Is this a scam?

[guitarfxer]

This IS a scam!  I’ve had several of the same emails offered to me for bikes and cars I’ve listed on CL. The buyer can and will reverse the payment when your bike is picked up. PayPal can be worked around. Insist on cash. Or wait for a local buyer.

[EV11Jack]

I can assure you that it is a scam! I had it happen to me (no, I didn't go through with it, but I played along with it because I wanted to learn how it worked). They will offer to pay your asking price + more to cover some additional charge (shipping fee for the driver or something like that). Once they have your email you will get an "official" email from PayPal telling you that the transfer of funds is progressing and assure you everything is fine & you can ship/release the merchandise. The problem is that PayPal never does this. It's all part of the scam. The money will never show up in your account & when you tell this to the buyer a PayPal supervisor will then email assuring you again that he personally investigated the situation and all is well. You can proceed with the knowledge that the funds will appear shortly. I caught it because all of the emails fromPayPal went to my scam folder making me look closer at them & realized what was happening. If it's too good to be true, it is! Don't fall for it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[oldbike54]

 If a scammer is using WG we need to know so they can be dealt with .

 Dusty

[vstevens]

If a scammer is using WG we need to know so they can be dealt with .

 Dusty

Dusty, in my experience the scam was through Craigslist.  WG was not being used,  I've not heard back from the scammer since asking for info about him/her.  I'm sure they have moved on to some other poor soul on Craigslist. 

Vince

[Lee Davis]

Hey guys... if Paypal IS involved, then it is not a scam. If fake emails from "Paypal" arrive, then it is. It is easy to distinguish the difference. A real Paypal payment shows up in your Paypal account. A fake payment that is promised through emails is obviously a scam.  This shouldn't be that complicated.

[Triple Jim]

Even if it's real PayPal, the "buyer" can dispute that he received the motorcycle and cause plenty of problems.

[Lee Davis]

Paypal is extremely good at protecting legitimate transactions. I have had quite a few 'disputed' transactions over the years, usually from impatient buyers. Have never lost a dime through Paypal. I got this email from Paypal just a few days ago:
"Dear Lee Davis,
The following case was found in your favor. Any hold on this transaction has been removed.
This case was decided in your favor because your buyer was unable to provide the information we had requested. The information on tracking that you provided has been confirmed. This case is now closed".
    If you play by the rules and document the transaction, Paypal is golden. Can anyone relate an instance where it was not? I am talking about a genuine Paypal transaction, and not fake emails.

[Triple Jim]

Well, if a fake motorcycle shipper shows up and takes the bike, and disappears with it, I don't see how you'd show proof of delivery.  Maybe the way out in that case is to insist on a well known shipper that will verify delivery.  And you'd better document the VIN so the buyer can't swap with a rustbucket and claim that's what you sent.

[brider]

The verbage in the communications is a dead giveaway this is a scam. Don't even waste your time asking the "buyer" questions. I've received a similarly-worded e-mail for virtually EVERYTHING I've posted for sale on CL, used tires, utility trailer, garden tractors, bike racks, motorcycles, trucks, and cars. Same syntax and hairbrained scheme, different subject.

I asked the same questions of the "buyer" the first once or twice, but now I just delete the e-mail without reading them. Must suck having to hustle to make a living that way.

[Lee Davis]

A fake motorcycle shipper? Tell me, how many times has there been a legitimate paypal transaction, with money in the account, where the item was picked up, and turned out to be bogus? I am defending Paypal, not Craigslist! There is a big difference. Of course there are many scams on Craigslist, and you should always be cautious. Fake emails that come from 'Paypal' are NOT Paypal. My argument is that the institution of Paypal is legitimate. I have no such confidence in Craigslist.

[H-E-ROSS]

I currently have a Bass Amp that belongs to my son up on CL in the Musical Instrument for sale category. In the first day I received three different text messages from different numbers with similar stories inquiring for a "relative" party interested in my "musical instrument".  The interested party was traveling and would like me to email them directly. I'm not sure what the end game of this scam is, but I quickly deleted all three messages without reply.

