the money.
The payment type will be establish by eBay after start the transaction. They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You have 5 days for the inspection period. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 10 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need the following info from you so I can set up a new transaction case through eBay:
1. full name
2. shipping address
I always has doubt dealing online so I google Alex Frewerd and thanks to this site - now I now I’m dealing with a scam artist. He is now trying to sell me 2006 BMW 530i.
great site, another Name to be on the lookout for is Dennis Waddell, 2005 LR3, he is supposed to be in florida, car is in a sealed container ready for shipping in Idaho, letter is verbatim from the above, i found a better deal from a “real dealership” he insisted and emailed several times after i said, hey it sounds fishy to me.
Dennis Waddell from the properties of his email. using the following web site and the ip address taken from the header of his email, i find http://www.ipillion.com/ ip=72.14.214.239 it places the perp in Mountain View California. i will pass on to the FTC what i have found out, but you can verify location of people by using www.ipillion.com just plug in an ip address. best of all its free. good luck and i hope this saves someone from this crook and his like friends.
Here is more scam
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=248123044&dealer_id=62961319&car_year=2007&model=MUST&num_records=25&systime=&make2=&start_year=2005&keywordsfyc=__cHJpdmF0ZSBzZWxsZXI,__&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=112114105118097116101032115101108108101114&keywordsrep=&engine=8 Cylinder&certified=&body_code=1&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=used&distance=500&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&make=FORD&keywords_display=private seller&color=&page_location=findacar::ispsearchform&min_price=&body_style=CONVERT&drive=&default_sort=priceASC&max_mileage=&style_flag=2&sort_type=priceASC&address=32825&advanced=y&end_year=2007&doors=&transmission=Manual&max_price=&cardist=596
New Condition, 2007 Shelby GT500 Convertible, Only 2,000miles. Has a Ford Premium Ext. Warranty for 72mo/75k miles. No snow, non-smoker, no accidents. 500H.P., 5.4Liter, Super Charged engine. Garage kept and covered with custom cover. Still smells new inside. Tungsten Gray ext., Black with Red Inserts Interior. Cloth Top with Glass back window with defrost. I bought this car for my wife (who is 34yr. old) as a weekend car. She hardly ever drives it and it just sits in the garage. With raising a family, we just don’t have time to enjoy it.E-mail for further information. Always garaged, Must see.
here’s scam
Thanks for replying to my ad. I want you to know the car is in excellent condition with no rust or any kind of damage
anywhere and it doesn’t need any maintenance. The odometer shows 68000 miles. Title is clear and free of liens. This 2003 Honda : Accord Sedan has an automatic transmission and it’s very easy to drive even for a beginner.
My price is $3800. I am now in a divorce with my ex and i am in desperate need of money to pay the mortgage on my house.
That’s my only reason for selling it otherwise I wouldn’t do it.
The car is located in Jacksonville,AR and the deal will be handled by eBay trough their eBay Vehicle Purchase Program . They will handle the title and money transfer
and deliver the car to your location. The best part about this is that you’ll get 5 days money back guarantee. If at the end
of those 5 days you decide not to keep it you’ll get a full refund by them. If you want the Honda and if you have the money
available all you have to do now is to send me your full name and the shipping address. As soon as I hear that from you I
will initiate the transaction through them.
The process is very simple and risk free for both of us.
RE:let me explain to you the process:
I decided that the payment to be completed using EBay security because I want to
take this opportunity to assure you that this deal is 100% LEGIT but you must know that in
this way eBay will require you to send the deposit and they will have to
verify me and the car and you as well before we can close this deal through their service.
The car is in a very good condition, no flaws or
dents, no scratches or any kind of damage, no flood or wrecked.
In excellent shape and clear title the car passed the test emissions and
comes with all the documents you need for registration.
Your money will be kept by eBay agent until you will receive the car and send them the
confirmation that you are satisfied with the product received. In case you don’t want to
keep the car all you will have to do is to ask them for a refund and you will be totally
refunded in 2 days.
REMEMBER: for the shipping I am responsible (I have a friend working at the shipping company ).
So if you are interested I will need your full name and shipping
address as soon as possible in order to send your details to the shipping company and to eBay
agent to make the arrangements for shipping.
