Purchase of caravan

[tregi25]

We have been scamed by professionals and I am being polite. Caravan in Alice Springs at her Mothers, will be brought over free of charge and returned free of charge if not suitable. No mobile number. Van from divorce proceeds and for my children. 

Brought on E Bay and E bay will arrange delivery transfers etc. So she has informed us.  Is this correct?

Works at RAAF Edinburgh NT in medical field.  Being deployed can't phone only email.   Alex S  E Bay Financial Department Manager. ??? Sounds familiar now after reading blogs.

[hurryagain]

It's a scam.

I hope that you did not wire any $$$ or give them any gift cards (which is the same as cash - untraceable).

@tregi25 

[tregi25]

Unfortunately we paid out nearly $10000!!

[fab_finds4u]

Of dear. Wish you had of Googled eBay Austrailia Caravan Scam before buying. 

[hurryagain]

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@tregi25 wrote:

Unfortunately we paid out nearly $10000!!

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So sorry to hear that.  We tell people all the time that if an item is not listed on eBay, then eBay has nothing to do with the transaction.

Whenever you hear of a great deal with a sob story backdrop, it is most likely a scam.

People are scammed online every day.  Buyers must be wary.  Always pay large ticket items with a credit card or if it has to be cash...then it HAS to be in person and they have to be willing to go with you to the DMV for the title transfer.  If they are not willing to do so...walk away.

This is a horrible way to learn a lesson.

@tregi25 

[soh.maryl]

Guess it's a little late to tell you this, but eBay NEVER EVER has anything to do with any item listed on any other site.  That's true on the US site and I assume it applies in Australia as well.

Sorry this happened to you.  

[tony1963]

I would propose that this topic be banned from the message boards.  Since it has nothing to do with eBay and in over 20 years, the traffic on these scams has not been interrupted, the topic is moot.

I have an ultra rare lock washer from the last days of American Motors Corporation and it has the even more ultra rare "ES" part number etched along the edge.

The item is currently in storage.  Pay me my money.

[ripsmc]

Spending 60 seconds on Google would have answered the question of whether this was fraud or not. Even the FBI and FTC websites warn against this. One way of knowing.

Second way is pure common sense.

The money is gone. It will never be found nor will any law enforcement agency even make an attempt to track it down. File a  complaint but after you walk out the law enforcement people will simply say there goes another one before consigning the complaint to the Forgotten Bin.

And do not blame eBay in any way, shape or form. They are 100% blameless.

[candd205]

As you have figured out by now, eBay was not involved with this sale at all. The scammer just used eBay's name to get you to trust them. Everything the scammer told you and sent you was a lie. I'm sorry you were scammed this way.

But, hopefully your message will warn other people who come check these messages before they fall for the scam and that prevents others from being scammed. That is why it is a good thing that you posted this message, to warn others not to fall for this scam. I have seen many, many, many people that have fallen for this scam, but I have also seen some people comment that they are thankful they saw a message like this, and it prevented them from being scammed.

[tregi25]

I know we sound gullible but everything sounded very good except for part about delivery. We were going to go over to NT but this woman said no, no, I will bring it to you. We are normally very careful but this is such an elaborate scam it got us in, hook, line and sinker. And we both feel sick know from being so stupid.

We feel very stupid but these people are professional thieves.

Pity they didn't use their brains for good not bad.

[candd205]

Unfortunately it is a very successful scam. At least you learned from this.

[donsdetour]

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@tregi25 wrote:

I know we sound gullible but everything sounded very good except for part about delivery. We were going to go over to NT but this woman said no, no, I will bring it to you. We are normally very careful but this is such an elaborate scam it got us in, hook, line and sinker. And we both feel sick know from being so stupid.

We feel very stupid but these people are professional thieves.

Pity they didn't use their brains for good not bad.

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Well remorse in your case is normal: a lot of cons are such that feeling gullible after finding out it was a con is a reason they are never reported to law enforcement.

Oh and it is an old scam just goes through a bit of update to get a" steal of a deal" out there to con the mark out of money: of course always has used the poor me:  buy purchasing you are helping me part of it also...

Feel bad you lost your money: but be angry at the right place: A person out there just saw you as a toy to con money out of.

Learn from such. Oh and getting the money back: good luck, it is most likly gone:

[hawkwind5454]

Was the van tantalizingly priced? A below market value price is a huge red flag. I imagine that's why these scammers usually have a sob story backdrop, to help fortify an implication of they just want the vehicle gone, thus priced so it will move quickly.  

[tregi25]

Yes it was priced at $9500 a deal for a 2008 Van with all the extras. Had some water damage inside but that would have been repairable. Very easy bait and we were taken in. Reported to all the authorities bank, police etc. but we quess it is long gone but we have to put it down to experience. Very expensive experience.

[ripsmc]

Someone was pulling a scam like this a few years ago and the address of the alleged eBay warehouse was revealed.

A Google Earth search of that address showed it was a U.S. Army Headquarters building in Virginia.

A few years ago I strung one of them along by telling them I lived only a 100 miles away, really felt sorry for them in their time of grief due to losing a son in Afghanistan, and that I was perfectly happy to offer them double their asking price in cash in a face to face meeting at the local PD for their protection. Nothing but a litany of excuses as to why they would not accept.

So their grief prevents them from looking at the vehicle but not from going through multiple steps to play the internet games.

The **bleep** never stops with these thieves. The bad part in your case is the high amount of money. Most of it is in the 1200 to 2000 dollar range. Must be stepping up their game.

When I was looking for a pickup some years ago I found the same CL truck listed here also listed in 8 other states. Same picture, same text, same price. OR, UT, AZ, OK, TX, AL, SC, NC, and LA. Likely it was listed in all 50 but I got bored with it.