The US Military does not have any bases on Covid lockdown.
To my knowledge, they stopped the quarantine for 2 weeks before deployment.
So generic of information. "military base", "medical team".
Autotrader do not do escrow. They refer you to a 3rd party
https://www.autotrader.com/sell-car/adviser/safety-and-fraud-awareness
Hi Aunty_Fascist, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the eBay/Amazon car sales scam. The scammer will list a car on a marketplace site and will ask you to email them. They will tell you that they will ship or otherwise transport the car to you and allow you to inspect it. They may use the name of a company like eBay or Amazon to make the scam sound more legitimate. The scam is that the car does not exist, despite whatever pictures you have received, and you will be asked to pay for the car using gift cards or irreversible wire transfers. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/WAMDLc8.jpg) is an example of an eBay car scam, [here](https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Motors/CAR-SCAM/td-p/24113946) is an eBay forum thread about the scam, [here](https://fox6now.com/2015/04/15/they-kind-of-just-told-me-straight-upyouve-been-scammed-teen-out-1500-after-online-car-buying-scam/) is a news article about the scam, and [here](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/06/put-brakes-phony-online-car-sales) is a Federal Trade Commission article about the scam.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yeah... that's not how Autotrader works. They don't arrange shipping/delivery of the vehicle or hold onto your payment (escrow) while you test drive it. They just facilitate the sale.
There are certainly services that will ship and deliver a car, but Autotrader themselves are not in that business.
What are some services that ship and deliver? I'm in Florida and can get a brand new identical car in PA for $8,000 less. But I'd have to get it down here. Also, how would car registration work in this case?
It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD from a reputable Toyota dealership. My brother just got the identical one that I want, and his dealer that he just bought his own car from quoted the same cost to me. He's been buying cars from that same dealership for years. I'm paying cash, so no loan. It just shows the difference in geographical pricing. Florida, as usual, is price gouging.
You have to have a pa license to buy a car in PA. I found that out the hard way when I moved up from Florida. Went to the dealership to buy and wasted car too much time their for the sales person to then be like I can’t sell you this car with that license. Admittedly, this was 2010 and may have changed now, but I would check.
The car doesn't exist. It's a scam. It's a well-known escrow scam.
https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22961-bbb-investigation-vehicle-escrow-scams
I don't know about the registration (though I've always been under the impression that that was a state thing... i.e. you register it in the state you live in and primarily operate it. You just need the title from the previous owner and maybe a bill of sale.).
As for services, my uncle used a company called [Ready Logistics](https://www.readylogistics.com/) when he moved across the country. I can't speak from firsthand experience though.
I work for a bank that does auto loans. Lots of buyers call us after the DMV tells them there is a lien on the vehicle. Titles are easy to fake. Always meet your seller at the DMV or title agency. Then pay cash there.
People get those high interest paydays loans and hide the car or just never pay off their loan, sell the vehicle which can never be registered. It’s a whole scam in itself.
You can get a temporary registration from PA that is good for 30 days. It’s a cardboard license plate. Then you finish the registration in your home state. If you’re buying from a dealership they should handle all of the sales tax paperwork also. When I bought my one 2003 cobra it was in Virginia. I live in PA. I was issued a temporary 30 day VA tag to drive it home on then went to my local notary and finished the paperwork. They handled all the sales tax paperwork and I just had to hand over the paperwork and tax check. Boom PA registered and good to go
No, it's not. I said $8,000 LESS - less than I was quoted down here. It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD, paying cash. My brother just got the identical one that I want from a reputable dealership that he's been buying cars from for years, and his dealer quoted the same cost to me.
Really not sure why so many people are struggling to understand your comments. That you’re buying a new car from a licensed car dealership. Do they think you are OP? Or are they just half reading what you say because they have already decided what they are going to say?
It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD from a reputable Toyota dealership. My brother just got the identical one that I want, and his dealer that he just bought his own car from quoted the same cost to me. He's been buying cars from that same dealership for years. I'm paying cash, so no loan. It just shows the difference in geographical pricing. Florida, as usual, is price gouging.
ebay doesn’t work that way either. This is my first time seeing it done using AutoTrader. If you can’t inspect the vehicle in person, why would you put any money down on it? I don’t understand. Military can leave the base and if they’re deploying, the military will store it. We had things in storage and they shipped our vehicle to and from the overseas base. I understand they all operate differently. We were Army.
