What's the scam here?

[herr_oberst]

It happens a lot, I'll be out in the yard, someone will drive by, stop, ask if the Toyota is for sale. Or the bicycle. Or the Porsche.

They don't knock on the door, they just stop in the middle of the street and call out....

The common denominator is that the guy always looks 'less than' legit.

Casing my house? Hoping to pass bad checks? Laundering drug money?

[Por_sha911]

Looking to catch you off guard and getting it for less than what the item is worth because you didn't research it first??

[Charles Freeborn]

Casing you, your open garage, your vehicles, any number of "opportunities". Next person that does it, watch their eyes.
-C

[sc_rufctr]

It may not be a scam... They may just be bored and shows like "Counting Cars" doesn't help any.

I always make sure I'm aware of who's around the neighborhood. You never know but you also shouldn't be paranoid.

[on2wheels52]

A stranger in my driveway is lost
Jim

[sc_rufctr]

... or is it like The Simpsons when the Carnies win Homers house?

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

... or is it like The Simpsons when the Carnies win Homers house?

My neighbors might be happy for the upgrade to the neighborhood !

[BE911SC]

Describe what they see when they drive past your house. Do they stop for a reason? 911 in the garage everyone can see? "Car guy" house that must have valuable tools, etc., in the garage? Nice, talkative owner who may or may not have firearms or an alarm on the house?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If you like your stuff, don't flaunt it. park in a garage, keep the door shut or park around the non-street side of the house. A lot of thieves are opportunists and with an ever-growing opoid crisis it's only going to get worse as addicts look for quick / easy ways to steal stuff to sell and get their next fix.

[wayner]

Pull out your cell phone and pretend to snap a pic and see if it gets a reaction

[Charles Freeborn]

Dude, you're in NoPo.... need I say more?

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Charles Freeborn

Dude, you're in NoPo.... need I say more?

Not NoPo, I live in NePo. Big difference.

You live fairly close to me, has this ever happened to you?

[legion]

I have never had anyone randomly offer to buy anything of mine.

[Bill Douglas]

Try not to alienate (the crazy bastards). Say something positive but ending the discussion such as "Check eBay, there are some great bargains - that's where I got this."

[John Rogers]

When we had the 1987 930 that would happen all the time when it was in the drive getting cleaned. I finally started keeping my iPhone with me and would snap a quick picture of the car/person and also the license as it drove away. I would generally yell a price about 5 to 6K above what it should be and also say cash only please! I didn't care where the $$$$$$$ came from as long as it did not have red dye on it! Nobody ever came back.

[sc_rufctr]

This is not a PC post but...

The young Aboriginals in my town go around sniffing for weed. What that means is they walk around trying to find home grown weed in people's back yards.
Apparently they have a very good sense of smell.

According to a cop I know it's actually very lucrative and (obviously) the people that get ripped off never report it.

[Arizona_928]

I get the minority "or am the minority?", anyways... Usually is a little girl that speaks english asking for their parents if I need lawn work completed. When I baby sat my father's barbie pink 66 mustang for a few weeks I had a bunch of people knocking on my door asking if it was for sale... I live on a dead end street as well.

With that note I have been wanting to put an offer on my neighbors unimog for a while now. I think I will go cold-soliciting today.

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Not NoPo, I live in NePo. Big difference.

You live fairly close to me, has this ever happened to you?

Yes. We've had suspicious types ask about a gargoyle in our front yard.... really??...We're near to the park so we get our share of riff raff. I've had a bicycle stolen out of the yard, and there was a spree a while back (laptops, purses) mostly unlocked doors and windows, but they caught a couple who seemed to be the source and it stopped. For now... We've got an alarm system in both house and shop and I bring all the cars in at night. I seldom to never leave my Porsche or tools visible.

[widebody911]

I get that a lot with the VW's; I think people are hoping they can get one of those "old Volkswagens" cheap.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by legion

I have never had anyone randomly offer to buy anything of mine.

About once a week someone asks if My El Camino is for sale. I just tell them "not for any reasonable price" I was getting gas for my lawn equipment a couple of weeks back. The guy getting gas next to me asked if I want to sell my El Camino, and then he saw my old gas can and wanted to buy that as well. I told him I remember putting gas in the mower when I was a kid visiting grandpa and I used that very gas can. My dad used it for many years after his dad died. It was not for sale.

Then he laughed and said he wants to someday come to my estate sale.