[twowheeladdict]

I currently have a Bass Amp that belongs to my son up on CL in the Musical Instrument for sale category. In the first day I received three different text messages from different numbers with similar stories inquiring for a "relative" party interested in my "musical instrument".  The interested party was traveling and would like me to email them directly. I'm not sure what the end game of this scam is, but I quickly deleted all three messages without reply.

There are scammer buyers and the there are scammer sellers.

I've been keeping an eye out for a used enclosed trailer to convert into a toy hauler / camper.  The two I pursued were both scammers.  Both had stories of them being female and the husband died.  Both wanted to transact through paypal even though the add was local.  One then proceeded to say that the trailer was actually in another state and ready to be shipped.  Both could not produce additional photos that I asked for. 

You know what they say. "A fool and his money are soon parted".

[Thunderbutt]

Just this morning I replied to a Craigslist ad for an ATV/UTV.  Called the contact number provided in the ad and left a voice mail.  No response so I sent an email then a text.  A short time later received a text indicating the person listed in the ad placed the ad to help sell the TV for his sister and provided a different email address than the one listed on the original ad.  Not my first rodeo, this should be fun.  Sent the same email to the new email address.  Here is their reply:
 "Hi, I have received your email regarding the  2014 Kawasaki Teryx 4 Limited Edition  which  is in perfect condition with clear title, no accidents, no liens or loans and runs perfect . The price for this four wheeler is $3500 (including delivery and handling to your address).
I'm selling this machine because my son of only 38 years died 2 months ago in a car accident, the four wheeler belonged to my son and it brings me bad memories and that's the reason I want to sell it.
Me and my husband travel a lot with our business and we want to make this deal through eBay, so if you're interested in purchasing the machine just reply me your full name, full address and phone number, so I can notify eBay. Once that is done, they will contact you to explain the entire procedure."
The vehicle is supposedly two hours away and no offer to allow me a personal inspection at a predetermined site away from their residence?  No thanks Im no longer interested and dont call back!  SCAM !!!!!   

[Lannis]

Just this morning I replied to a Craigslist ad for an ATV/UTV.  Called the contact number provided in the ad and left a voice mail.  No response so I sent an email then a text.  A short time later received a text indicating the person listed in the ad placed the ad to help sell the TV for his sister and provided a different email address than the one listed on the original ad.  Not my first rodeo, this should be fun.  Sent the same email to the new email address.  Here is their reply:
 "Hi, I have received your email regarding the  2014 Kawasaki Teryx 4 Limited Edition  which  is in perfect condition with clear title, no accidents, no liens or loans and runs perfect . The price for this four wheeler is $3500 (including delivery and handling to your address).
I'm selling this machine because my son of only 38 years died 2 months ago in a car accident, the four wheeler belonged to my son and it brings me bad memories and that's the reason I want to sell it.
Me and my husband travel a lot with our business and we want to make this deal through eBay, so if you're interested in purchasing the machine just reply me your full name, full address and phone number, so I can notify eBay. Once that is done, they will contact you to explain the entire procedure."
The vehicle is supposedly two hours away and no offer to allow me a personal inspection at a predetermined site away from their residence?  No thanks Im no longer interested and dont call back!  SCAM !!!!!   

Just the stilted language, run-on sentences, and bad syntax in this note spell "SCAM".   Not everyone is a first-class writer and speller, and that's OK, but this kind of foreign-looking, formal stuff is always a bad sign ... an actual guy who's somewhat illiterate but actually owns an ATV will sound very different.

Lannis

[trippah]

Probably their translation program isn't quite super-fluent in  "Enlgish."

[Triple Jim]

I am defending Paypal, not Craigslist!

No argument there, Lee.  PayPal is not the problem with a scam, although they can end up playing a part in one.

[johnr]

Even if it's real PayPal, the "buyer" can dispute that he received the motorcycle and cause plenty of problems.

A signed receipt of the motorcycle from the carrier or who ever picks it up should solve that one.