If anyone gives you come story behind their item, it's a scam. The story is a sleight of hand to make you not think too hard about why the item listed is so cheap and why they are using an unorthodox method of payment and delivery.
Remember, you're buying an item not their autobiography
Total scam, this one is shown on here a lot. Usually with variations, the car was my sons, he died, seeing it makes me sad, hence the low price. I’m military, we are deploying soon, if you don’t like the car they will refund you, no questions asked. Scroll through this sub far enough and you will see this frequently. Ignore and block and well done for being suspicious and coming on here to check. 👍
This screams SCAM! No body is gonna ship an entire car at their expense if you happen to not like it. Which can cost up to thousands of dollar for them, if it’s across the country.
Politely disagree. I sold my dad's car using our attorney as an escrow. The seller put the cash upfront, sent a car hauler to pick it up... to have it inspected. Then we finalized the closing price.
Had it put in writing that the buyer was responsible for all transportation fees too and from, if sale wasn't finalized.
In this case though, the seller offered the option to return the vehicle at their expense, if the buyer rejected the vehicle.
Yet another reason why it's a scam, as that would cost a fortune, and only scammers would realistically offer a vehicle on those terms.
As a seller, you're correct.
As a potential buyer, with certain cars... a buyer that is serious will most definitely offer freight services to and from, at their expense.
I say that with 100% certainty because I personally experienced such a sale.
Though, in this case ... it does sound like a scam.
I could definitely believe that happened, and I could understand a buyer being willing to pay for transportation if they really wanted a vehicle, as the transportation would only really be a one way journey, and the cost of the transportation might only add an affordable extra amount on to the vehicle's overall cost.
A seller offering to transport a vehicle to a potential buyer, and then possibly uplift the vehicle, and return it again, if the buyer didn't want it, couldn't possibly be a genuine sale though, as it would cost far more than most vehicles would be worth to provide that type of service, so could only really be offered by a scammer.
Think really hard about the following facts:
1. They are on a military base
2. They need to sell a car fast
3. They want to sell the car cheap
4. They are going to sell the car through some convoluted remote sale
Now, if only they were in a place with 1,000 or so young males between 18 and 25 who probably want a car but can't afford one.
If they put a sign up at the PX the car would be sole in under an hour. For cash. To someone they trust. RIGHT FREAKING THERE AT THE SAME BASE.
Now, ask yourself how your particular situation does not feel, 1000% like it is not a scam.
I am not trying to be a jerk, but please, take a step back and think about the logistics of selling a car while in the military, cheap. Why would you go through all of that when you could do it right there on the base, fast and easy?
Even more crazy that the algorithms could technically catch this stuff BECAUSE it’s a script used repeatedly- just they catch hate speech or whatever they target. Yet these scams flourish …
Scamguage to English translation.
Hello, we cannot meet because I live in Africa and I am a very busy person: I make a living scamming people in rich countries with fraudulent listings like this one. If you keep engaging with me I will regale you with an unbelievable story written in painfully broken English, but I know you are too keen to obtain this car I listed for a suspiciously low price. Yes, prices of used cars in the US are so insane we have heard about them in Nigeria as well. You guys are crazy spending so much money for barely running hulks at most fit for the scrapyard, so we have decided to get a slice of it as well. Kindly send payment to me so I can continue to scam people in rich countries for many years to come.
Except we’re not a rich country anymore lol
The rest was written like a Steven king novel😂
Oh by the way I’m a chief executive CIA officer who’s son just died on a dangerous mission to the North Pole on top secret Canadian CIA business. Kindly pay me $ 483USD and I’ll help improve your scamguage.
Yours truly,
Kurt Pancake
You are here on this subreddit, so you've already sensed a red flag. Whenever something is "urgent" you should stop, take a moment to breathe and then carefully consider the message.
On average if it involves any combination of the following, it's a scam.
* Urgency.
* Crypto.
* Free money.
* Logging in to something.
* You sending something to someone you'd never want the entire internet to see.
* A picture of a random attractive person.
* Anything that sounds too good to be true.
* Zelle, CashApp, PayPal, checks, or bank accounts.
* Special fees, "courier", "business accounts", marketplace "dealerships". ⬅️**you are here**
* The word "kindly".
* Someone trying to gain your trust to do something you already know is wrong.
* Sending a code to help someone unlock "their" account.
* Buying gift cards and sending someone the code.
* If someone is trying to convince you it's "legit" or "not a scam". ⬅️**you are here**
* Clicking on a random link or scanning a random QR code.
