Craigslist info

[k100lt]

I was looking at used cars on Craigslist. Looking to buy a used car. I noticed several ads that listed 5 year old cars with low miles and nice pictures and a very 'glowing' description of how good a shape the car was in. However the price seemed very low in comparison to the age and description of the vehicle. Is this a scam?

Has anyone bought a car from an ad on Craigslist? What should I be on the look out for?

 

[crazydrummerdude]

If it's too good to be true..

Of my craigslist experience (quite a bit), maybe 2% of the deals actually work out.

 

[BUDDINGGEEZER]

I see no difference between Craiglist than the classified adds in a newspaper. I'm not going to buy a car without looking at it first.

I am reminded, back in 1980 or so I saw an add on a 1977 20 foot Ranger bass boat with a 175 HP Black Max Merc for $1500. I told a friend that the boat probably had a 6' hole down the center. A friend of mine bought the boat, it looked brand new and ran great. For 10 years I kicked myself in the ass. You never know.

Ralph Sims

 

[ted]

However the price seemed very low in comparison to the age and description of the vehicle. Is this a scam?

It is a Nigerian scammer. I use Craig's List frequently and there are any number of ways they do it, but for the most part if you cannot go look at it before money leaves your hand you are being scammed. Here is how the most recent one went (sucker got me on the hook with a $6k R1150GS that just had to be sold due to divorce): You reply to the ad (no phone is ever listed - warning #1.) He responds back that he is a soldier/businessman/etc. who just got transferred to Ireland/UK/Netherlands/etc. and the motorcycle is sitting in a warehouse conveniently close to you. It is an incredible deal due to divorce/military callup/etc. and all you have to do is send $2,000 or whatever to the (FAKE) shipping company/escrow company/customs company/etc. as a deposit and they will bring the bike to you and if you like it you keep it and if not you will have your money refunded. Of course, the businesses are fakes with fake websites and you will never see a bike and never get your money back.

Here is the actual last e-mail the guy sent me (I told him I knew it was a scam and cc:'d Rocketmail's abuse department and never heard from him again.)

From: Colin Winsor [mailto:colinwinsor@rocketmail.com]
To: Ted Verrill
Subject: RE: 2004 Bmw R1150gs - Abs, Touratech Extras, Bags

Ok Ted,
Here is the entire procedure with all the steps which we have to do:

A. First you have to send me your shipping information: your name and address: street, number, city, country, zip code.
1. After I receive your shipping info, I will go to shipping company location and leave the bike on your name and with your shipping address as the intended receiver.
2. The shipping company service will check the bike also the legal papers to see that everything is ok with it.

B. You will receive a notification from the shipping company service as a confirmation that the bike is in their custody and also, that the bike has been tested.
1. After that, you will have to send 50% of the entire value of the bike to shipping company service .
2. The shipping company service will verify the transfer, and if everything is in order, they will deliver the bike to your door step in 5-7 working days.
3. After you will receive the bike and you will be completely satisfied with it, you will instruct the shipping company service with your decision and if you will keep it, you will pay the rest of the money to the company.

C. If by any reason, you will not be satisfied with the vehicle, you will return the bike to the shipping company service with no expense.
Also i agree to give 10 days period to inspect bike and if you are not satisfied in it you will be fully refunded within 24 hours.

If you agree my terms please provide me your full name and address for shipping, so I can initiate the transaction through the shipping company service.
After that they will contact you with transaction details, invoice, payment instructions and more information about the shipping company service protection.

Regards!

--- On Ted Verrill wrote:
From: Ted Verrill
Subject: RE: 2004 Bmw R1150gs - Abs, Touratech Extras, Bags
To: colinwinsor@rocketmail.com
Sounds good, I would like to see it
-----Original Message-----
From: Colin Winsor [mailto:colinwinsor@rocketmail.com]
Subject: RE: 2004 Bmw R1150gs - Abs, Touratech Extras, Bags
Hi,
Thanks for your interest, but first of all i want to inform you that the bike is in a great condition, never been involved in accidents, no scratches, no dents and the title is clear and has all the service records.
Now i'm in London, United Kingdom, i moved back home and the bike is here with me.
Our locations will not be a problem because i have a contract with a shipping company which will handle the payment and the shipping to your address, and i paid all their taxes so you will not pay anything more than the price of the bike.
If you are still intersted to buy my bike, let me know and i will explain you the entire procedure, step by step.

