Autotrader email

mrposhman

Ok, I've just put my car for sale on autotrader (well yesterday) and have received the following email today. I seem to remember seeing one of these before and thinking its a scam. Has anyone else heard of this?

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Customer Details:
NAME: MR tom dave
TELEPHONE:
EMAIL: tom_dave002@hotmail.com

Vehicle Details:
MAKE: AUDI
MODEL: A3
PRICE: £4750

Message:
HELLO SELLER,
I SAW THE ADVERT OF YOUR CAR ON AUTOTRADER.CO.UK WHICH IS FOR SALE.I AM OKAY WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE CAR AND I AM READY TO BUY FROM YOU. I AM BASED IN DUBLIN IRELAND ,BUT AT THE MOMENT AM ENGAGED IN ALOT OF THINGS TO COME FOR THE VIEWING OF THE CAR. AM OKAY WITH YOUR PRICE AND AM READY TO GIVE YOU
EXTRA'S OF £200 FOR SECURING OF THE CAR SO IT WOULD NOT BE SOLD TO ANOTHER BUYER ,AND FOR YOU TO KNOW HOW COMMITED I AM IN BUYING FROM YOU .

I WILL LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT I CAN'T COME FOR THE VIEWING OF THE CAR AS EARLIER STATED CAUSE I'M VERY BUSY AT WORK RIGHT NOW, BUT WITH WHAT I SAW ON THE ADVERT I AM SATISFIED.I WILL LIKE YOU TO SEND ME SOME PICTURES OF THE PRESENT LOOK OF THE CAR.I LOVE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.I WILL BE VERY HAPPY IF THE
CAR IS MINE.

I WILL ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW I WILL BE PAYING YOU WITH A BANKER'S DRAFT, THE AMOUNT ON THIS DRAFT WILL BE MORE THAN THE PRICE OF YOUR CAR[OVERPAYMENT].

THE EXCESS FUNDS ON THE DRAFT WILL BE FOR MY AGENT FOR PICKUP OF THE CAR AND SOME OF MY OTHER ITEMS I ALREADY BHOUGHT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE UK .

ONCE YOU HAVE FUNDS CLEARED IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT YOU WILL DEDUCT YOUR TOTAL MONEY PLUS THE EXTRA\'S FROM THE FUNDS AND WIRE THE EXCESS TO MY AGENT FOR PICKUP, SO THAT THEY CAN PROCEED WITH THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK AND ARRANGE WITH YOU A CONVINIENT DATE AND TIME FOR PICKUP.

IF THIS IS OKAY BY YOU,YOU WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO ME WITH SOME NECESSARY INFORMATION WHICH WILL BE NEEDED FOR THIS TRANSACTION TO PROCEED.

1
THE INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOW;
YOUR FULL NAME....
YOUR FULL ADDRESS WITH POSTCODE......
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS BOTH OFFICE AND MOBILE/HOME NUMBERS...

N:B
THE NAME YOU GIVE WILL BE THE NAME YOU WILL SEE ON THE CHEQUE AND IT WILL BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS YOU MAIL TO ME.YOUR PHONE NUMBERIS FOR TIME TO TIME CONTACT.

ALSO IF ANY BUYER CONTACT YOU ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CAR,PLEASE TELL THEM IT'S ALREADY BEEN SOLD CAUSE AM READY TO MAKE PAYMENT AS SOON AS I GET THOES DETAILS NEEDED FROM YOU.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO A HAPPY TRANSACTION.

HERE IS MY MOBILE NUMBER TO CALL FOR ME INFORMATION +447024041542

HOPING TO READ FROM YOU SOON.

REGARDS,
TOM DAVE

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This all sounds highly dodgy to me, not least because someone living in Dublin has a UK mobile number as it isn't preceded with +35 but +44.

Can anyone confirm that this is a scam or ligit please?

Thanks

dacouch

Its a very common scam, avoid or you WILL lose your car

postmanpat68

Sounds like a scam to me, this has been in the news a lot this week. bankers drafts can be forged too!.

mrposhman

thats what I suspected. I won't give any personal details out in emails anyway. I will only provide addresses and things to people who phone me up who want to come and visit.

It looked highly dodgy to me, the tone of the letter and the fact its all in capitals is very suspect and using bankers drafts doesn't strike me as the best way.