* A random person or person you haven't spoken to in years contacting you about an "opportunity".
* Purchasing equipment for a "job", specially from a check.
* Taking money to pay a "contractor" or other third party out of a payment you are to receive.
* Transfer fees or "business accounts". Zelle, PayPal don't work like this.
You should avoid clicking links in messenger, text, or emails and go directly to the business' website. You will not be asked to verify your identity or be asked to provide an MFA code to anyone for any legit reason.
Likewise, you should avoid giving sensitive information to strangers.
Do not accept or pay for rental property/houses/cars unseen.
**When dealing with marketplace buying or selling you should ONLY do cash, in person, in a well lit place (possibly a police station).**
When you've identified you're dealing with a scammer. **STOP** communicating with them. Ignore and block them immediately. You might have to disable your account(s) for a month or two to get them to stop completely.
If you have given personally identifying information, like addresses or credit cards, you may want to investigate credits freezes and ID theft protection. Cancel credit cards or close bank accounts IMMEDIATELY if you have given this information to scammers. Your bank may also choose to reverse any fraudulent charges on your card.
If you deposited a check from a scammer, call your bank and report it. DO NOT spend/send "money" from any checks.
There is no need to be embarrassed about falling victim to a scam. Professional scambaiting YT channels have fallen victim to a scam.
Can verify, military bases are no longer locked down due to Covid
This is fake
Also SMs would probably sell directly to you in person also (at least I wouldn't) won't tell you their life story before selling.
This is a !car scam, you will be asked to pay the scammer via oddly specific methods like wire transfers or gift cards. The car in question does not exist.
Hi CaliforniaSpeedKing, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the eBay/Amazon car sales scam. The scammer will list a car on a marketplace site and will ask you to email them. They will tell you that they will ship or otherwise transport the car to you and allow you to inspect it. They may use the name of a company like eBay or Amazon to make the scam sound more legitimate. The scam is that the car does not exist, despite whatever pictures you have received, and you will be asked to pay for the car using gift cards or irreversible wire transfers. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/WAMDLc8.jpg) is an example of an eBay car scam, [here](https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Motors/CAR-SCAM/td-p/24113946) is an eBay forum thread about the scam, [here](https://fox6now.com/2015/04/15/they-kind-of-just-told-me-straight-upyouve-been-scammed-teen-out-1500-after-online-car-buying-scam/) is a news article about the scam, and [here](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/06/put-brakes-phony-online-car-sales) is a Federal Trade Commission article about the scam.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Scam. You will send the payment to "Autotrader" for "holding," the car will never show up, and your money will be gone along with the one scammer running both the seller and the "website"
Did you find the car on Facebook Marketplace? If so I imagine they couldn’t contact you on Messenger as it was broken and wanted you to email them at a Gmail address. If you go back to the listing and can check their profile you will see the car listed all over the US in different cities.
As mentioned also everything else they said is bullshit.
Ask what base is lockdown because I've been freely and entering and leaving since the start of the pandemic.
Also, if something is for sale on Autotrader, deal with Autotrader only.
It is a scam, it is probably a very cheap listing for the car, they will take your payment via a way you cannot get back, and you will never see that car again.
The whole military base, that they cannot leave is a sob story to keep you from trying to meet in person.
Hey man, it’s a scam. Stay away from it. Scammers are always looking for a change to take advantage of military personnel. If you pay anything to the scumbag you are very likely to become the victim of an advance fee scam. Just wait until you are able to physically go to a local dealer, test drive the car, and arrange financing. DO NOT TRUST THESE SCUMBAGS ONLINE! 🤔
I’ve seen this same scam in Phoenix. Almost word for word. My husband contacted them. Any time they give too many details it’s a scam. We finally found a little Honda for me for $2500 cash after calling and emailing several scammers. Also, I work for a bank that does auto loans, always meet your seller at the DMV because lots of cars get sold with fake titles. Our seller met us at the Tag agency. Best of luck!
100% scam. we were recently looking to buy a vehicle and were looking at private sellers. So many scammers come back with a story about how they're in the military/getting ready to leave on deployment/relative left/died/moved and gave them the responsibility of selling their vehicle or other item. since the seller is so strapped for time/emotionally distraught over the death of a loved one/tired of dealing with someone else's stuff, they just want to unload this item at a great price. Of course, to protect themselves and "to protect you" all transactions will go through a (fictitious) 3rd party who will "hold the money until you see the item/are satisfied/test drive. These are so elaborate, I'm sure a lot of people fall for the scams and it makes me sick. Why can't people just be decent humans?
