I might be buying a 240 parts car

[DeesZ]

No disrespect to anyone intended here, but the 'particulars' of a transaction that I had no active part in is none of my business. If I was the seller and received an inquiry about who took ownership from a third party that was not a law enforcement agent, I would likely not have responded at all, or as gently. As the seller, I could view a persistent inquirer as a potential scam. Look at it from the other side for a moment and I hope the point makes sense. I'm not intending to sound mercenary or rude, but I have many 'classified' sales under my belt, and (I learned this the hard way) the first person to present proper payment has the privilege of new ownership.

Cash separates the tire-kickers from the owners. I've even taken cash 'deposits' from people who never finalize a deal, and that sets back a final sale considerably. Heck, I sold a '71 Z-car 18 months ago, cash in hand, and it still sits in my front yard. Odd things happen, and they aren't always a scam. Don't get hurt feelings, that's not my intention, this is just my opinion developed from first-hand experience.

[sblake01]

John, that basically fills in the blanks I left with my post.

[JohnnyO]

Mike,

Your not in the Boca area, are you?

[mikewags]

Miami actually.

The car was listed in the South Florida for sale area.

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/pts/916268833.html

Edited November 22, 2008 by mikewags

[Tarmac]

Clearly, Mike isn't getting scammed. He's got no cash or car on the barrel head. But it sure sounds like the seller of the car in Fla. is. Why would someone in CA. pay $500 + $800-1000 shipping for a rust bucket? In CA for $1500 you can get a running 240Z with a clean body!

Again, I smell a scam

[EScanlon]

Tarmac

Don't know where you obtained the information in your post #9 above.

There are items in there that just don't ring true.

RECEIVING money via wire transfer, which is what Mike mentions the seller receiving are warned about.... How's that? If the money being SENT via a wire transfer is unrecoverable and advised against, how is it that when you RECEIVE the money it becomes recoverable?

I checked Craigslist's page regarding Scams; http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

and only some of what you posted in #9 is repeated there. Some of it appears to be someone's interpretation of what and how and not a post by someone AT Craigslist. Look at the paragraph that details:

a purchase where the person said they lived in California but requested that I email the item to somewhere in Oregon. Now what's wrong with this picture?

The following paragraph also mentions the writer's misgivings followed with a paragraph that begins with:

Craigslist provides the following advice on avoiding scams to anyone using their service:

So which is it? Is this advice a copy from a page on Craigslist BY Craigslist or is it an editorialized version of something compiled by you or others? If it is FROM Craigslist, would you post the URL as it would be interesting to read, and bluntly rebuke, some of their findings.

If on the other hand, you're copying from someone's editorial... well... wouldn't posting it AS IF IT WERE from Craigslist.... be kind of a scam?

Don't take offense, as none is meant, but there is a HUGE difference between posting what a company posts as a company and what others interpret and/or editorialize about their post.

Posting it as "advice".... well that kind of tips the bucket.

There ARE a number of reasons to be careful in any kind of monetarial transaction that begins between strangers, but to presume evil intent BEFORE it begins, well that strikes me as paranoia.

My 2¢

E

[mikewags]

I simply posted this because I found it strange that someone would wire the funds over for a rusted Z without seeing it. It either leads me to believe its a scam, or just someone who thought they were getting a great deal, as to immediately purchase the car via wire transfer then proceed to ship the car across country---all without seeing a single photo of the car.

I know there are no photos online that exist because it was one of the first things I asked the guy on the phone. I was actually going to go check it out today in person; if it hadn't sold.

Also by what i've heard of in the past when it comes to scammers on craigslist; it just seemed to make sense.

[Tarmac]

Here is the link to the "official" Craig's list anti-scam post. I think the stuff I copied and pasted was just "good advice".

http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

I'll paste 2 parts...

"# DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.

# NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer. "

I buy and sell lots of stuff on Craig's list. Not just cars, but bicycles, motorcycles, furniture. I once rented a condo I found on Craigslist. Frankly, Im a craigslist-a-holic. That said, I have NEVER done a deal on craigslist that didn't involve meeting someone in person, and CASH. Something in Mike's story smells fishy. Not certain what, or how, but I smell a scam. It could be the money wired was paid for with stolen credit cards.. I dunno

Edit: here is the link to the stuff I pasted earlier.

http://www.fraudguides.com/internet-craigslist-scams.asp

Edited November 23, 2008 by Tarmac

[mikewags]

Something in Mike's story smells fishy. Not certain what, or how, but I smell a scam. It could be the money wired was paid for with stolen credit cards.. I dunno

My thoughts exactly.

Then again some people don't care as long as they get what they want for the sale. I'm not quite sure about what kinds of records are kept with wire transfers and if they can ever be tracked back to the receiver (in case it turned out to be CC fraud, and it has to be paid back)

Either way, if it were me; I would of probably suspected something. Wire transfers always seem to stir up some suspicion anyways.

[westpak]

man that sucks, I would have probably scarf some of those parts from you

[biddljj]

If ya do get the car... I am looking for 72 ish 240Z:

1. Door parts, lock strikers, rods, handles

2. Front turn signal housing + wire harness

3. Hood striker assembly

Not just a Z - zdisease

[EScanlon]

Tarmac:

The "good advice" may be your intent, and that is what I'm counting on.

The problem is that the "fraudguides" advice misrepresents itself. They are NOT Craigslist and unless it's posted elsewhere on their site, I could not see where they are or are not affiliated with Craigslist in any manner, fashion or form. As a result, their comments about what Craigslist does and does not recommend are opinion, which is further exacerbated by your posting it without reference to them.

Even Craigslist's comment regarding anyone asking you to wire funds being a scammer.... how's that? I'm sure the Western Union, Moneygram and others might find that just a tad bit libelous. It may hold true that a lot of scammers request a wire transfer, but not that anyone asking you to wire funds is a scammer. I've not only wired funds via Western Union, but have also requested funds be returned the same way... but the circumstances were different. I'm sure that Craigslist is not inferring that I am a scammer, but that statement does not exclude me.

Wire transfers, money orders, cashier's checks are typically one way transfers. Once you've handed them over there is little recourse you as the payer have. Which is why RECEIVING money from someone via a wire transfer does not necessarily a scam make. Most institutions selling any of these instruments will generally NOT accept a credit card for payment.

As to why someone would buy something sight unseen... geez, that's a can of worms by itself.

FWIW

E