Thanks
I recently ran into this same scan. I am trying to purchase a muscle car for my boyfriend who is in Iraq. I found a 1973 chevy nova on craigslist listed for 4500, which is actually worth 25,000 the seller contacted me from darnellsteward12@aol.com. First off, when I asked the sellers name they replied, christine smith. If your name is christine smith why is this coming from darnell steward? Then a few emails down the line stating she was selling it because of a divorce, i asked to call and speak with her on the phone to prove she was a real human. She responded and tod me unfortunately she was deaf. So be aware of any christine smiths or darnel stewards. This breaks my heart even more because when you get a soldier, who is fighting for your country, hopes up then have to tell him its all a lie, it really ruins his morale.
Here is another email below from Alex Frewerd from UNICEF about a too good to be true price on a BMW M Roadster. Thanks all for posting on this blog! What a douchebag!
Hello Richard,
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
I just want to say, this guy ALex Frewerd sent me the exact same messages as I am reading on this blog. Pretty eerie to read them, but I want to post this on here just as a repeat. I hope this will help someone as much as it helped me. Thanks for everyone who has taken the time to post on here and let other people know about this scam.
I have ran into the same scam! Mr. Alex Frewerd tried to sell me a 2007 Acura MDX! I am so glad I googled his name!
Below is some of our email conversations………
So sorry for my late reply but due some personal problems I wasn’t able to handle the car sale. Please let me know if you are still interested in the car! The car has a clear title, is in an excellent condition, no dents or scratches, it was always garaged and regular maintenance and oil changes were done in time. Hasn’t been involved in an accident or flood damage. The motor runs very well. You know the price but if you want extra photos and Carfax report just let me know! I don’t want to offend you but the car is priced for a fast sale so please if you intend to apply for a loan or financing do not reply.
–
Alex
The pictures of the car and the Carfax report are in the attachment! Before anything take place please read carefully the following lines:
First of all I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due a lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell only through this.
If you want to buy the car, and you agree with my terms please reply so I can give you a detailed description of the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
Waiting for your reply.
Thank you,
The car is located in Idaho at a shipping and storage company. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF. My number is 1-(208)-936-2099. So for this transaction we will use eBay company.Here is how the process works:
- you give me your full name and shipping address
- I start a transaction on eBay company,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car,
- they send me the money.
The payment type will be establish by eBay after start the transaction. They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You have 5 days for the inspection period. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back in 10 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need the following info from you so I can set up a new transaction case through eBay:
1. full name
2. shipping address
MRS. CARLA DAVIS
dave anderson liniutegroase@gmail.com scam. watchout for all gmail account scammer
here the listing
Hi and thank you for contacting me regarding my boat for sale. First of all I need to let you know that this is a one owner boat. The boat was meticulously maintained since I purchased it. This boat is in great shape and will make anyone proud to own. The gel coat has a very nice shine and is in very good shape. Compression was checked last week when the boat has been serviced, no problems found. If you recognize any problem, no matter how picky you may be, I will pay for it.
Also this is a fresh water boat, I just used it in Pyramid Lake here in Nevada.
Please note that there is a misprint on the boat trader add, I live in Sparks, NV. I hope this is not a problem for you because for my asking price I will offer free delivery anywhere in US.
You have more pictures here:
http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f84/liniutegroase/2007 Pro Line 25 Sport/
Thanks for saving me from the scam. I am located in Denver, Colorado and looking for a used car for daily commute. I found these two ads in craigs list one for Honda CIVIC and another one for Nissan Altima with low miles and low prices. When I contacted the seller (they are using yahoo email with full name) i pretty much got same replay of using eBay protection program and both has similar kind of story one is divorced and another wants money for some reason. How ever I started inquire my colleagues and friends. Finally I come across this site to find out about the scam. Thanks everyone for contributing your experience to save people like me.
craig’slist SFbay area (7-29-08)
2005 Jeeta TDI GLS mileage 39,794 with vin and pictures price: $5,900.00
Although this care is more than $10,000 below blue book and is an extremely popular model; I came close to moneygram him 1/2 of the money before I read this page. thanks.
this is a copy of an e-mail from the so-called seller.
As we talked before, we will complete the deal in person in US. For this I will have to return in the states to bring you the car with all it’s papers. I don’t want to be rude or something like this, but to be sure that I don’t come back for nothing in the states and that you are going to buy it for sure and you have the money to do this, my proposal is , that you need to make the payment of $5,900, NOT TO ME, but to a 3rd party service. I would like to use eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program like a 3rd party for the payment because eBay will protect us. I paid them fees for that and now I am enrolled in this program.