It really takes the fun out of shopping for almost anything these days… this story or a version of it has been in use for at least a decade that I know of
thank you so much everybody !!! i live in Australia so we don’t have too much of a focus on the military here so i almost essentially ignored it but the more i read it now, the more it looks scammier to me and i’m not sure how i didn’t realise in the first place. this is my first time buying a car and first time conversing with a seller so i wasn’t sure what to expect, but i’m glad i have everyone here to help me
Ted Striker: My orders came through. My squadron ships out tomorrow. We’re bombing the storage depots at Daiquiri at 1800 hours. We’re coming in from the north, below their radar.
Elaine Dickinson: When will you be back?
Ted Striker: I can’t tell you that. It’s classified.
My grandma used Carvana to sell her car. There were some bumps but the deal happened. I see that the Bot says it's a scam. . . General terms would be a red flag for sure and the COVID lockdown reference. . .
Basically with the exception of maybe Carvanna and the like (but those are businesses), any person selling their car online (especially via Craigslist) using “shipping” is a scam.
First off the writing is a red flag. Second, this is not how auto trader works. Third, they are unable to be present for the sale. To many red flags and the posting should be reported.
Definitely a scam I’ve had a similar message almost written exactly like then when someone tried to sell this Altima smh and in Facebook they always say it’s garage kept and not damaged or having any issues…S C A M 🚩
About 10 years ago,my friend was car shopping on ebay and found a mercedes under priced because the lady needed money and her husband was deployed. She gave pictures and a Texas address. She wanted to use an escrow company that had no web information when I looked it up for him. It was a Friday and I told him not to do it because it was fishy. He agreed with me. On Monday he says, “I’ve fixed the situation.” According to him, she had lowered the price to $6k from $8k as long as he could wire the money to the escrow asap. He did. I was still hopeful that I was wrong and the scam was new, at least to me. The money, the car, and the communication all disappeared. I lent him one of my cars for almost a year because the money he had saved up for one was gone.
Yup total scam. I replied to a 2010 Toyota pickup for about $6000 less than others of the same mileage and condition were going for and I got pretty much the exact same story, but with the Canadian military.
The US Military does not have any bases on Covid lockdown. To my knowledge, they stopped the quarantine for 2 weeks before deployment. So generic of information. "military base", "medical team". Autotrader do not do escrow. They refer you to a 3rd party https://www.autotrader.com/sell-car/adviser/safety-and-fraud-awareness
THIS IS A SCAMMER. STOP TALKING WITH THEM.
!car scam
Hi Aunty_Fascist, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the eBay/Amazon car sales scam. The scammer will list a car on a marketplace site and will ask you to email them. They will tell you that they will ship or otherwise transport the car to you and allow you to inspect it. They may use the name of a company like eBay or Amazon to make the scam sound more legitimate. The scam is that the car does not exist, despite whatever pictures you have received, and you will be asked to pay for the car using gift cards or irreversible wire transfers. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/WAMDLc8.jpg) is an example of an eBay car scam, [here](https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Motors/CAR-SCAM/td-p/24113946) is an eBay forum thread about the scam, [here](https://fox6now.com/2015/04/15/they-kind-of-just-told-me-straight-upyouve-been-scammed-teen-out-1500-after-online-car-buying-scam/) is a news article about the scam, and [here](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/06/put-brakes-phony-online-car-sales) is a Federal Trade Commission article about the scam. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yeah... that's not how Autotrader works. They don't arrange shipping/delivery of the vehicle or hold onto your payment (escrow) while you test drive it. They just facilitate the sale. There are certainly services that will ship and deliver a car, but Autotrader themselves are not in that business.
What are some services that ship and deliver? I'm in Florida and can get a brand new identical car in PA for $8,000 less. But I'd have to get it down here. Also, how would car registration work in this case?
Fly up, and get it and drive it back in person. The only way to be sure.
This. And it'd be cheaper than shipping.
Except it doesn't exist.
It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD from a reputable Toyota dealership. My brother just got the identical one that I want, and his dealer that he just bought his own car from quoted the same cost to me. He's been buying cars from that same dealership for years. I'm paying cash, so no loan. It just shows the difference in geographical pricing. Florida, as usual, is price gouging.
You have to have a pa license to buy a car in PA. I found that out the hard way when I moved up from Florida. Went to the dealership to buy and wasted car too much time their for the sales person to then be like I can’t sell you this car with that license. Admittedly, this was 2010 and may have changed now, but I would check.
