Ebay Cobra Scam Warning!!!

mrmustang · #1 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 02:43 PM

So I see a Cobra listed on Ebay, a privatwe auction that you must first be preapproved on before bidding, at a price far too good to be true......item # 2445743053

Get back the following email message worthy of a spam alert:

"Thank you for your interest in purchasing my car. First of all I must inform you that currently I'm in Holland, Amsterdam and I have to let you know that the car is here with me and it is in a perfect condition. I am the first owner of the car, I bought it directly from an authorized dealer. The car it has a clear title which you will receive it with the car. It can be registered into your name, so stay cool about this.
The car is in mint condition,it has never been damaged.The engine run's very well,and the trans. it run's smooth.Nice car.
I have to tell you that I have other serious offers that I have to consider and I will make a decision regarding this sale function of time of payment and price. The price I hope to obtain is USD 8900(this price includes the shipping and insurance) and if you agree with this price we can start to complete the transaction. The payment must be done using
a money order service. I prefer money order because in this way I will ship the car in the same day you make the payment.
I know that the best deals are closed when the risk involved is minimum. You will arrange payment through Western Union (www.WesternUnion.com). In case you want to ship you the car right now you have to make me a confirmation for 50% of the amount of money (USD 2500) and after you receive and inspect the car you have to send me the rest of the money. The inspection period for it is 15 days. I have something safe for you because I want you to be sure that you will receive the car and I hope we will collaborate in future too.

Look what I can do for you:
- you will make the transfer to my location but not to my name(you will use your best friends name for example as receiver's name)so you can be sure that I will not pick up the money until you get the car; so you make a deposit at Western Union and you will give me the transfer's details (SENDER'S NAME AND ADDRESS, RECEIVER'S NAME, MTCN) so I can check that the deposit was made. After I verify it I will send you the car immediately.
- only after you will receive the car and check it if it OK you will have to change the receiver's name of the transfer to my name so I can collect my money. So until you will have the car in your hands the money will be deposited on your best friend's name at Western Union Agency. I think it is better to not inform Western Union that you
will change the receivers name in a few days because it is possible they ask you to pay the fees twice (fees that are quite big for such an amount),also when you go to an Western Union office to make the transfer,please don't tell there the reason for you send the money because here in this country I must pay some additional taxes when I receive the funds.
Please say you send the money to your friends or to your partner.
My old buyers of course make the transfer at Western Union direct to my name which is easier and I will be happy if you can trust in me but because it is our first deal I proposed you this very safe and efficient method so you can only deposit the money first and after you get the car to allowed me to cash it. Also, I can accept USD 1000 through from
the amount prior and in this case I will take you as a serious and possible buyer (this way I will loose all the nonpaying bidders that I occur everyday) and arrange a further deal but in this case you have to come in person to the car's location to see the car and take it back with you or you can send a friend or agent that lives near by to inspect the car and pay the rest of the money.
If you are agree with this method you can transfer the 1000$ from your
home:
https://netsage.finali.com/netsage?c...mtReceiver.asp
Or you can transfer the payment using your credit card via phone calling 1-800-CALL-CASH service of Western Union that is a free of charge phone number and is available 24 hours a day. After you've completed the transfer you will receive a confirmation that will allow me to track the transfer.Here are the details that I need:
- sender's name and address;
- receiver's name will be me;
- exact amount wired;
- MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) (10 digits)
- if it is possible a scanned copy of the receipt format .JPEG
for me
to add to the files.
As soon as the payment will be confirmed and the money properly sent,I will IMMEDIATELY proceed with shipping if you sent me the 50%of the amount or I will hold the car for you if you've deposited only 1999$.In case you've payed the 50% of money I will ship the car via Lufthansa Airplane Cargo insured and it will take 72 hours until
you will have it at your door. The shipping is free. The 50% of payment are fully refundable if for any reason you do not accept the car or if the car has scratches, hidden defects, or it is not as advertised. I will even pay for the shipping back to my location if you reject the car but since it is a state of the art and works and looks
perfectly I think it would get to this.
Here is my name and address you need for the Western Union
transfer:
My details:
First name: Kelly
Last name: Schindler
Address:NL, 15.30 h
Amsterdam
Holland
If you agree with these terms, let me know and I will be more than
glad to start to complete the transaction with you. Thank you and I hope that you will have the pleasure to drive this car.
Thank you and kindly regards!" .

Let the bidders beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill S.

mrmustang · #2 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 02:47 PM

Anyone have friends in Holland that can go look at the car for me

Excaliber · #3 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 02:59 PM

Something is WAY wrong with this picture!