Regards!​

Craig's List is great if you use common sense - if the seller is local, has a local phone number and will show you the car/bike at his residence you're usually in good shape. As ever, if something smells funny, it usually is and you should walk ASAP.

 

[aerialfilm1]

Just remember anyone anywhere can advertise on your local CL for FREE, even the bad guys...
Also many people on CL are dealers posing as private party sellers.

Personally I like autotrader. If a guy spends 25 bucks to advertise his car, he's probably serious about selling it.

Ditto what Ted said..

 

[winkwm]

Craigs List

Ted hit the nail right on the head.... Scam all the way. If it seems to good to be true it probably is and in this case you'll get alot less than what you pay for... buyers beware...

 

[108625]

There's another warning I would like to pass on.

Sometimes the deal is completely legit, but the vehicle is being sold by someone with a Power of Attorney. During my military career, I have had a couple of my troops and a friend cleaned out by their spouses or significant others while they were deployed or at a remote assignment. If you are not dealing directly with the true owner of the vehicle, please walk away. Otherwise you may be unintentionally taking part in ripping someone off... Sad, but true.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[spiegeltuxer]

Cl

I have bought and sold on CL in my area and have only had good experiences. Met some real nice people and even staying in touch with a Packer fan I got tickets from. If you can see the car, drive it, have a mechanic look at it and all the other things that go with buying a car you may find yourself a great deal. I sold a car on CL in about 4 hours. Came with cash, drove it said I'll take it, completed a bill of sale I made up and he was gone. I also am surprised at all the FREE stuff out there. Trash to treasure, its in the eye of the beholder!

 

[osbornk]

You can be scammed as easily on CL as with any other ad. I buy only what I can personally inspect and I don't believe anything I am told without documentation. I want to see the owner personally so I can judge them myself. I buy from the titled owner only and make sure the seller is actually the owner. When you buy, take possession of both the vehicle and the title immediately. Reagan said it best "TRUST BUT VERIFY".

I have bought from e-bay and other selling sources with good results but I make it clear to the seller that I will look at it based on what I am told and any difference will result in no sale. My e-bay experiences with used vehicles have been within a reasonable driving distance for examination. The descriptions I have gotten after questioning have been amazingly accurate and the vehicles (3 motorcycles and 3 cars) were better than described. If the seller stumbles in the description on the phone something doesn't sound right, I don't bother looking. I guess 30+ years investigating fraud claims makes helps the judgement.

 

[k100lt]

Thanks all for your input. All the replies were good and helpful. I guess the bottom line would be: 'buyer be ware', "trust but verify" and "if the deal sounds too complicated, walk away"

Thank you again

 

[rguy]

I've bought and sold a few things on Craigslist locally without any problems. Scams are usually pretty easy to sniff out. In this case I would worry about 'hurricane' cars if they look fine but are priced low. Carfax is your friend. If it came from the Gulf coast - run!

 

[CTellman]

Craig's List Experience

I bought my latest BMW through Craig's List. I heard about the bike and made a call. Stopped at sellers' house on way back to my home from trip to Michigan. Nice bike, good guy and a real good value. Went to bank and arranged money. Drove it home. From what I have seen I paid about $1000-1500 below what others are asking.
Keep your eyes open.
Campbell Tellman II
1993 R100RT

 

[FatChance]

About 4 weeks ago, FatWife bought a car listed on Craigslist. It was a two year-old Saab 9-3 Aero convertible, in excellent condition with only 8600 miles and all the options, including a nav system and about two years of warranty left, for half of what a new one would have cost. She got it from a small dealer in Denver who listed on CL. It was a great deal. Too good to be true? Not in this case. We're happy CL car shopping customers. YMMV, of course.

 

[jsoque]

also, watch CycleTrader.com

Not to take away K1100lt's thunder, but I had a very, very

attractive offer from a seller on Cycletrader.com.

Here's the MOA thread;

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?p=379870#post379870

Of note, he never faxed me a Copy of the NJ Registration, or Title of the bike.