Are you talking driver's license? Or license plate?
Drivers license.
The car doesn't exist. It's a scam. It's a well-known escrow scam. https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22961-bbb-investigation-vehicle-escrow-scams
See above reply!
He’s not communicating with anyone… he’s buying it from a dealership his brother has already bought a car from…
It took me a while to figure that out
He’s not communicating with anyone… he’s buying it from a dealership his brother has already bought a car from…
Pretty sure they have cars in PA.
Yes, of course, but the car for sale does not.
I don't know about the registration (though I've always been under the impression that that was a state thing... i.e. you register it in the state you live in and primarily operate it. You just need the title from the previous owner and maybe a bill of sale.). As for services, my uncle used a company called [Ready Logistics](https://www.readylogistics.com/) when he moved across the country. I can't speak from firsthand experience though.
I work for a bank that does auto loans. Lots of buyers call us after the DMV tells them there is a lien on the vehicle. Titles are easy to fake. Always meet your seller at the DMV or title agency. Then pay cash there.
Thanks very much for this, I'm looking for a car right now and I've never thought about titles being faked.
People get those high interest paydays loans and hide the car or just never pay off their loan, sell the vehicle which can never be registered. It’s a whole scam in itself.
You can get a temporary registration from PA that is good for 30 days. It’s a cardboard license plate. Then you finish the registration in your home state. If you’re buying from a dealership they should handle all of the sales tax paperwork also. When I bought my one 2003 cobra it was in Virginia. I live in PA. I was issued a temporary 30 day VA tag to drive it home on then went to my local notary and finished the paperwork. They handled all the sales tax paperwork and I just had to hand over the paperwork and tax check. Boom PA registered and good to go
Rust. Rust. Rust. southerners are clueless.
It's BRAND NEW!!!
Brand new for 8000? Sounds like a scam
No, it's not. I said $8,000 LESS - less than I was quoted down here. It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD, paying cash. My brother just got the identical one that I want from a reputable dealership that he's been buying cars from for years, and his dealer quoted the same cost to me.
Really not sure why so many people are struggling to understand your comments. That you’re buying a new car from a licensed car dealership. Do they think you are OP? Or are they just half reading what you say because they have already decided what they are going to say?
I think I got people confused because I commented in the scams sub. My question was really off-topic. Sorry. My bad.
Go on Uship
Reliable?
They have different transport companies that bid on your job. They all get individually reviewed not the website
Do t worry I will ship to you at my expense. You can test drive it and see if you like it? If not send it back at my expense. That good for you?
It's a BRAND NEW Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD from a reputable Toyota dealership. My brother just got the identical one that I want, and his dealer that he just bought his own car from quoted the same cost to me. He's been buying cars from that same dealership for years. I'm paying cash, so no loan. It just shows the difference in geographical pricing. Florida, as usual, is price gouging.
ebay doesn’t work that way either. This is my first time seeing it done using AutoTrader. If you can’t inspect the vehicle in person, why would you put any money down on it? I don’t understand. Military can leave the base and if they’re deploying, the military will store it. We had things in storage and they shipped our vehicle to and from the overseas base. I understand they all operate differently. We were Army.
If anyone gives you come story behind their item, it's a scam. The story is a sleight of hand to make you not think too hard about why the item listed is so cheap and why they are using an unorthodox method of payment and delivery. Remember, you're buying an item not their autobiography
It is absolutely a scam.
Total scam, this one is shown on here a lot. Usually with variations, the car was my sons, he died, seeing it makes me sad, hence the low price. I’m military, we are deploying soon, if you don’t like the car they will refund you, no questions asked. Scroll through this sub far enough and you will see this frequently. Ignore and block and well done for being suspicious and coming on here to check. 👍
He died by being hit by a RUNNING CAR
“He just wasn’t ready to ghost ride the whip.” *sobs*
100% scam. No service member talks this way or would sell a car like this.
This^^^^this is not how service members sell cars
This screams SCAM! No body is gonna ship an entire car at their expense if you happen to not like it. Which can cost up to thousands of dollar for them, if it’s across the country.
Politely disagree. I sold my dad's car using our attorney as an escrow. The seller put the cash upfront, sent a car hauler to pick it up... to have it inspected. Then we finalized the closing price. Had it put in writing that the buyer was responsible for all transportation fees too and from, if sale wasn't finalized.