Look how they work:
1. Both parties agree to terms of the transaction sale price and number of days for the Buyer’s inspection.
2. They will draw up a Payment invoice, send it to you approved by their legal representative and me the seller.
3. You will have to submit the payment, as instructed in the Payment Invoice, to their agent in US in maximum 48 hours after you will receive the payment details. The money will remain at them until you receive, inspect and accept the car.
4. You have a number of 3 days for an inspection and the option to accept or reject the vehicle.
5. If you accept the vehicle, they will forward the payment to me after you inform them to do so.
If you dislike the vehicle for any reason, they will refund you in FULL in maximum 48 hours and I will take back the car. If we start this now we can finish in 3 days top.
If you want to go on with this deal , e-mail me with your complete name and full address to start this process because I do have other interested buyers and I need to sell this beauty asap.
Please note that the car was listed on craigslist and not on eBay! I am just using the eBay Protection Program offered by eBay.
Have a great day!
Seller, David Marshall, dmr544@aol.com, using another site, ebay vehicle protection plan, site address support@vehicle-system-protection.com, just took me for $9000.00 on a 2006 Mini Cooper.Wired money to JP MOrgan Chase in New York under the name of Rami Heiskanen. Faxed conf. to fax # 501-635-4620 in Arkansas. This was alot like stories above. I hate him.
Beneficiary: Daniel Topan
Bank Name: Wachovia Bank
Bank Address: 731 Lexington Ave,New York, NY 10022
Bank Account #: 1010212148231
Bank Routing #: 063000021
Country: United States
This guy is a scammer on autotrader. this is what he said
Owner 62961319: AutoTrader.com: Vehicle Lead 2007 Ford Mustang
Hello,
The asking price is $24,000 and you have some pics attached to this e-mail.I want to use eBay for this transaction and I have set up everything necessary for delivery for a “buyer” who failed for a loan and now I have the car on shipping co. possession along with all doc. All I need to do is to confirm delivery address to shipping co. and the car will be on that way.
If you agree on that way then we can have the ball rolling… as I said this deal is going to be done through eBay motors,I can send details if you wish.
also his other email snead77ed@netzero.com
Thank you for posting these - here is what I got on a Lexus 430 SC Pebble Beach model priced at $27,590 (half the street value) - From a Dennis Waddell…dennwadde@googlemail.com He had the Carfax report and beautiful pics, the ebay VPP protection plan, what a scammer!!
His email response as follows:
“Hello ,
I attached the Carfax report and the pictures to this e-mail.
I want to tell you that I am not selling this car for profit or due to lack of money. All I can say is that some recent events in my life made me change my perception of certain things, things that I’ve considered important in the past. I will donate all money to charity after I sell this car. I am currently on a trip for UNICEF.
The transaction will be made through eBay company for the safety of both of us. I’ve already included the car into eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection, so I will sell it only through this program.
Here is how the process works:
- you give me your shipping address,
- I start a transaction on eBay Motors,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money into eBay trust account,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the car,
- you receive the car and approve them to pay me,
- they send me the money.
You’ll receive the car papers along with the car.
They will hold the money until the car is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You will have 5 business days for inspection. If the car is not like described you will have to ship it back at the end of the 5 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need your full name and address.
eBay will get in touch with you with further details and instructions.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Dennis”
WOW !! thats crazy, just like every other comment here, “too good to be true” I was about to buy a Lexus ES 300 2003, with 43k miles for $2985.00 From Linda Vander. She said she just finished a divorce and got the car, and didnt have a license , and just needed the money. I didn’t go as far as to send money, because when she emailed me the transaction process (frm a gmail acct, and it was originally netzero) it seemed kinda weird, so i googled scams. glad I found this posting. thanks!
