SCAM Alert in the PH Classified Ads

[AGAR]

Hi,

just wasted a good day or so with this joker so thought I would give others a heads-up:

The advert can be found here: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1756132.htm and is for an Audi A4 avant.

The car is advertised as being in Greater Manchester but the "seller" has apparantly taken it to Italy and only realised once it was there that the "steering wheel is on the wrong side".

The advert states that the contactee is Danielle Harris but also requests that a Theresa Lodds be contacted at [e-mail]. I sent an initial e-mail to this address only to be sent a reply from [e-mail] - why the change of e-mail address?! I queried who Danielle Harris was and this was ignored.

The "seller" has blanked all requests to supply additional pictures of the car, confirm where the car has been serviced, confirm that her name is on the V5, confirm the VIN and registration number.

After their initial response I told them that I was no longer interetsed in the car only be recieve this reply:

"Hi,

Given the distance we need to complete the sale 100% safe and secure for both of us this is why it would be best use Pistonheads Buyer`s Protection to ensure our transaction.
This is how its going to work:
I will contact Pistonheads and ensure our transaction from my account.When they have verified and approved our transaction they will send you an invoice regarding how to complete our sale in a safe way.
I used to work in the car sales business when I lived in the UK and I`ve used PH to complete distance sales all the time,it is very very easy to use and absolutely safe for both buyer and seller.
If you will accept the transaction than I can arrange the delivery to your home address.The delivery will take max 4 days.
The car will be delivered at your home address by truck,it will come with the V5 log book signed by me so you can easily transfer it on to your name,2 spare keys and service records.You will also have a 24hrs inspection of the car and the right to refuse the car if will find ANYTHING wrong with the car and documents.
If you agree with these terms and please let me know your full name,address and contact number(s) for the delivery so I can start the PH transaction and arrange the shipment.
I am sure you will simply love the car and there won`t be any problems with the sale.
I look forward to your reply
Regards
Theresa"

I've reported the advert to PH Admin on here so hopefully it won't be around for long.

Cheers,

Agar

[jon-]

AGAR said:

just wasted a good day or so with this joker <snip> but the "seller" has apparantly taken it to Italy

You should have given up at that point

[AGAR]

jon- said:

AGAR said:

just wasted a good day or so with this joker <snip> but the "seller" has apparantly taken it to Italy

You should have given up at that point

I did! Despite my telling them I was no longer interested after their first reply to me, they insisted on bloody e-mailing me. Rest assured I've ignored the subsequent e-mails.

[AGAR]

Justed spotted another new advert (only up an hour ago) - its the same scammer I'm sure http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1805949.htm

[ArtVandelay]

AGAR said:

Justed spotted another new advert (only up an hour ago) - its the same scammer I'm sure http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1805949.htm

It does look remarkably similar in style what with the !!! EMAIL THIS !!! at the end.

[Fox-]

No sympathy I'm afraid. These are always obvious scams before you even email them. A 2005 A4 diesel for £4100?

Yea, sure.

[AGAR]

Fox- said:

No sympathy I'm afraid. These are always obvious scams before you even email them. A 2005 A4 diesel for £4100?

Yea, sure.

Yes very good......

If you'd read my post in full you'd realise I never enquired about the 2005 A4. The 2002 older A4 version I enquired about was reasonably priced.

Really what is it with people on here now? I've posted up this to try and help people and already two people have replied with sarcy comments.

Edited by AGAR on Saturday 19th June 12:42

[StevieS]

AGAR said:

Really what is it with people on here now? I've posted up this to try and help people and already two people have replied with sarcy comments.

Ignore them, they're just being arses. They try to be clever and smug with their answers, but instead they show themselves up with not being able to understand what's been written, and come across as wkers. I'm sure their are some people who are grateful the advert has been removed.

[harriettmay]

HI!
I've been drawn in by the same scammer.
Only this [e-mail]

I am a young, learner driver looking for a first car, so i'm pretty naive!
It was an ad for a 2002 VW beetle for £3,500 which i didn't think was too bad, or odd.
thank goodness we googled the email address.
I found that she had used 3 different emails across her page, under 3 different names, so I knew it was dodgey then.
What i found interested was that she sent me the exact same email as you!
From the 'given the distance'
they used the same excuse, she'd just married and moved to italy, hadn't registered her car and they won't let her drive it because it's right hand drive.
HERE IT IS:


Hi,

The car is 1,6 petrol and since I have absolutely no use for the car and you seem genuinely interested I will lower the price to 3.300.00 to help you with your insurance
Given the distance we need to complete the sale 100% safe and secure for both of us this is why it would be best use Pistonheads Buyer`s Protection to ensure our transaction.
This is how its going to work:
I will contact Pistonheads and ensure our transaction from my account.When they have verified and approved our transaction they will send you an invoice regarding how to complete our sale in a safe way.
I used to work in the car sales business when I lived in the UK and I`ve used PH to complete distance sales all the time,it is very very easy to use and absolutely safe for both buyer and seller.
If you will accept the transaction than I can arrange the delivery to your home address.The delivery will take max 4 days.
The car will be delivered at your home address by truck,it will come with the V5 log book signed by me so you can easily transfer it on to your name,2 spare keys and service records.You will also have a 24hrs inspection of the car and the right to refuse the car if will find ANYTHING wrong with the car and documents.
If you agree with these terms and please let me know your full name,address and contact number(s) for the delivery so I can start the PH transaction and arrange the shipment.
I am sure you will simply love the car and there won`t be any problems with the sale.
I look forward to your reply
Regards
Theresa

I've reported this aswell.
Just thought I'd let you know too
People like this can take advantage of other people my age, so I want to try and stop that. Hopefully she'll stop soon, but I guess under any email address there is nothing PH can do...
Thanks a lot for saving me!!!

[ArtVandelay]

harriettmay said:

Story about con artist.

For future reference, if anyone mentions a PistonHeads money transfer service they're lying as PH offers no such thing. Plenty of scammers out there, fortunately people aren't falling for them as they learn how they work.

Welcome to PH!

[cheadle hulme]

This Italian bird must have a massive driveway though!

[AGAR]

I'm glad this post has helped you Harriet. I wonder where Jon and Fox have gone.......

[Fox-]

AGAR said:

I'm glad this post has helped you Harriet. I wonder where Jon and Fox have gone.......

I'm busy trying to import a 2006 530d for £5k at the moment, its legit, he's just moved to Greece

[Jayho]

cheadle hulme said:

This Italian bird must have a massive driveway though!

She's not Italian, she's an African Man who moved to England to get a sex change, then moved to Italy with a heap of cars and a new husband who has a castle and airfield for all her cars!

[A205GTI]

Autotrader has loads of these with hotmail accounts, usually sob stories, hubby left me etc....