Ernie

DonC · #4 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 03:26 PM

If this isn't a scam it's a damn good imitation.
DonC

ogasman · #5 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 03:40 PM

I got the exact same form letter as you printed. I asked the guy about escrowing the money, he said he only used the above western union payment. Said that the escrow was too slow. I emailed back that I would wire transfer the money, and decrease the inspection period to 7 days. He said he only used western union. I said I would increase the price to $9500 to cover any aditional costs on his end and decrease the inspection period to 3 days. He had been responding almost immediatly to my emails up to this point. After the last email, he no longer is responding.

BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fox · #6 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 03:43 PM

What about the auction of 2445505313. It is listed as CSX 1331. I am not aware of any 1000's. CSX2000 was the first, as a show car right?

Are there any replicas that use a CSX? I don't think so...

Ebay really IS caveot emptor, huh.

bobl · #7 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 03:44 PM

THIS IS A SCAM....Guaranteed 100%. Read the dozens of Nigerian Scam Emails you get monthly. Notice the similarities? Hope none of the members here get burned on this!!

Bill Wells · #8 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 03:56 PM

Fox, a lot of folks buy the after market Shelby vin plates and take them to their local trophy shop and have a 'made up' CSX serial engraved on them. The first official CSX number is 2000 as you stated. Some of the folks 'select' their made up CSX vin's from serial sequences that are known to be non existant. Some of the more brazen folks will actually engrave a correct CSX number, either knowingly or accidentally. Many folks use the CSX after market vin plate and put on their correct serial with or without a prefix, same with Mustang GT 350 clones. So, the real question for the seller of the ebay listing you gave, is what does he really have as it ain't no CSX. I cannot distinguish the brand based on the photos in his adv listing, but others perhaps can. If the seller bought that car thinking it was a CSX and paid CSX prices for it , then he is in for a real resale surprise !

MrMustang...thanks for the reminder of the scam tip of 'pre approved' for the adv listed and so many similar ebay seller requests. I can see how some folks could get sucked into that and unknowingly provide the information requested, regardless of the price or item being sold . Wonder how many have already done that ? hmmmm... Bill.

bobl · #9 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 04:10 PM

Bill.....this clown is offering the car for $8900 and FREE airfreight. The airfreight is $8000 for a car to Europe. We're shipping one this coming Friday from Chicago.

DON'T GET TAKEN FOLKS! And yes i have reported this to E-Bay.

RACER X #99 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 04:22 PM

Bill,
Sounds like a great deal to me. If you buy the car I'll buy the Contemporary chassis and body from you for the 9K and you can keep the SO

RD

Bannon · #11 (**permalink**) 11-28-2003, 11:18 PM

Been a while but I'll chime in.

Shhh... I believe in Natural Selection. Good luck to the purchaser...

JB

Turk · #12 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003, 01:09 AM

I hope he refunds my $2500.00.

TURK
If he doesn't I am going to give him a Negative feedback. that'll show him!

mrmustang · #13 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003, 04:54 AM

The seller ended this listing early because of an error in the listing.

Lowell W · #14 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003, 06:56 AM

Ended the auction early, eh? What a wonderful opportunity for you, Mr Mustang! As a matter of fact, I DO have a friend in Holland. Why don't you just send me the $8900 and I'll forward it to my friend so he can check out the car and purchase it for you.

cobrajeff · #15 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003, 07:41 AM

Bill W -

You mean to tell me you didn't recognize that cute lil' "perky butt" and exposed chrome trunk-lid hinges? That and the Levy racing injected 5.0 Litre lead me to believe the car is an FFR.

It looks like a beautiful car (love the color), but that repo vin plate he bought from some parts vendor is about the only thing on it that "may" have come from Shelby American.

regards,

Jeff

Bill Wells · #16 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003, 08:18 AM

cobra jeff..yep, the Levey Racing engine had me suspecting FFR , but when unsure, say so, is my mo !! figured those more informed than me would id the vehicle. as to perky butts, they say that about my spf ! and oh my, how those CSX vin plates show up everywhere, some 'mismanaged' to say the least !!

bobL and racer x99, if you re-read FOX's post you will see he was referencing YET ANOTHER ebay car listing, not the one that originally started this thread. my response was to his question in his post.

my money stayed here, not on any ebay bids for this scam...ciuz i am waiting to bid on that bridge from Los Angeles to Hawaii ! LOL> bill.