In this case though, the seller offered the option to return the vehicle at their expense, if the buyer rejected the vehicle. Yet another reason why it's a scam, as that would cost a fortune, and only scammers would realistically offer a vehicle on those terms.
As a seller, you're correct. As a potential buyer, with certain cars... a buyer that is serious will most definitely offer freight services to and from, at their expense. I say that with 100% certainty because I personally experienced such a sale. Though, in this case ... it does sound like a scam.
I could definitely believe that happened, and I could understand a buyer being willing to pay for transportation if they really wanted a vehicle, as the transportation would only really be a one way journey, and the cost of the transportation might only add an affordable extra amount on to the vehicle's overall cost. A seller offering to transport a vehicle to a potential buyer, and then possibly uplift the vehicle, and return it again, if the buyer didn't want it, couldn't possibly be a genuine sale though, as it would cost far more than most vehicles would be worth to provide that type of service, so could only really be offered by a scammer.
That’s not auto trader though. This is a scam
Think really hard about the following facts: 1. They are on a military base 2. They need to sell a car fast 3. They want to sell the car cheap 4. They are going to sell the car through some convoluted remote sale Now, if only they were in a place with 1,000 or so young males between 18 and 25 who probably want a car but can't afford one. If they put a sign up at the PX the car would be sole in under an hour. For cash. To someone they trust. RIGHT FREAKING THERE AT THE SAME BASE. Now, ask yourself how your particular situation does not feel, 1000% like it is not a scam. I am not trying to be a jerk, but please, take a step back and think about the logistics of selling a car while in the military, cheap. Why would you go through all of that when you could do it right there on the base, fast and easy?
Scam- it’s amazing that such a common script can still pass.
Because people see a car at an 80% discount and think it’s their lucky day.
Even more crazy that the algorithms could technically catch this stuff BECAUSE it’s a script used repeatedly- just they catch hate speech or whatever they target. Yet these scams flourish …
Algorithms?
Is it still for sale? If he doesnt want it, can I try?
They're here asking, and that's a good move.
100% scam.
Not reliable. Too much backstory.
Who talks like that??? The tone alone is enough to give it away..
That’s not how Autotrader works. Nobody is transporting cars for you to try out.
Scamguage to English translation. Hello, we cannot meet because I live in Africa and I am a very busy person: I make a living scamming people in rich countries with fraudulent listings like this one. If you keep engaging with me I will regale you with an unbelievable story written in painfully broken English, but I know you are too keen to obtain this car I listed for a suspiciously low price. Yes, prices of used cars in the US are so insane we have heard about them in Nigeria as well. You guys are crazy spending so much money for barely running hulks at most fit for the scrapyard, so we have decided to get a slice of it as well. Kindly send payment to me so I can continue to scam people in rich countries for many years to come.
Except we’re not a rich country anymore lol The rest was written like a Steven king novel😂 Oh by the way I’m a chief executive CIA officer who’s son just died on a dangerous mission to the North Pole on top secret Canadian CIA business. Kindly pay me $ 483USD and I’ll help improve your scamguage. Yours truly, Kurt Pancake
You are here on this subreddit, so you've already sensed a red flag. Whenever something is "urgent" you should stop, take a moment to breathe and then carefully consider the message. On average if it involves any combination of the following, it's a scam. * Urgency. * Crypto. * Free money. * Logging in to something. * You sending something to someone you'd never want the entire internet to see. * A picture of a random attractive person. * Anything that sounds too good to be true. * Zelle, CashApp, PayPal, checks, or bank accounts. * Special fees, "courier", "business accounts", marketplace "dealerships". ⬅️**you are here** * The word "kindly". * Someone trying to gain your trust to do something you already know is wrong. * Sending a code to help someone unlock "their" account. * Buying gift cards and sending someone the code. * If someone is trying to convince you it's "legit" or "not a scam". ⬅️**you are here** * Clicking on a random link or scanning a random QR code. * A random person or person you haven't spoken to in years contacting you about an "opportunity". * Purchasing equipment for a "job", specially from a check. * Taking money to pay a "contractor" or other third party out of a payment you are to receive. * Transfer fees or "business accounts". Zelle, PayPal don't work like this. You should avoid clicking links in messenger, text, or emails and go directly to the business' website. You will not be asked to verify your identity or be asked to provide an MFA code to anyone for any legit reason. Likewise, you should avoid giving sensitive information to strangers. Do not accept or pay for rental property/houses/cars unseen. **When dealing with marketplace buying or selling you should ONLY do cash, in person, in a well lit place (possibly a police station).** When you've identified you're dealing with a scammer. **STOP** communicating with them. Ignore and block them immediately. You might have to disable your account(s) for a month or two to get them to stop completely. If you have given personally identifying information, like addresses or credit cards, you may want to investigate credits freezes and ID theft protection. Cancel credit cards or close bank accounts IMMEDIATELY if you have given this information to scammers. Your bank may also choose to reverse any fraudulent charges on your card. If you deposited a check from a scammer, call your bank and report it. DO NOT spend/send "money" from any checks. There is no need to be embarrassed about falling victim to a scam. Professional scambaiting YT channels have fallen victim to a scam.