[Triple Jim]

A signed receipt of the motorcycle from the carrier or who ever picks it up should solve that one.

As I said above, if a fake carrier shows up and appears to be legit, you'll have a problem.  I suspect that would be more likely to happen if a $20,000 Harley is involved, rather than a $3,000 Guzzi though.

[twowheeladdict]

Just this morning I replied to a Craigslist ad for an ATV/UTV.  Called the contact number provided in the ad and left a voice mail.  No response so I sent an email then a text.  A short time later received a text indicating the person listed in the ad placed the ad to help sell the TV for his sister and provided a different email address than the one listed on the original ad.  Not my first rodeo, this should be fun.  Sent the same email to the new email address.  Here is their reply:
 "Hi, I have received your email regarding the  2014 Kawasaki Teryx 4 Limited Edition  which  is in perfect condition with clear title, no accidents, no liens or loans and runs perfect . The price for this four wheeler is $3500 (including delivery and handling to your address).
I'm selling this machine because my son of only 38 years died 2 months ago in a car accident, the four wheeler belonged to my son and it brings me bad memories and that's the reason I want to sell it.
Me and my husband travel a lot with our business and we want to make this deal through eBay, so if you're interested in purchasing the machine just reply me your full name, full address and phone number, so I can notify eBay. Once that is done, they will contact you to explain the entire procedure."
The vehicle is supposedly two hours away and no offer to allow me a personal inspection at a predetermined site away from their residence?  No thanks Im no longer interested and dont call back!  SCAM !!!!!   

Always a female and a sad story I have noticed.  The part I hate is the waste of my time.

[twowheeladdict]

As I said above, if a fake carrier shows up and appears to be legit, you'll have a problem.  I suspect that would be more likely to happen if a $20,000 Harley is involved, rather than a $3,000 Guzzi though.

Why would you have a problem?  You would have a receipt to show PayPal to show it is no longer in your hands.  If it gets lost in the mail per se, then the delivery service the buyer sent is at fault.  I would definitely check with paypal though.  I have only sent items and it says to send them only to the address in the persons profile to be protected.  If a person asks me to send it to a different address I tell them I can't unless they gift me the money.

[Triple Jim]

Why would you have a problem?  You would have a receipt to show PayPal to show it is no longer in your hands.

For one thing, if it's a fake carrier, you'd be showing PayPal a fake receipt, and if PP tried to verify its validity, they would figure out that it's fake.

[twowheeladdict]

For one thing, if it's a fake carrier, you'd be showing PayPal a fake receipt, and if PP tried to verify its validity, they would figure out that it's fake.

If you have a paper trail from the buyer that he is sending carrier XYZ to pick up the bike and carrier XYZ picks up the bike you might be OK because PP would see that the buyer was the scammer.  There are always signs of a scam that will give you an uneasiness in your gut.  Some people will ignore them when they think they are getting full asking price or buyers that think they are getting a deal. 

But, seems like both you and I are just talking about possibilities because I don't believe either of us has personally dealt with a shipper through PP.

[Triple Jim]

Actually, I have bought multi-thousand dollar items and paid by PayPal, but I arranged the shipping though a well known shipper, so the seller didn't have reason to think there was a scam going on.

[twowheeladdict]

Actually, I have bought multi-thousand dollar items and paid by PayPal, but I arranged the shipping though a well known shipper, so the seller didn't have reason to think there was a scam going on.

To a person who has never shipped or received a shipped bike, there are no well known shippers.  If I were to consider selling a motorcycle that way, I would have to research the PayPal rules very carefully and follow them to the letter. 

Also, I would have to check with my insurance carrier to make sure that a stolen bike is covered even if it is stolen by a con artist.  If it is covered, then no worries because in my area it is almost impossible to sell a bike for NADA retail and that is what the insurance would pay out.

[Triple Jim]

I guess the concise point is that payments like bank checks and PayPal can be canceled after the motorcycle is taken, and that should be considered.  Cash, if not counterfeit, cannot.