KapsSA

Responded to an ad in my LOCAL paper, in ILLINOIS.
This was response........Scam, or someone want to check it out


I'm sorry for not getting back to you faster but my husband recently passed away and I was so confused. The 1966 Corvette Stingray is still for sale and I'm asking $18,000.00 for it. I've spent a few days with my sister in Illinois, she was trying to help me recover but I'm located in Manning, SC and that's where the car is located. Car has a clear and free South Carolina title. This is not a Clone, all original matching numbers 1966 Corvette C2 Coupe Stingray with 327/300HP engine and 4-speed manual transmission. It has power disc brakes and side pipes. Engine is clean. Interior is all original. All the gauges work, wipers work, and the headlights roll as they should. There is no rust on the car. Car was never in an accident or damaged in any way. First Owner, Mr Charle Ball bought the car 1966 in Grand Rapids, Michigan ( original Protect-O-Plate in hand). My cousin, Mr Brian Stevens, the second owner, bought the car from him in 2010 and the car was moved from Michigan to Florida. Car had 63500 miles when my cousin bought it. The corvette has been repainted only once in 2010 with the original color of silver pearl. In 2014 I decided to purchased the car for my husband as a gift for his 70th Birthday but I only had $18,000 to spend on a car. My cousin made us so happy and sold the car to us for only $18,000. Today, the car is in excellent working order, has 88,984 original miles, has no mechanical problems, no leaks, no problems at all. The entire car is in exceptional shape. I'm selling the car because my husband passed away and I want to make someone happy as we were when we bought it. I feel that someone else could get more enjoyment and better use out of it right now based on where I am in my life. Send me your zip code for shipping fees and details and we will take it from there, I offer free shipping for the first 500 miles. I uploaded all the pictures here:

(took out the link as cautioned it may contain a virus, but pics are identical to ALL the links posted by proton-ita)

PS: Pictures of Protect-O-Plate, VIN#, COWLTAG, Engine number that matches the VIN#, odometer and a copy of title will be sent to serious buyers upon request.

Irene Byrd
Manning, SC, 29102




On Thu, Dec 8, 2016 at 11:36 PM, you wrote:

Interested in the corvette you have for sale.

Can you give me more details about it?

I am in Peotone.

Mike


"her" reply included a picture of herselfto show how honest she must be.
She sure doesn't sound like an elderly lady, has all the terminology down, and shipping help, too?



edit, removed pic link for safety

bazza77

when it sounds too good to be true , it usually IS

of course I could be wrong

Proton_ita

Hi man, It's simple to verify if an announce is a scam: take the pictures and search it through Google Image Search.
In this way I've found the legitimate announce where the pictures was stolen:

http://smclassiccars.com/chevrolet/2...ers-wdocs.html

http://downtownmotorcarsales.com/che...ers-wdocs.html

http://usedfromusa.com/chevrolet-ads...ers-wdocs.html

http://americanclassicscars.com/chev...ers-wdocs.html

VIN of the car in the last announce: 194376S100752

74Ken

i see these on Auto Trader all the time.

My new rule of thumb is this.
1. If the licence plate is missing or covered up, It's a scam.
2. If they tell you it's in storage somewhere and you have to pay to have it shipped to you, and if you don't want it, they'll refund your cost....It's a scam.
3. If the price is too low, it's probably a scam.

At least here in Canada, you can make them go get the "Used Car Kit" from the MTO to prove that they are the current owner and the car has never been written-off. If they won't do that, walk away.

Ken

Alan 71

Hi,
I think creating the 'story' got away from her a bit.
Does a car that's been driven 25,000 miles in the last 6 years still look like the one in the photos?
Regards,
Alan

Bergerboy

I ran into a very similar scam back in early September.
A yellow 1969 big block on Craig's List. Same sob story from an "elderly" "lady", with a husband who just passed away. She wanted to just get rid of the car - for $3500 - just so she could erase the bad memories of her loss.
"I only want to get it out of my sight so I can start to heal from his death. The first nice person to agree to my terms can take it - Not looking to make money on this at all!"


Smelled really fishy to me, but thought I'd pursue it as far as I could to verify it wasn't truly a deal-of-a-lifetime.
At the end of the road, it was revealed that the car would be shipped to me directly from a warehouse, ONLY after I processed $3500 in Amazon Gift Cards. That was the only way she would accept payment, because she "had been burned many times before with Paypal, etc.".
All I had to do, was go to any CVS or other store, and purchase 7x $500 gift cards, and then scratch off the back to get the security codes and email those numbers to the "Amazon Shipping Division" site, and then the car would be shipped to my driveway directly.
Easy-Peezy, right?
Well, I contacted Amazon, and they confirmed that they don't do business this way, and that I would surely lose my $3500 by providing the codes to whomever was the receiver of my email.
I got back to the "seller" and strung her along for another day or two, just to see how far she would push her story - and to have a little fun with her before I eventually pulled the plug and let her know I was on to her.
Never heard from her after that.


But........
I did see the exact same car for sale on eBay by a legitimate dealer in Florida - same exact photos used too.
I contacted them to let them know their ad was lifted and being used in a scam, and they said that stuff happens all the time.
BTW - the real asking price in that ad for the '69 was $39,000, and I don't think sold right away, because it's been up for sale by that dealer several times since then.


Bottom Line, if it sounds too good, it probably is. And don't let scammers play on your emotional heart strings in order to hit you where you're vulnerable.

doublenut9

Well the car in the attachment is a great looking car. No license plate, confusing story, I would be very cautious.

maverickmk

Thank goodness that's a scam. If I ever came across a deal like that I would beg, borrow and steal to make it happen.
Perfect year, perfect color, perfect tranny . . . at least for me.

KapsSA

Thanks for the other picture links.
I had already decided no way I'd pursue this thing, emailed back last nite that I would never purchase sight unseen, too many scammers.
Posted it here more for everyone's entertainment.

I wonder how many local papers this may be listed in. Took "her" a week to get back to me.
Was just being in a local newspaper that piqued my interest.

twinpack

This is really funny. I ran this same ad down a year and a half ago. I was so stoked and than the wife opened my mind. I did talk to someone. They wanted a 5k down payment tk hold the car. After I told them I was going to be in the area in a couple days for business and would personally deliver the check they said they would get back to me with a time. The call never came.

cobrachuck

My boss found the exact same ad this fall in Minnesota SCAM city

lvmyvt76

I bought the car, want to buy it from me??/ send $3000.00 as a retainer. then I will CALL YOU, THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE IN $100 BILL AND SENT TO A po BOX.

cv67

nobody gives away corvettes
almost got taken for a set of heads here recently
"she" was a 19 yr old foreigner very persisent and convincing
Even after calling the scam the same person kept creating new usernames and running same ads. Followed them to a few sites getting them banned.
They finally offered to send the COD I said sure send them over never heard a word back.

Google reverse image search should be high on the list tells a lot

As said, no plate/vin "so you can check with dmv" is a must

If it isnt in their name with a title dont bother. Its what, $25?

Oh and the "just needs freon" ads; tell them to go add it if its that simple.

Why does the freon leak out? Because....$$$$
Unfortunately lots of sellers here spouting that line of bs. Do your research!!!

Things have sure changed buying cars with the web some of it not so great if youre forking over the dough some people will say ANYthing to get your money .

Red86Z51

In addition the the red flags listed above, another "SCAM" flag for me is someone who is willing to throw a lot of full names into the mix of the story. Who does that to a complete stranger they have never met via the internet? Short answer: A Scammer.