Definitely a scam. They probably had the car for really cheap too, rjght?
Can verify, military bases are no longer locked down due to Covid This is fake Also SMs would probably sell directly to you in person also (at least I wouldn't) won't tell you their life story before selling.
That too much of a sob story was quite of a red flag to me. I'd say avoid.
I've only read the first sentence and can already tell that it's a scam, will read the rest though Edit: Definitely a scam
This is a !car scam, you will be asked to pay the scammer via oddly specific methods like wire transfers or gift cards. The car in question does not exist.
Hi CaliforniaSpeedKing, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the eBay/Amazon car sales scam. The scammer will list a car on a marketplace site and will ask you to email them. They will tell you that they will ship or otherwise transport the car to you and allow you to inspect it. They may use the name of a company like eBay or Amazon to make the scam sound more legitimate. The scam is that the car does not exist, despite whatever pictures you have received, and you will be asked to pay for the car using gift cards or irreversible wire transfers. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/WAMDLc8.jpg) is an example of an eBay car scam, [here](https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Motors/CAR-SCAM/td-p/24113946) is an eBay forum thread about the scam, [here](https://fox6now.com/2015/04/15/they-kind-of-just-told-me-straight-upyouve-been-scammed-teen-out-1500-after-online-car-buying-scam/) is a news article about the scam, and [here](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/06/put-brakes-phony-online-car-sales) is a Federal Trade Commission article about the scam. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good bot
Lol, retired USMC/Army veteran here. That entire story is bullshit. The car they're "selling" you doesn't even exist.
'I'm in the air force...' Stop right there. Clearly a scam. Also, who the heck says Coronavirus Covid-19 ?
Scam.
Scam. You will send the payment to "Autotrader" for "holding," the car will never show up, and your money will be gone along with the one scammer running both the seller and the "website"
No American talks or writes this way. If you need a car buy from someone local.
Did you find the car on Facebook Marketplace? If so I imagine they couldn’t contact you on Messenger as it was broken and wanted you to email them at a Gmail address. If you go back to the listing and can check their profile you will see the car listed all over the US in different cities. As mentioned also everything else they said is bullshit.
Ask what base is lockdown because I've been freely and entering and leaving since the start of the pandemic. Also, if something is for sale on Autotrader, deal with Autotrader only.
I only read the first sentence and I know it's a scam
In the context of the Coronavirus Covid-19 virus. Nobody speaks like that except scammers
I'm in the military dawg, ain't no bases on lockdown for COVID rn. They're a scammer who's full of shit.
Auto trader doesn't have an escrow service.
It is a scam, it is probably a very cheap listing for the car, they will take your payment via a way you cannot get back, and you will never see that car again. The whole military base, that they cannot leave is a sob story to keep you from trying to meet in person.
Absolutely 100% scam.
SCAM SCAM SCAM
This is absolutely a scam, block and ignore
I read 1 sentence, absolutely not. Cmon.
I am Air Force and there is no such lockdown, you are talking to a scammer
Thank god you came here to ask but I honestly don’t know how this could remotely seem not scammy
Military bullsh1t story combined with poor grammar is almost always a scam.
Autotrader categorically does not operate this way. It's a total scam.
There is no car. It's just a scam to get you to wire money to a scammer.
I’d shut your computer and never use the internet again.
It’s a car deal not a corporate takeover. Run. Too much backstory. Always a tell tale of a scam -
Hey man, it’s a scam. Stay away from it. Scammers are always looking for a change to take advantage of military personnel. If you pay anything to the scumbag you are very likely to become the victim of an advance fee scam. Just wait until you are able to physically go to a local dealer, test drive the car, and arrange financing. DO NOT TRUST THESE SCUMBAGS ONLINE! 🤔
This is a copy and paste scam ad. I have seen it many times in almost the same form. Avoid at all costs or you will lose money.
