Is this a scam?

EarlyPorsche · 09-16-2009, 06:35 PM

I got the below in response to a car ad. What I don't get is what the scam could be. He wants to pay for the car and pick it up. What else could I ask for? But he is really answering too many questions at once. What is the scam here?

I want to buy this item asap.how much are going to be offering for
the car I will be paying with my credit card via my paypal account.so
please do reply me asap with your paypal account(paypal e-mail
address) including your phone #, so i can effect payment to you and
do get back to me so we can arrange for pick up as i will like the car
to be picked,so no shipping included I await your reply, so that we
can discuss more on this.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Sounds like a scam.

onlycafe · 09-16-2009, 06:47 PM

yep.

Christien · Christien's Garage

If you have to ask...

Insist on a 7 business day waiting period for the transaction to clear.

fingpilot · 07:18 PM

Tell him you'll meet him at your bank, and will gladly accept cash that is acceptable to your bank's inspection.

If you deposit said cash into your account, and if the amount is over $9999.00, expect to fill out an additional piece of paper confirming that you are not a drug dealer. There is a hint there.

I think your tel# is one of the acct verifications to access your PayPal, so don't do that. Tell him no PayPal, you, as seller will be giving them a share of the proceeds.

EarlyPorsche · 09-16-2009, 07:21 PM

Ok now I get what the scam is. He will try and get into my paypal and drain my bank account! I see...I won't be sending him a request for other payment because as we all know he is not really a buyer. I was just so confused by that email because it seems so different from the standard scam emails we all get. I guess everyone should start watching out for this new one.

dentist90 · dentist90's Garage

ahhh... another more gooder english scammer. Sounds pretty Nigerian to me.

fingpilot · 09-16-2009, 08:41 PM

I read today that a ship anchored off of Alexandria Egypt dragged anchor, and severed the fibre-optic cable that gives almost all of Central-West Africa their internet and data. That was followed by the as yet unexplained failure of a second similar cable that runs down the west coast of Africa. It mentioned that most banking and market trading transactions in several countries were impossible, and that Nigeria was one of the hardest hit.

I LOL'd, thinking that the scammers are getting some time off.

This was headlines on BBC.com

Geronimo '74 · 09-17-2009, 02:48 AM

Sounds legit, I'd do it....

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In case you are colorblind, I was joking, proceed with caution!!!!

s_morrison57 · 09-17-2009, 03:35 AM

Grammer and spelling mistakes should be your first clue

dewolf · 09-17-2009, 04:04 AM

stolen credit card via paypal. Paypal will recover funds from you. DO NOT PROCEED!!

john70t · 09-17-2009, 09:14 AM

yes car is still for sale but had small. problem as wife drove it into river but it.
is still for sale I'm taking $20 of the total price. i want to reduce the pricefuther for your consideration by my other wife is having ababy. fax copy of your drivers licence and passport and full bank account information and the vehicle is yours. I willarainge full luxury delivery afetr the tow truck arrives.

McLovin · 09-17-2009, 09:55 AM

Whenever a post is entitled "Is this a scam" the answer is always "yes."

Looking_for_911 · 09-17-2009, 12:27 PM

If it walks like a duck; quacks like a duck; has duck feathers... well, you know.

jorian · 09-17-2009, 12:38 PM

Manglish or Engrish is always a give-away.

EarlyPorsche · 09-17-2009, 02:36 PM

Haha I know about scams and I haven't gotten caught but I can always imagine what the scam is. Here, I thought Paypal was fool proof. Now I know what the combination of paypal account and telephone number can get the guy. Thanks so much guys!

rnln · 09-17-2009, 02:58 PM

how "combination of paypal address and phone# can get the guy"?

EarlyPorsche · 09-17-2009, 04:39 PM

You have to read my whole sentence. "Now I know what the combination of paypal account and telephone number can get the guy." If you read above you will see that he could call in with that information and get my account password reset and then go on a spending spree.

herr_oberst · 09-17-2009, 05:12 PM

To avoid having your paypal account drained; use a secondary account, for instance another checking account (even at the same bank) and then have only enough cash in the account to take care of the transactions that you have initiated. It works for me, at least it gives me a little peace of mind.

Looking_for_911 · 09-17-2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

To avoid having your paypal account drained; use a secondary account, for instance another checking account (even at the same bank) and then have only enough cash in the account to take care of the transactions that you have initiated. It works for me, at least it gives me a little peace of mind.

I had a variation on this technique several years back when I used to do a lot of late-night shopping on Evil-Bay...
I dedicated a Visa card with a $600 limit for all my online purchases. If a crook tried to soak it it'd kick back on him. If I was buying for more money I then would use bank drafts or cashier's checks. PayPal may be reasonably safe, but it sort of scares me... just like when you pay in a restaurant now and they take your card behind a wall or counter to run the bill instead of the customer going to the counter where one can watch what goes on. Makes me leary.
Best way to avoid it all is not use plastic, but how realistic is that these days?