I was browsing ads on Kijiji.ca a while back and came across an ad for a 1998 Supra Twin Turbo for just under $5k.
I immediately knew it was a scam, but I just wanted to have some fun with the guy and see what type of scam it could possibly be.Here are the e-mails we sent back and forth (from first to last): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me:
Hi, I am willing to buy this car!
Please contact me back so we can arrange a testdrive. I have cash at hand! -Mitch
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"John":
Hi, The car was fully paid and has never involved in a accident (clear title) with no any problems for registration. It's 100% functional, with no scratches or any kind of damage. The reason why I'm selling it for $4800 is that I've recently moved to United Kingdom. I know that the price is low but I must to sell it fast because otherwise I'm in trouble. It's illegal to keep this car here more then 3 months without a special insurance for it and I do not have the money for it. I know I could do better than this low price but I have no time to sell it otherwise. If we come to an agreement the car will be shipped on my expense by using GPS via Air Freight. I'm a serious seller and a fair trader and I prefer to deal only with a serious buyer. If you understand the situation and still want to buy it, please get back to me. Thank you a lot
John
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Me: (It's obviously a scam. "Pay-me-money-and-I-ship-you-the-car-from-where-I'm-'storing'-it")
Hi John, Well I need to test-drive the car and have it inspected first. -Mitch
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"John":
I really hope in your honest intentions of buying my car. Don`t take it personally, but I had lots of problems with fake buyers in the past. Due to this, it's understandable that I need some proof of your seriousness, that you have the money available to pay at anytime. So, if you need to agree with my terms stated below, the car to be yours. Now, the car is at the shipping company, ready to be shipped at any time. The car is there because I was ready to sell it when the buyer proved at the last minute that he wasn't serious, telling me that he didn't have the all money. After doing deep research I found out that the safest way to complete this deal for both parties it's through eBay. The eBay has a Vehicle Purchase Protection Program, free of charge which can be used by both the seller and the buyer. If my terms are ok with you, these are the steps in completing the transaction process: - First you have to make a down payment of half of total amount, NOT to me but directly to eBay.
- After eBay confirms the deposit, the delivery process will begin, the car being sent directly to your location.
- You will receive the vehicle in 10 working days and you will benefit from a 15 days
inspection period to check that the car is in perfect conditions as described.
- eBay will hold the payment until the 15 day inspection/acceptance period has expired.
- If you decide to keep the car, you must to send the rest of the money.
- If you decide not to purchase the car, you will get a full refund and the car will be returned on my expense. To be more clear: when the car arrives, you will test the car and if it does not matches 100% your expectations, you will have to return it in 15 days at the max since the arrival date. Even if you decide to decline the car you will get all the funds back and you will send me the car back, the shipping and insurance fees being covered by me. This is a risk I am willing to take because I trust the qualities of my car. But if in these 15 days inspection period you decide to buy the car, you will have to send me the remaining balance and our deal will be completed. As soon as I will have your full name and the address where the car should be shipped at, we can start the transaction over eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program. You will then receive more information and instructions from eBay. Best Regards,
John
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Me: (at this point it is quite obvious it is a scam and I decide to be a little cocky)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Do you really think that I am going to pay you money BEFORE I get the car?
You talk about dealing with fake buyers; I think in reality you are having an identity crisis as a fake SELLER.
On Kijiji the car is stated as located in Montreal.
If that is the case, I want to test it first.
I am not sending money to someone BEFORE I ever even SEE the car. -Mitch
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"John":
Ok then, I guess your not the one who is going to drive a new car next week, anyhow i wish you luck in finding this car at this price which I don't think that will happen again, you just missed your once in a life time chance. Thank you for your time.
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Me: (Time for the arrogance)
No, I guess I'm the one who actually has been living in Montreal all these years while you've been starving in Nigeria. -Montrealer AKA Mitch
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*You can always sniff these guys out of a crowd; their grammer is horrible.
If they want to scam us so badly, can they not respect us enough to speak our language properly.
Or at least use grammer-check for the love of God!
It's like they want to be spotted.
The next time I come across one of these guys, I'm going to taunt them to the brink of insanity by correcting every grammatical error they made in their previous e-mail :~P
Sig begins here: ZEngineer: I just hope those exhaust tips aren't gonna give me a hard time going through the opening
Aqualung: Do you have a pic of your rear?
ZEngineer: Dude! That's just perverted!
Aqualung: Holy Sh*t! What did I just say???
BigTDogg(MA): That car earns the owner a TON of trophies at shows I'm sure. It'll also earn him one jab to the testicles if I ever meet him in person.
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