Does this smell like a scam

[Sarge]

This is my first post on the forum. I've been looking for a Gen III car for a little over a month and came across and ad on CARS.com for an 05' Yellow convertible a few days ago. The price is so low $31,000 I'm was guessing it's a salvage but after contact with the seller likely a pretty poor scam. The phone number in the ad rings to a fax machine so I used the e-mail to contact the seller on Cars and got the following response 3 days later. I have removed the sellers signature.

Sellers response to my inquiry:

"Hi, thanks for interest and please excuse my late answer, I was very busy all week, I'm an architect, my husband as well. If you're still interested I would like to know if you have your own funds and if you can pick up in Virginia Beach or need shipping. Thank you XXXX"

My response to above:

XXXXX,
I have the money / funds. I would pick the car up. Please provide me with a contact number to reach you or you can call me at ***-***-XXXX.
Thank you,

Sellers response:

Hi Rich, prior to a phone conversation we would like to let you know that due to our work we're in Phoenix, AZ. Car is garaged in Virginia Beach. We went through a bad experience almost 3 weeks ago when someone asked my husband to be back home as he will come and buy it, well, XXXXX went for complete the deal but the buyer never showed up and he stopped answering to his phone or email. We ordered also an SGS inspection when XXXXX was in Virginia Beach, a team from SGS made the inspection at our home address, we have a report if you want to see it. My husband talked with the SGS team and told them about that non-buyer and they advise XXXXX that in the future, if he want a safe deal and be sure that it will be completed to pay their required fees , 2% of the sale amount , and the SGS company will can handle the payment, what I mean is we will set up a transaction with them, as the car has already been inspected by them, they will shortly approve it. The next step, the buyer will pay the money to them, as soon we will have their payment confirmation , XXXXX will come back to VA and will meet you in order to complete the deal. SGS will hold your money until you will confirm to them that you met the seller and you picked up the car, after you will confirm them that everything went fine and you're satisfiate with the car and the titled has been sucesfully transferred under your name, they will send us the funds. If all this is ok for you and you agree with our proposal we can move forward, just let us know and my husband will call you for further details. Thank you, XXXXX


I did a reverse look up on the phone number in the ad which comes back as a business in VA Beach (not an architect) and further checked the AIA registry using the husband and wife's names in the signature. No surprise the AIA does not have either name in their national registry / licensing.


At this point I don't plan to respond any further. Just thought you guys might have a laugh.

I'm sure before long I'll find a car from a real seller. I've tried several with limited success.

Rich

 

[bigmack339]

Give this to the pd

 

[bmw2nv2000]

Thats just sad. People are sick ******** and no telling how many will fall far this new way of scamming.

 

[NI-KA]

Not really that new. Just a little twist. In this type of scam you will never be able to talk to them on the phone.

 

[Canyon707]

It's very common on EBay also. Like judge Judy says. If it's to good it's probably not true.

 

[PacificSEASnake]

Lots of design-type people call themselves Architects & actually aren't. The give away is the poor writing. It would be hard to imagine someone going through 5 or more years of college, 3 years internship & professional registration, and still not be able to form a coherent sentence - especially considering the exam has a fairly heavily weighted writing portion.

Just for fun, why not respond; "That's a great coincidence. I am moving to Phoenix and recently purchased a commercial property for my business as well as a residential property for my home. I have been looking for an Architect for both. Will you send me more information about your firm? I would love to have a fellow Viper enthusiast to work on my design!"

They wasted your time, why not waste theirs?

 

[Viper 95 Kim]

The story is the same its always somewhere in storage.

 

[georgethedog]

Just for fun, why not respond; "That's a great coincidence. I am moving to Phoenix and recently purchased a commercial property for my business as well as a residential property for my home. I have been looking for an Architect for both. Will you send me more information about your firm? I would love to have a fellow Viper enthusiast to work on my design!"

They wasted your time, why not waste theirs?

 

[johniew398]

That fax number comes back to a flooring company in Virginia Beach.

I'll PM you a link of where I found it plus their office telephone number.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Which flooring company? I live in VA BCH.

