Scam?

[Nicko]

what can you tell me about these two emails?

thanks for mailing back,please whats the firm price and the condition of the car, am buying it for my vacation,because i'll be coming soon from our rig as am a petroleum engineer on a rig offshore,i won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work,i would have love to call in person but our satellite server has been down which restrict our calls.i will be paying you through PayPal,pls get back to me with your PayPal details so i can proceed with the payment and contact the courier agent who will come to pick it up and deliver it in my place.

Await your reply.
Kate Wiliams

and.....


Thanks for the swift reply and will like to purchase it.Kindly consider my offer of $22,990 for the car? i will be paying you through my PayPal account because it's attached to my bank account,If my offer is accepted send me your paypal email address so that i can get the funds remitted into your account.I am a marine engineer on a rig offshore and do not have much time on me.Make sure you get back to me so that i can arrange for pick up as i will like the car to be picked,so no shipping included.I await your reply.

Sandra

I replied to both regarding the similarity in their emails and thus haven't heard since


That's correct... scammers....

whenever you can only accept direct deposit or cash, or if Paypal ensure you use registered post other wise Paypal will take the money back!

[gonebush]

what can you tell me about these two emails?

thanks for mailing back,please whats the firm price and the condition of the car, am buying it for my vacation,because i'll be coming soon from our rig as am a petroleum engineer on a rig offshore,i won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work,i would have love to call in person but our satellite server has been down which restrict our calls.i will be paying you through PayPal,pls get back to me with your PayPal details so i can proceed with the payment and contact the courier agent who will come to pick it up and deliver it in my place.

Await your reply.
Kate Wiliams

and.....


Thanks for the swift reply and will like to purchase it.Kindly consider my offer of $22,990 for the car? i will be paying you through my PayPal account because it's attached to my bank account,If my offer is accepted send me your paypal email address so that i can get the funds remitted into your account.I am a marine engineer on a rig offshore and do not have much time on me.Make sure you get back to me so that i can arrange for pick up as i will like the car to be picked,so no shipping included.I await your reply.

Sandra

I replied to both regarding the similarity in their emails and thus haven't heard since


That's correct... scammers....

whenever you can only accept direct deposit or cash, or if Paypal ensure you use registered post other wise Paypal will take the money back!

Nicko, I have seen these types of replies before, see the highlighted part...how then is he emailing?
They always seem to be offshore or at sea etc etc.

Although paypal option for payment seems to be fair, usually they want you to use a credit union or the like.

I guess since paypal is secure and all you have to give is your email address I would assume (which is what they are probably using) it would be safe to accept funds and get them into a secure fund where funds can't be reversed.

I would contact paypal and give them the details you have supplied us and ask of thier thoughts.
Do not let a vehicle (or any product) go before payment has been made and secured.

Just my thoughts....Cheers

[Nicko]

recieved another email with different reasons for not being in Australia (Malaysia) and offering to get an agent to pick it up... not worth the hassle of reply.

[Avtrician]

These usually are a scam

[photohiker]

They're all thieves. Stay away from them.

No-one buys a second hand car without looking at it.

Why would a marine engineer on an oil rig with a broken 'satellite server' buy a car via paypal? What a load of bollocks.

Suspension of disbelief is for movies, not real life.

Michael

[cuvier100]

My mate got the same but his were SMS versions.

Typically the scam is the transport cost which they ask you to add to the total cost.

Mike

[Nicko]

It was sms as I had advertised only my mobile number. However a third scammer emailed me directly, thus would be the same person.

The only loss I ever made was due to Australia Post losing two parcels at a cost of $200.....

Scammers 0 - Australia Post 2

[satguide]

Scammers are using every source of communication for scamming. Many of us might be getting mails said to be from Microsoft, Yahoo etc. for winning a huge amount of money through lottery system and now your case.

There is only one place for them...HELL....

[rostbiff]

Hi Nicko.I sold my boat recently and had similar enquiries.I did have a chat with ACCC.they reported that there was not a lot they could do as these are typically from overseas.The onus seems to be on the individual to be vigilant.All the best rostbiff.

[timj]

Have had similar emails in the past when selling a bike on Bikesales. Be aware that although they offer to purchase through PayPal that your not covered by any PayPal insurance unless you go through Ebay. But I am sure there are plenty of gullible people out there that get caught out sadly

[SorrentoPete]

It's a scam. Advertised some stuff on Gumtree a couple of days ago and received the same response, i.e Please set up paypal account, stuck overseas (and later an engineer on offshore rig), agent from Malaysia will pick up goods. The scam works by sending sms's and emails advising that funds have been deposited to your paypal account - very dodgy email purporting to be from Paypal Service Team, occasionally spelt correctly - and the funds are double the amount of your sale price. You are then advised to urgently pay the Malaysian courier half the amount "deposited" in your Paypal account for the transport fees, upon which time your funds will be released from paypal, etc, etc. The usual signs of a scam are there, such as deteriorating English, urgency for action, implied trust and generosity and whatever else rings alarm bells. I discussed with Paypal and they were very apologetic, and asked all emails to be forwarded to spoof@paypal.com.au
These scams unfortunately reap billions every year' as most people are very trusting, and a little naive.
Good luck

[ColinFromBungendore]

Definitely a scam. Dont fall for it. Do not part with your car until you have the cash in your hand or in the bank (verified from your own account).

Have seen the same emails twice while selling a car. First was from an oil rig engineer offshore, the second from a person purporting to be an officer on a cargo ship, both with sad sack stories about who they were buying the car for etc, etc.