Thanks for confirming for me.

Bowdyjan18

These people really boil me tbh...

Id wind them up for a while thou

Inactive

Tom Dave... :rotfl:

2 first names..

He should have used John Thomas Richardhead..

darich

common scam which is a variation of one also used on ebay.
cheque for more than item is worth is posted to seller. The buyer then contacts to inform the seller of the error and asks if they can simply write a cheque for the difference and include it in the package.
Of course the buyer's cheque is a fake and bounces leaving the seller out of pocket for both the item which has been posted and for the (most likely) genuine cheque that was included aswell.

Same thing but bigger.

AVOID. AVOID. AVOID.

PS if you feel confident and comfortable doing it then it's possible to waste scammers's time but engaging them in a few emails. checkout http://www.419eater.com/ or some classic correspondence and images.

mrposhman

and another one, I replied to the original email but it did sound a bit dodgy (I'd sent it to autotrader prior to receiving this reply). Sort of thought the name was a bit dodgy.

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Good Afternoon,
Thanks for your quick response and am also excited to hear from you that the vehicle is still available for sale.
And thanks for the information you just gave about the vehicle and am quite delighted to hear from you that the vehicle is still in great conditions.
The reason why am purchasing this vehicle is because our family are expanding,cos we are expecting our first child.
I want you to send me your wishes in advance before the imminent arrival of the baby.
My self and my husband just need one additional vehicle.

Please i want you to email me more pictures if is still available both the exterior and interior.
Due to my condition i will not be able to view the vehicle at present because i'm heavily pregnant,and the distance as well.
My personal circumstances do not allow me to travel,like wise my husband is away on a business trip.
According to the Features of the vehicle and the Full Description of the vehicle which i saw on the advert page i'm fully satisfied.

I want you to accept my offer of £4,900 inclusive the advert fees just because I know what the worth of the vehicle and more so what you' ve stated about the vehicle details in the advert page and the maintenance of the vehicle you've spent so far since you bought the vehicle.
The only way you will release the vehicle to any one is when the cash is in your hand, i.e. payments cleared at bank, and withdrawn,which may take 3 to 5 working days.

We are located in a small city at Isle of Man.
I will only required your full name and your postal address.
I did NOT request for your bank details.
My preffered method of payment is by bankers draft in a (GBP) that's the only option and safest way for me to transfer CASH.

I hope to hear from you today in order to proceed further with the payment and shipping arrangements as soon as possible.
I look forward to hear back from you today.
Cheers
Mrs Robinson

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I especially like the bit where I HAVE TO send my best wishes or they won't agree to the offer!! :rotfl:

Also, you would think they would take some proper english lessons.

trevormax

reply and send pictures of a different car to see if they notice (just for a laugh). If they dont you can point it out and have some more fun lol

mrposhman

Jeez,

I might take my email address of the ad. Just got another one.

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Hello
It is a pleasure to reply to your advert, i will like you to get back to me
with the following informations
1)How long have you owned the item ?
2)Have you owned it from new?if not how many previouse owner has it had?
3) Why are you selling it?
4)What is the mileage?
5)What features does the item have?
6What sort of condition is the item in?
7It there any outstanding finance or hire purchase agreement?
8)Does it have any tax or mot? if so how much?
9)Are there any services records, bills,old mot.
10) Has it been involved in an accident and if so which part were damage and
where was it repaired?
11)Has the item required any work recently?
12)Has it been modified in anyway?
13) If possible it pictures scan a copy of the item
14)It best offer as in the last price
15)Means of payment wll be in banker draft or cashier cheque
looking forward to your response asap.
Thanks and God bless.
Best Regard,
+447035963874

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Clearly another billy !!!!!!!!ter being as most of the information is already in the ad. Also, what does it matter to them if it has finance outstanding as thats my liability.

Lemonade_Pockets

I think autotrader is wonderful but unfortunately these types of scams and calls from car data and the like really start to wind me up.

Autotrader need to investigate some way of stopping this as it can't be good for business. Phonesafe is a good start but it really needs to be free or local rate price to the caller so's not to put people off.

Good look with your sale. As you have correctly determined these are scams, it always amazes me that the one thing these emails seem to have in common is bad english and grammar you'd think some scam artist would of cottoned onto the fact that this is a dead giveaway.

They might as well just say: Give me all your monies thank you please!