Same story on a 2004 Beetle Conv $6000, but my guy’s posing as Mark Coleman, an officer in the Air Force. The emails went as follows:
Hello there, Sorry for the late response but it’s veryhard for me to reply faster because I work in the US Air Force . I wanted to let you know that the car isstill available, i had a buyer but his loan did not get approved.Please let me know asap if youare still interested , here is a link with morephotos: http://markcoleman.i8.com/Beetle/?thumb=1At this time the car is in Helena, MT with me and we can use the eBayVehicle Purchase Protection service to handle this deal if you’re notable to come pick this up. Please let me know if you have any questions, forsome reasons your previous email did not load on my screen. Thank you,Mark Coleman, TSgt, USAF
Hello,
This Volkswagen Beetle is a real ‘head turner’ and it will make you proud, it is in excelent condition,
never been involved in accidents, clean and clear title,
no mechanical problems, no smells and odors, no rust, no leaks,mileage: 53,000 miles,VIN: 3VWCM21Y84M307739, power options all functional and it will need nothing in the near future.
I inherited it from my aunt who had health issues and took great care of this car, always garaged and never offroad.
We are in a training mission here until 4th of October but if you’re not able to pick this up I have some great news for you.
The shipping will take 4-5 days thru DAS and it will be free, my previous buyer already paid for it and DAS didnt want to refund him so
I have the car sealed at DAS terminal ready to be shipped out. If we cannot meet face2face I would like to use ebay motors vehicle purchase
protection to take care of this deal, smooth and safe. Let me know if you have any other questions, hope i didnt miss anything.
Here is how it works if you have never used eBay vehicle purchase protection program. You send me your full name and your shipping address so I can initiate the transaction on eBay.eBay contacts you with further details regarding the payment and shipping process.You submit the payment to eBay, eBay confirms the payment and asks me to release the shipment.I ship the car which should be at your door within the next 5 business days.You have a 3 days inspection period before you confirm the deal and eBay forwards the payment to me or you cancel the deal and you get your money back and return the vehicle free of charge. Basicaly ebay holds your money safe until you confirm that the car is what you have expected and you want to buy it. It is not a sight unseen deal. On the other hand I can ship the car nowing ebay has your money and you wont dissapear with my Beetle. We are both covered.Sorry for the long emails I have tried to touch all bases.
Thank you,
Mark Coleman, TSgt, USAF
…this guy was persistant too!
I just ran into this with a mini cooper as well. Here is the email she sent.
I want to tell you that we will use eBay in this transaction in order for both of us to be 100% protected and insured by them.eBay will supervise this transaction so there won`t be any problems.They will take care of the shipping and all the small details.You will get the car and you will have 5 days of inspection in which you can decide if you buy the car or not.If you won`t like my car(not your case)you notify eBay and you send the car back on my cost,if you want to keep it you announce eBay you send the money(payment method and all the details will be set up by eBay)and you keep the car.
eBay will send you an invoice at your email in which you will see how to start the this transaction and in which you can see that this transaction is legit.Please get back to me with your full name,full address and phone number so i can forward your details to eBay in order for you to receive the invoice.Wait your reply.
he car is located in Dallas(i just moved here with my new job),like i told we will use eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection,so we can both be protected and insured.I just need your full name and full address so eBay can send you the Invoice in which you`ll see how to make this transaction.The shipping is free i will take care of it and i will send the car with all the papers( vehicle registration, warranty papers,transfer papers etc ) i am just waiting your full name and address to complete the shipping papers and start the delivery process.
How can I report this person?
Has anyone actually wired money into his account and gotten it back… If so what channels did you take. I need help!
thanks
Please be aware of Dennis Waddell. I too, was nearly scammed by this guy for a 2006 Mercedes Coupe. [a 50K car selling for about 24K]–All of the details and exact wording as many of you guys above describe, including the mangled syntax etc. Wow!! what a close call. There is an excellent guide on Ebay motors to aide in avoiding scams. The old adage is still true…”if sounds too good to be true…’ this guy would get away with more if the deals weren’t marked down so much. Thanks for blog it saved my A**
Watch out for Norfolk craigslist, boats. “Clint” sent me an email exactly like Freds above.
A 40k boat for 11k located in AZ.
Another Autotrader add. A 2006 Porsche Cayman S listed at 15,500. I was told that EBAY motors Vehicle Protection Plan would be used for the transaction and that the proceeds were going to charity. The phone number listed is not in service. I received emails from a robinpfeiffer@msn.com. They then sent me an email from ebaymotors@purchaseprotectionprogram.com. It looks pretty legit, but when I asked for a contact number, they just said there were too many potential buyers to handle over the phone and keep it straight.
I hope nobody gets burned by this scam.
