NFB: Is this a scam?

[Dave M]

I'm selling my wife's minivan on autotrader, so I expected to get the usual scam emails from out of country. I got one today but it doesn't strike me as the usual scam material. Most scams are obvious, this one has me puzzled. What do you guys think? Should I continue the process? Here's the email I've received:

First email from them: (It is the standard autotrader auto-mailer, their comments are at the bottom.

VEHICLE INFORMATION
Make: Dodge
Model: Grand Caravan
Year: 2000
Price: 7200
Mileage: 65200
Body Style: Van
Color: Green
Cylinders: 6 Cylinder Gasoline
Transmission: 4 Speed Automatic
Doors: Unknown
Stereo: Unavailable
VIN: 2B4GP2435YR770297
Description: 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, 3.0 V6, 65,200 miles. 7 passenger
seating, dual sliding doors. Has the following power options: steering, brakes, windows, locks, mirrors. Rear window defrost and wiper, privacy glass, cruise control. Great car for those summer road trips. The V6 has more than enough power to hual all your stuff, but still gets good mileage and uses regular gas, no high-priced premium. The rear bench seats are easy to remove and leave enough space to carry 4x8 sheets of plywood! Very versitile for those homeowners who take roadtrips or haul things from the home-improvement store!
The driver's side door has a small dent in it from a dishonest person who can't park, additional pictures of van and dent available if requested.

BUYER INFO
Name: MORRIS HENRY
E-Mail Address: morrisautoworld2@outgun.com
Day Phone:
727-642-2491

Comments: I HAVE A CLIENT IS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING YOUR VEHICLE.WHAT IS THE
FIRM PRICE..? SEND PICTURES FOR EVALUATION.


Fraud Awareness Tips For Sellers:
http://www.autotrader.com/research/s...ticle_id=12125






I responded that my lowest price would be $6,800 and that I would get more pics to them by Monday. I received this email in response today:


Greetings



Thanks for your response.



I am a procurement agent based in England and my client whom i am representing is also in England. My client informed me that he is buying the car to present as a gift to the Cousin who got married last Easter, and will be leaving for Canada next two weeks to stay with the Canadian Husband. This means that the vehicle will be shipped to Canada.



THE PIRICE IS FIRM AT $6,800 US.



ATTACH PICS(INTERIOR PICS) SO THAT I WILL FOWARD THE PICS TO MY CLIENT FOR EVALUATION.



Any accident history......?



Are you the first owner of the vehicle.....?



Why do you want to sell the vehicle....?



My client is responsible for my commission,shipping and any handling bills.



Looking foward to hearing from you soon so that we can proceed with the



transaction.



Regards.

HENRY MORRIS



67 St Marys Mansions

Maida Avenue

Little Venice

W2 1SY England

44)7040111242 ; DRIECT PHONE LINE

PLS ANY TIME YOU WANT TO CALL PLS ADD YOUR COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL CALLING OUT CODE FIRST 011 THEN MY NUMBER ; LIKE THIS : 011447040111242


The sheer fact that it's out of country puts me on edge, although the writing is better than most scam mails. But then, why have an agent looking for your car and bother getting one all the way from PA? It's just a regular old minivan..... What do you guys think... take it a little further and see what they try to throw me?

[Trash man]

its a scam, tell em ur gonna report them as being a scam and they should stop. im sry but no1 buys a mini van from over seas

[WICKED LT1]

Hmm.. Let's see

His email = outgun.com

outgun.com = outblaze.com according to whois. This is the largest free email provider to the asian community. Based in Hong Kong, they are also on every spam blacklist known to mankind. These guys are well known to house some of the worst kinds of folks.

So, why would a legitimate merchant, in London, get his email from Hong Kong and then try to buy a $6800 Caravan over seas? This gets a 9.5 on my BS meter. BTW, don't fall for the London phone number, that's easy to do from anywhere these days.

-Paul

[TraceZ]

Tell them to send the money. Wait 10 days for it to clear, and then release the van.

No money = no van.

no 10 day wait = no van

If they are for real, they will be willing to agree to your terms. If they try to somehow get you to do anything fishy, it's a scam.

I'd bet my money on it being a scam.

[CamaromanZ28]

yep

Dude honestly. It is a SCAM happened to me befor . the wanted to but my car for 4,000 offered me a check for 6,00 and to take my money out and give the rest to the shipping company. I got the check and took it to the bank and asked if it looked real and she went to calirfy it and all. so it turned up to be a scam. i would of cashed it and have the check come back bad and had to pay alll that money back so don't do it and then report it ... watch out

[AmericanZ28]

Its a scam without a doubt! I would lead them on as long as possible just to waste their time. Have them send you the check, and keep playing along as far as possible while working a legitamate deal.

[DWS'95Bird]

don't waste your time with foreign responses......it's bad enough culling the crooks here in the US

[wolfdogs]

scam. send him an email like i did when i got stuff like that on our cars:

kiss my (_!_) and go for a long walk on a short pier in shark infested waters.

[Joe 1320]

simple really...... tell him you don't take checks. Have him Western Union you the principle amount, shipping being the sole responsibility of the purchaser to make the arrangements and payment.

[97LT1Z28]

Like everyone else says . . .Scam! Why would this butt-head go overseas to by a 6,800 van when they could just get a used domestic vehicle over there? Reply back and tell him to stick his chopsticks up his friggin' nose.

[Dave M]

Thanks for the responses guys. I kinda figured it was a scam, who buys a van from overseas? I think I'll string 'em along for a while, then tell them to screw himself and report 'edm to the authorities.