419 scam on Gumtree

M

mak2000

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Check this link... selling a BMW M3 with 59K for 82000...

http://johannesburg.gumtree.co.za/c...cars-R35K-2005-BMW-M3-GREY-W0QQAdIdZ206042029

Noticed there was no phone number ..so I emailed with whether the car is under motorplan and this is reply I got

"
Hi there,

First of all I want to thank you for your interest in my car. (2005 BMW M3 3,246 cc)
The car it's registered in South Africa and I had all the services done there. It is in perfect condition, no scratches, excellent maintained. It has no accident or any engine problem and it has only 60000 km's on board. The car is currently located in my garage in Johannesburg.

A couple of months ago I have moved in United Kingdom with my family. I'm a dentist and I have made a loan to open a Dental Clinic with other 2 colleagues here. Truth be told don't really want to sell car so will be sorry to see it go but my current financial situation doesn't leave me with much choice!

Has you can see I'm selling it at a very competitive price(83000). Hopefully this will be a quick sale. I'm not interested in any trades with other cars.

I'm very busy with my work I don't have the possibility to return in South Africa and meet all the potential buyers. Due this situation I've decided to use the Escrow Services of MoneyBookers.

Please let me explain to you better.You will have to go to a Western Union office and send only the down payment (29.000) to MoneyBookers and reply them with payment details so they can verify the payment.After they will have it verified, they will start the shipping process and you will receive the car at your address within 3 working days.After you receive the car, you will have 14 days to inspect it and to decide if you want to keep it or not.If you will not like the car ( I don't think that this is the case, cause the car is like new! ), then you will receive your money back, and I will get my car shipped back.If you will decide to buy the car, then I will come back in South Africa to finish the paperwork, you will have to tell MoneyBookers to give me the down payment, and also give the rest of the payment ( the remaining 54.000).

I'm waiting for your reply with any other questions that you may have. Please reply to this mail only if you are a serious buyer. Please no time wasters !!

Kind Regards,
Dr. Christopher Daren
"
 
Last edited:
kool...do the down pyment and test whether he ships the car....thrash it around for three days and take your money back....:)..
 
After reading your post I cant believe that anyone would be so foolish to fall for this scam but I guess someone might.
 
I actually saw this ad yesterday evening...a friend is looking for a performance car so I called him ...but could not find the AD and I was sure that I had sent a email using Gumtree email form. Sounded foolish when he tried to search and even I could not locate it. Then I saw the reply and again searched on Gumtree and there it was.

I have replied asking for the VIN number do I can check with BMW ...lets see what he replies
 
These scams seem to happen quite often on Gumtree.
Relatively new car, low mileage, insanely low price.
Then a few hours later the ad has disappeared.

Saw one for a 320i a month ago. Same scenario.
Then 2 hours later the ad had vanished and another placed warning of a scam showing the photos used.
Scary stuff.
 
Heard of someone that got nailed in a similar fashion with a rental. Was only R6k, but stung like hell. Chick was told the key would be sent through a 3rd party upon payment- she even went to look at the place, but it was 'locked' with the oke 'out the country'. She paid. Key never arrived. She cried.

Economic Darwinism.
 
mak2000 said:
First of all I want to thank you for your interest in my car. (2005 BMW M3 3,246 cc)
The car it's registered in South Africa and I had all the services done there. It is in perfect condition, no scratches, excellent maintained. It has no accident or any engine problem and it has only 60000 km's on board. The car is currently located in my garage in Johannesburg.
Click to expand...

1) ANY add that starts with a "thank you" immediately smells like 419... poor use of english is usually a sign as well

mak2000 said:
A couple of months ago I have moved in United Kingdom with my family. I'm a dentist and I have made a loan to open a Dental Clinic with other 2 colleagues here. Truth be told don't really want to sell car so will be sorry to see it go but my current financial situation doesn't leave me with much choice!
Click to expand...

2) Explaining all kinds of personal circumstances is sign 2... Normal ads will usually have "urgent" or "owner relocation" - not go into details like this...


mak2000 said:
Has you can see I'm selling it at a very competitive price(83000). Hopefully this will be a quick sale. I'm not interested in any trades with other cars.
Click to expand...

Its a rediculous price - not competivive... note poor grammar again

mak2000 said:
Please let me explain to you better.You will have to go to a Western Union office and send only the down payment (29.000) to MoneyBookers and reply them with payment details so they can verify the payment.After they will have it verified, they will start the shipping process and you will receive the car at your address within 3 working days.After you receive the car, you will have 14 days to inspect it and to decide if you want to keep it or not.If you will not like the car ( I don't think that this is the case, cause the car is like new! ), then you will receive your money back, and I will get my car shipped back.If you will decide to buy the car, then I will come back in South Africa to finish the paperwork, you will have to tell MoneyBookers to give me the down payment, and also give the rest of the payment ( the remaining 54.000).
Click to expand...

This part is CLASSIC scamming... Same principle as all the scam emails (you've won $100000 but first need to pay xxx into foreign account...)

Bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true - it usually is. I've seen quite a couple of these add's on the net
 
Last edited:
I still havent received a reply to my question about the VIN number. So I went to gumtree and send the same question again. I got the same reply back but this time the car was in East London instead of Johannesburg..LOL
 
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