 

[johniew398]

Which flooring company? I live in VA BCH.

Jim Klemmer Floors on Cleveland Street.

 

[big-n-italian]

The story is the same its always somewhere in storage.

i was thinking the same thing. and if it is a scam, the car always seems to be in storage in a different state or a different country than where the seller claims to be.

 

[cfiiman]

Its a scam, happens all the time on autotrader, I had the same response almost on a 911 I was looking at in Texas, accept the guy was out of the country instead of across the nation, pathetic really, I hate scammers.

 

[gilly6993]

It's a scam.....I inquired and told them I want to buy the car also...see what happens.....I like playing games with these scumbags...

 

[KNG SNKE]

Tell that person you have a friend in VA BCH that will inspect the car now.

 

[georgethedog]

Here is a copy of the description:

Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Airbag: Side, A/C: Rear, Alarm, Anti-Lock Brakes, Bucket Seats, Cassette Radio, Cruise Control, CD Player, CD Changer, Leather Interior, Memory Seats, Navigation System, Power Locks, Power Seats, Power Steering, Power Windows

I'm lost... When did they start putting memory seats, power seats in a Viper? Also, a cassette radio? My '03 doesn't have one--I'm pissed!!!! I've gotta call on this one...

 

[slysnake]

At this point I don't plan to respond any further. Just thought you guys might have a laugh.

Yeah, you should play with them as sugested above. Who's that guy that does that with the Nigerian scamers. It's very funny stuff.

 

[ZYellow01RT]

It's a scam.....I inquired and told them I want to buy the car also...see what happens.....I like playing games with these scumbags...

Hey...I live in Phoenix...so do the best that you can to get an address..."youknowwhatimean?"

 

[TowDawg]

I just wrote them to tell them I'm interested as well. I put my zip as Norfolk, so it looks like I'm pretty much local to the car. We'll see what they say.

Someone new needs to write them each day and let's tie up a ****load of their time!

If I get bored, I'll run down Autotrader or CL and email all the ones I know are scams. I'll keep them going forever just to hopefully waste enough of their time that I keep someone else from getting scammed.

 

[Gus Strakes]

Yeah, you should play with them as sugested above. Who's that guy that does that with the Nigerian scamers. It's very funny stuff.

Here's the web sight you may be thinking of:
419 Eater - The largest scambaiting community on the planet!

 

[lagalaxy13]

Lots of design-type people call themselves Architects & actually aren't. The give away is the poor writing. It would be hard to imagine someone going through 5 or more years of college, 3 years internship & professional registration, and still not be able to form a coherent sentence - especially considering the exam has a fairly heavily weighted writing portion.

Guess you don't know very many Architects. I'm suprised most that i deal with even finished school, So that letter was probably from one

 

[Canyon707]

Guess you don't know very many Architects. I'm suprised most that i deal with even finished school, So that letter was probably from one

As a building contractor I agree. In my entire building life only one had there act together. The plans are the documents we build from. Very few of them care and most can only draw and have no concept of assembly. The engineer on this one is even worse. He won't even return a phone call for a structural question. Finally after three weeks of no return calls I call him and left a message that he was an assh---. I got a call from the Vacaville police about it. I almost laughed in the officers face when he ask me if I call him and ass----. I told him I did and told him why. His response was I twas shre there was another side to the story. I told him I wasn't going to do anymore than just that call but, I did have other thoughts. There is a lot to building thousands of parts go into a project and the one I am doing now drawn by a Napa Architect (not) and the engineer which have already been paid is a complete joke.
Go figure...

 

[lilgookiemonsta]

Everyone on this site should just inquire about the car :lol:

 

[TowDawg]

I haven't heard anything back from them yet.

 

[lagalaxy13]

As a building contractor I agree. In my entire building life only one had there act together. The plans are the documents we build from. Very few of them care and most can only draw and have no concept of assembly. The engineer on this one is even worse. He won't even return a phone call for a structural question. Finally after three weeks of no return calls I call him and left a message that he was an assh---. I got a call from the Vacaville police about it. I almost laughed in the officers face when he ask me if I call him and ass----. I told him I did and told him why. His response was I twas shre there was another side to the story. I told him I wasn't going to do anymore than just that call but, I did have other thoughts. There is a lot to building thousands of parts go into a project and the one I am doing now drawn by a Napa Architect (not) and the engineer which have already been paid is a complete joke.
Go figure...