I have just put together a short article on how to report a scam to state and federal authorities for those of you who asked how to do so.
See How to Report an Online Scam
This person is now on kijiji.ca and is selling a 2005 Bobcat loader for 1/10 of the asking price.
The email posted above rom ‘Jeff’ is word for word of mine, only the item is different. (Divorce, out of town, etc. etc.)
“Her” email is gtherineh@yahoo.com and her name is Alison Byron.
Thanks for this guys, saved a LOT of people a lot of trouble.
Exact same scam as Tim on August 1st
Guy selling a 2001 Cobalt 226 for $15K when it should be around $20 - $25K. I sniffed thinking it may be a screamin’ deal and got the exact same initial e-mail as Tim (word for word!)Something smelled so I thought I’d bait him…ad was listed as Coral, Florida but guy says he’s in Sparks Nevada. I have a friend who works at a boat dealer in Reno so I’ve lined up a “pre purchase check up” for later this week - I now know he won’t show thanks to this website…glad I googled his e-mail address!
The guy (Dave Anderson - uses ‘liniutegroase@gmail.com’) says he needs the money to by a property, and he’s the original owner in Nevada…but in the 6 photos he sent the boat has Maryland registration. See Attached:
From: Dave Anderson
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 2:13 AM
Subject: Re: Ad#93448727 on www.boattrader.com
Hi there,
my asking price including delivery will be $15K, for boat and trailer, you’ll receive also clear title for both of them. The boat has 114 hours and it’s in perfect condition, the reason for selling is that I need cash to buy a property, I have all service logs. I’m offering you a secure deal and the boat will be inspected on arrival by Trader Online staff. You’ll receive the boat papers along with the boat!
Here is how the process works:
- you give me your shipping address,
- I start a transaction on Boat TRader,
- they send you the payment instructions,
- you send the money to Boat Trader,
- they confirm me that they received the funds,
- I ship the boat,
- you receive the boat,
- they send me the money.
They will hold the money until the boat is delivered to you, with properly executed title. You will have 5 days for inspection. If the boat is not like described you will have to ship it back in 30 business days on my expense, but I am sure that you will love it.
In order to move forward I will need your full name and address.
Boat Trader will get in touch with you for further details and instructions.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
The photos he frowarded are on photobucket (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f84/liniutegroase/2001 Cobalt 226/) and if you look at the guys photo gallery he’s got photos of 20 boats. One of the other boats in his gallery was on the Boat Trader (a 22′ red Donzi Classic) was listed as at a dealer in Dallas…might be a coincidence.
I did pull a Boat History Report, and the hull number he provided (HIN# FGE23216E101)came back clean.
Don’t fall victim to this clown - hope he gets taken down!
The person is now derek york selling a 1996 Yamaha Virago on Washington DC area craigslist. Same wording as you all.
Wow!!Yesterday I saw a 2006 saleen convertible mustang for $4500 on the web. Emailed her, said I was interested, she responded, sounded real nice, but wouldn’t give out any personal information besides her yahoo email. Said she would ship and give me 5 days to inspect and decide to buy. All I had to do was give her and eBay my name and address……just like all of you. Thanks for making this thread guys, I almost gave her that info. Wat is so special about five days anyways
Have anyone heard of a “Mike” or “Michael” Johnson?
Lady said she was selling the car because she had divorced and it was her husbands and she just didnt want him to have it. When I said I wanted it she then kept insisting about going through ebay. And while it was listed in my city’s craiglist she said she moved to another area of the country after the divorce and thats where the car was as well. talked about setting up the ebay sale and all this, then sent me the link which I could click buy it now on the ebay auction then when i clicked pay now it took me to a page instructing me how to do the money gram. I thought that was weird because normally I pay through pay pal, however I had never purchased a car so I was unaware. And I have also noticed that this “lady’s” spelling and grammar have gotten a lot worse since I sent my deposit today. Of which I had a ball of knots in my stomach and second guessing it the whole time. I am praying I can call money gram in the morning and have time to stop this. I feel so stupid! And by they way her name is Laetitia Borden. Supposedly in Charlotte NC now in ND and wanted money sent to CA. And why do they always want your name and address? whats the deal with that?