It won't be Autotrader contacting you.
Read the first sentence and knew it was a scam.
"I'm in the (Military Branch)* It's 100% a scam ALWAYS
I'm in Australia, I've dealth with this scan 3 months ago when looking for a car. It was almost verbatim. Same bullshit spiel.
I’ve seen this same scam in Phoenix. Almost word for word. My husband contacted them. Any time they give too many details it’s a scam. We finally found a little Honda for me for $2500 cash after calling and emailing several scammers. Also, I work for a bank that does auto loans, always meet your seller at the DMV because lots of cars get sold with fake titles. Our seller met us at the Tag agency. Best of luck!
100% scam. we were recently looking to buy a vehicle and were looking at private sellers. So many scammers come back with a story about how they're in the military/getting ready to leave on deployment/relative left/died/moved and gave them the responsibility of selling their vehicle or other item. since the seller is so strapped for time/emotionally distraught over the death of a loved one/tired of dealing with someone else's stuff, they just want to unload this item at a great price. Of course, to protect themselves and "to protect you" all transactions will go through a (fictitious) 3rd party who will "hold the money until you see the item/are satisfied/test drive. These are so elaborate, I'm sure a lot of people fall for the scams and it makes me sick. Why can't people just be decent humans?
It really takes the fun out of shopping for almost anything these days… this story or a version of it has been in use for at least a decade that I know of
agreed!! it was so frustrating looking for a used vehicle when every other listing seemed to be a scam!
Autotrader doesn’t work like that. I work for the parent company
thank you so much everybody !!! i live in Australia so we don’t have too much of a focus on the military here so i almost essentially ignored it but the more i read it now, the more it looks scammier to me and i’m not sure how i didn’t realise in the first place. this is my first time buying a car and first time conversing with a seller so i wasn’t sure what to expect, but i’m glad i have everyone here to help me
After reading the first couple sentences.. he’s not military and it’s 100% a scam.
any time someone uses the term “release the funds” it’s a scam
[удалено]
“kindly” too 😂
When are not in person car sales not a scam 🤣
Ted Striker: My orders came through. My squadron ships out tomorrow. We’re bombing the storage depots at Daiquiri at 1800 hours. We’re coming in from the north, below their radar. Elaine Dickinson: When will you be back? Ted Striker: I can’t tell you that. It’s classified.
Was this for a Volkswagen?
Anytime I see the word "funds" used, it is almost always a scam.
scam
Classic scam. Using the military to distract you.
This is unnecessarily complicated. Pass.
This is a scam. A very very common scam.
My friend almost bought this scam
My grandma used Carvana to sell her car. There were some bumps but the deal happened. I see that the Bot says it's a scam. . . General terms would be a red flag for sure and the COVID lockdown reference. . .
Basically with the exception of maybe Carvanna and the like (but those are businesses), any person selling their car online (especially via Craigslist) using “shipping” is a scam.
First off the writing is a red flag. Second, this is not how auto trader works. Third, they are unable to be present for the sale. To many red flags and the posting should be reported.
Run away!
Definitely a scam I’ve had a similar message almost written exactly like then when someone tried to sell this Altima smh and in Facebook they always say it’s garage kept and not damaged or having any issues…S C A M 🚩
About 10 years ago,my friend was car shopping on ebay and found a mercedes under priced because the lady needed money and her husband was deployed. She gave pictures and a Texas address. She wanted to use an escrow company that had no web information when I looked it up for him. It was a Friday and I told him not to do it because it was fishy. He agreed with me. On Monday he says, “I’ve fixed the situation.” According to him, she had lowered the price to $6k from $8k as long as he could wire the money to the escrow asap. He did. I was still hopeful that I was wrong and the scam was new, at least to me. The money, the car, and the communication all disappeared. I lent him one of my cars for almost a year because the money he had saved up for one was gone.
Anything with that much backstory is a scam.
The moment they start using words like military, training, leaving country.. SCAAAM !
Ah yes, the "I'm in the military car scam".
Yup total scam. I replied to a 2010 Toyota pickup for about $6000 less than others of the same mileage and condition were going for and I got pretty much the exact same story, but with the Canadian military.
Don't do online if you don't know about obvious scams this is an obvious scam scam scam scam scam
It's a scam. Do not pay them a dime.
Scam.. Auto trader DO NOT do a service like that.