I work for one. They have no real world experiance. Instead of interning in a office they need to intern in the field, before they can get there liscense. Don't get us started with engineers, they don't answer us either. If it wasn't for them 99% of jobs could be under bid and bid on time.

 

[chiefchad]

Off topic I know - but here it is from the horses mouth.
I really REALLY shouldn't even be saying this but its true.
I have a prof. degree in one of "those" fields being mentioned above.
My first job consisted of suit and tie, fancy office, and drafting table.
On many occaisions, the construction guys on the projects would look at me strangely in regards to certain things on the plans. I was told numerous times "that can't be done" or "that can be done - but doesn't make sense" or "that can be done but will cost alot of money and take alot of time"
Years ago, I decided I did not want to be stuck in an office and wanted my own const. co. with cool things like machines and stuff - lol
Wow - I can't believe how blind I was. There is just a whole other level of information and knowledge you can only gain by being in the field on the ground level. Now, I sometimes have to work with engineers or architects and can't believe some of the stuff I have to look at.
I have thought for years that these design fields at university HAVE to have a mandatory "work in the field" segment for a couple of years added to the program. And no - that doesn't mean standing on a construction site with a white shirt and tie and plans in your hands. You've got to get these kids picking up a shovel, or a hammer, or drive an excavator. The problem is, the students and teachers in these fields think that type of experience is beneath them. After seeing both sides of the coin - I believe it is crucial.

 

[ohno]

People like this just make it harder for honest people like myself who have too many vehicles to keep at the house. A couple of years ago I had my boxster in storage due to reasons posted above, and I decided to sell it. Nearly every day it got flagged and removed from CL. As annoying as that was I eventually got it sold, but I think I would have sold it sooner if there weren't people out there trying to make a quick buck and discouraging people from buying. That being said, I'm in phoenix; ask them where do they work in phoenix.

 

[Sarge]

People like this just make it harder for honest people like myself who have too many vehicles to keep at the house. A couple of years ago I had my boxster in storage due to reasons posted above, and I decided to sell it. Nearly every day it got flagged and removed from CL. As annoying as that was I eventually got it sold, but I think I would have sold it sooner if there weren't people out there trying to make a quick buck and discouraging people from buying. That being said, I'm in phoenix; ask them where do they work in phoenix.

I'm really trying to find a car. When I asked this particular seller to call me or give me their number and they did not it was pretty clear it was a scam. From a buyers perspective it's no better than it is for a seller. I have people ask me if I'm a picture collector which I guess in a way I am. Only buying 1 car but looking at several to try and find the "right car" for me. Although I've only contacted 5 or 6 sellers, 4 of the responses I got immediately were "don't try to low ball me" with complaints about answering inquiries about their car. As has been suggested in other posts, a lot of these cars have stories which are not posted in the classifieds. This experience has not been nearly as much fun as I thought it would be.

 

[musclenutz]

Lots of design-type people call themselves Architects & actually aren't. The give away is the poor writing. It would be hard to imagine someone going through 5 or more years of college, 3 years internship & professional registration, and still not be able to form a coherent sentence - especially considering the exam has a fairly heavily weighted writing portion.

Just for fun, why not respond; "That's a great coincidence. I am moving to Phoenix and recently purchased a commercial property for my business as well as a residential property for my home. I have been looking for an Architect for both. Will you send me more information about your firm? I would love to have a fellow Viper enthusiast to work on my design!"

They wasted your time, why not waste theirs?

Best idea i've heard in a while!

 

[ViperGeorge]

If you want a Gen 3, look in the classifieds on this site. Heck I have a supercharged 06 First Edition listed with forged internals. You're less likely to get scammed here than anywhere else. Yes my car is in fact in MA while I am in CO. Not a scam, just a fact. I moved to CO a few months back. You can call the Viper Wizard or the NE VCA President to ask them about my car and me.