Facebook Marketplace seats for sale - could they be stolen?

Facebook Marketplace seats for sale - could they be stolen?

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Discussion

plenty

Original Poster:

5,028 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
Saw a pair of brand-new seats advertised for a very good price, much cheaper than RRP, but there are a few warning signs:

- Seller says reason for sale is they were bought for but never fitted to a car that's now been sold. But cover photo shows three seats.

- Insists on cash only, no bank transfer.

- Only 2 friends on Facebook.

- Seller's name is quite distinctive but nothing shows up on a web search.

I'm scheduled to travel there tomorrow and could always walk away if it doesn't feel right. But it's a four-hour round trip.

Is there a market for stolen high-value car seats?

119

11,439 posts

50 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
What car are they for?

anything BMW/VAG etc 80% chance they are stolen.

Unless they have a receipt from the purchase of them to show you.

plenty

Original Poster:

5,028 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
They are aftermarket seats.

R6tty

704 posts

29 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
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No way would I consider a four hour round trip. Facebook is full of scammers.

Sebring440

2,700 posts

110 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
plenty said:
Is there a market for stolen high-value car seats?
Must be. You're prepared to travel to buy them.



Yellow Lizud

2,648 posts

178 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
Of course they're stolen, they're on FaceBook.

It's people like you, that even have to ask the question, that keep these scammers in business.

It's no wonder the country is in such a state when criminals are so blatant and the public are so gullible.

plenty

Original Poster:

5,028 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
Or maybe the country is in such a state because it's full of miserable, angry and distrustful fruitcakes who are triggered by the slightest thing.

If anyone has actual insight to offer on stolen goods. I'm all ears. These products would not be taken from a car - they would have to have been pilfered from a store or warehouse.

Saudade

253 posts

84 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
Likely to be fakes rather than stolen.

Wacky Racer

39,718 posts

261 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
Yellow Lizud said:
Of course they're stolen, they're on FaceBook.
Don't be silly.

Thousands of things are sold on Facebook that are legit.

These seats may or may not be.

Dog Biscuit

795 posts

11 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
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Have you actually spoken to the seller or just messages? How did they come across?

Have you googled their number if so?

paulwirral

3,597 posts

149 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
I watched someone throw two black and red fixed corbeau bucket seats into the re cycling skip a couple of weeks ago , from what I could see they were near enough perfect without rips , guy said he’d tried to sell them but no interest.
I myself advertised a set of brand new in box lowering springs for a bmw that were wrongly supplied for free if someone collected them , when I posted I’d thrown them in the scrap skip I had loads of interest.

Super Sonic

9,455 posts

68 months

Thursday 21st November 2024
quotequote all
plenty said:
Or maybe the country is in such a state because it's full of miserable, angry and distrustful fruitcakes who are triggered by the slightest thing.
I don't think that would do it.

plenty

Original Poster:

5,028 posts

200 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
Well, as no-one has posted up yet reporting a sophisticated network of criminals targeting expensive car-parts retailers, I'm going to head over today.

Fakes are not impossible, but they look legit enough in the photos including correct stickers with part numbers.

Even if I walk away, I'll get to satisfy my curiosity.

Overall D

408 posts

176 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
It’s not Bride or Recaro is it? There was a proliferation of fake ones, a few years ago, some still for sale on ebay. They were quite detailed copies, with serial number stickers and all.

Southerner

2,012 posts

66 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
Overall D said:
It’s not Bride or Recaro is it? There was a proliferation of fake ones, a few years ago, some still for sale on ebay. They were quite detailed copies, with serial number stickers and all.
I guess you could argue, assuming you aren’t actually going racing/rallying, that other than the potential for being ripped off, which seems not to apply here as these are cheap, it doesn’t really matter even if they are (decent) fakes?

the-norseman

14,209 posts

185 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
Youll probably get a message on the way saying somebody else is interested, and if you send them some money quickly they will hold them... they you will never get the address.

smokey mow

1,269 posts

214 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
plenty said:
Fakes are not impossible, but they look legit enough in the photos including correct stickers with part numbers.
Be very cautious and don’t take the presence of a label at face value.

MSUK circulated and advisory to competitors a couple of years ago and the counterfeits were very convincing even down to the homologation labels. 5’the only tell was slight differences in the type face and the homologation numbers.

I can’t find the original article but see here.
https://www.motorsportuk.org/competitors/guidance-...

Be sure to check that the numbers are correct for that seat by cross referencing the manufacturer’s serial numbers and inspect for quality issues such as poor stitching etc.

Counterfeiting is a problem in motorsport given the high cost of the genuine safety items.

Hol

9,039 posts

214 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
Fake, stolen or scam.

Choose one.

plenty

Original Poster:

5,028 posts

200 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
quotequote all
Some really good info posted this morning - thanks to those who posted.

Edited by plenty on Friday 22 November 14:12

pigface1001

44 posts

54 months

Friday 22nd November 2024
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If its to good to be true, its probably fake or stolen.