OK so first thing this morning I was able to get in touch with MoneyGram and they put a hold on the transaction and issued me a full refund! Thank the Lord! However, would you believe that the scam artist actually emailed me today to tell me they stopped shipment of the fake care because they got an email from ebay and asking me to explain my actions to them. Can you believe that?! It is however a little scarey that they have my name and address.
Thank the Lord that I am military and my husband is ex government. I was looking for a Toyota MR2 Convertible and ran on a 2004 for $4,000, it was outlandishly low miles. I had just arrived back home from Iraq and was trying to “treat” myself on a budget. My husband was immediately suspicious and told me that he would not recommend me purchasing the car until I had the title and car in hand. To this I agreed. Thankfully, on the Ad in Auto Trader, it said that the car was located in Brecksville, OH. The phone number did not work. I emailed the seller through Auto Trader asking about the availability of the car and received a return email:
“Hello ,Thank you for your interest in buying the car. The car is located in US right now and has US papers.Why is the price so low? Because all I want to do now is to sell the car at this price, I need to sell it fast(I already made a deposit here to buy me another).The title is clean and you will have absolutely no problems to register the car .I will tell you a few words about the car..
My 2004 Toyota MR2 with automatic transmission have VIN# JTDFR320340070189, it is in immaculate condition with 2,800 miles rust free , no scratch and hasn’t been involved in any accident. The motor runs very well(4 Cylinders).The interior looks great(NO SMOKING).This car needs nothing,the title is clear ,it is not a salvage one. I want this transaction to go smoothly enough as I am caught in the middle of some very important events and have little time at my disposal. I already have tons of emails so I hope you understand that I need to sort them out.The price is $4,000 THIS IS MY LAST PRICE .I will not negotiate the price .I will take in consideration only those buyers who are really interested in buying the car ,to be sure that I don’t waste my time with endless discussions.This way,I shall be assured of the serious intentions .
For more pictures click hear :
http://i38.tinypic.com/51qc85.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/2rc23uo.jpg
http://i38.tinypic.com/53recj.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/dgkx9v.jpg
So if you are interested please email me back for next step.
Regards !!
Jennifer Houck”
….the same sob stories as above… just didn’t want car anymore… already had purchased new one…car excellent condition.
I was suspicious since this car would not last long on on a sales list this time of year, but the type of car and VIN number were obviously fill ins in the email. I wanted so bad to believe this was just my lucky day.
I returned an email asking: Jennifer,
I am MOST definitely interested in buying your automobile if you will allow me to work with you. It would be well loved and taken care of. The payment would be cash or any other method you would like. I am in the Military and just returned from Iraq and am looking for a car exactly like this one and the price is what I have convinced my husband to allow me to “treat” myself with, since he won’t fit in the car anyway. :) Please let me know where and when I can see the car and how you want to set up my paying for it. I would really appreciate being considered for buying it. I am so sorry that it took me so long to answer your email but I just received it. Please let me know your decision and then we can work out the details. I only need a couple of days notice so that I can get enough time off of work to go pick up the car.
Thanks again for your consideration and God Bless,
Kathy ____
I received the reply today from some “Jennifer Houck”:
“Hello , As I told you in my first e-mail, I am in New York with my work. Before leaving my the city I had prearranged the deal with eBay (eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection) so my presence in Montana isn’t necessary. The car is in their possession in US ( Montana ) ready to be delivered .You have 5 days to test it and inspect the car. So if you want to make this deal I need the following details from you:
full name and address
shipping address
phone #
After I will have all this details I will forward them to Ebay and I will proceed the order. Ebay will contact you with all the details that you need to complete this deal and also to see that i am covered by them and that I am legit seller. Waiting your email with the requested details.
Please note that the car was listed on autotrader and not on eBay! I am just using the eBay Protection Program offered by eBay.
Regards!!Jennifer Houck.”
Just a few minutes ago I respond with the following email:
“Jennifer, The add on autotrader said that the car was in Brecksville, OH??? If it is located in Montana could you please tell me where?? I will get you the information that you need as soon as I can contact Ebay to verify… just watching my behind also. No offense intended here and I am still very much intending on purchasing your car. Thanks again, Kathy”
I was now even more suspicious and googled “”EBAY PROTECTION PROGRAM” AUTO TRADER” and this site was the first hit. Thanks so much for keeping me from committing the same mistake so many others have made. To think, that I am willing to risk my life to protect the freedoms of people who would lie, cheat and steal. Just does