Purchasing an automobile

[jwe.-35]

When purchasing an automobile with the seller using ebay motor buyer protection program. Is there a test drive time period. This is my frist auto buy on ebay. And my gut is telling me not to. Any advice for me?

[alcoforever]

There is no such thing as the ebay motor buyer protection program.   You found that car on some other site, correct?    If so, every thing that "seller" is telling you is a lie.   Every word.   She will ask you to pay with gift cards which are untraceable and unrecoverable.   It's all **bleep**.

[femmefan1946]

SCAM!!

She's not a widow or an angry divorcee.

He's not a trooper stationed in Hyderabad or Syria or Mali.

Nor an oceanographer on a nuclear submarine in the North Sea.

There is no car.

The picture was lifted from the internet.

The scammer is sitting in an internet cafe in Lagos or Minsk, nursing a tepid latte and is delighted that his phishing made  a catch.

[eburtonlab]

Beware scammers who advertise on other sites and tell you that the transaction will be handled through eBay.

That is not how eBay works. eBay does not rely on users finding ads on Facebook or other sites and sending contact information to a seller. Likely the seller will send a phony "invoice" that appears to be from eBay but is not, asking you to pay with gift cards to have the vehicle shipped to you for a free evaluation period.

eBay has no warehouse and does not ship vehicles. eBay does not handle such transactions or provide "vehicle protection orders". Scammers often promise those things, though. Any phone number you may receive on such an "invoice" does not connect to eBay, but to the scammer.

Anyone that asks you to purchase gift cards or to send card codes to them to complete a transaction is trying to take advantage of you. Anyone asking for a gift card is looking for a gift at your expense. Once anyone else knows the code, your money will be gone and you will have no recourse.

See here for some info about avoiding such scams (US links):

https://pages.motors.ebay.com/buy/security/index.html

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/online-vehicle-sale-fraud

The only way to purchase a vehicle on eBay is to sign in to eBay, find the vehicle on eBay and complete the checkout process on eBay, so that the item appears in your Purchase History. Then you typically meet the seller to inspect the vehicle, pay the seller, and collect the keys, title and vehicle.

If you encountered an ad on another site, contact that site to have the ad removed. eBay is not involved with any ads listed on sites other than eBay itself.

[hawkwind5454]

You would not be "purchasing" anything....Well, other than a world of heartache. What you would be doing, is donating your money, as this swell of a deal vehicle would turn out to be a ghost. 

[mudshark61369]

@jwe.-35 

Finally someone who listens to their gut instinct, and doesn't let a low price override their common sense.

Most people come here after falling for the scams.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Although everyone jumped on the SCAM train, I don't see where you stated you saw it on 'another site'; there IS an eBay Motor Buyer Protection (for vehicles under 10 yrs old and 'clear' titles) ; it covers that you actually 'get' your vehicle and are cover for up to $100k. 

There is NO 'try out' period and that is not covered.

Vehicle Purchase Protection

This vehicle is eligible for up to $100,000 in Vehicle Purchase Protection in the event that you never receive after you have paid for it or sent a refundable deposit.

To qualify for Vehicle Purchase Protection you must be the winning bidder or an auction or click the Buy It Now button directly on the eBay site. Additional eligibility may apply.

Please refer to the full terms, conditions and restrictions

[simba6]

STOP.   Your dealing with a thief and scammer that wants to steal your money.  That is not how eBay works. There is no such program a seller can "use".]

eBay never assists in sales or payments of items listed on other sites.  To be an eBay sale is has to be listed here. There is no other way.

Test drive time, sellers won't take back a Pokemon card without a fight.

[janet9988]

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@jwe.-35 wrote:

When purchasing an automobile with the seller using ebay motor buyer protection program. Is there a test drive time period. This is my frist auto buy on ebay. And my gut is telling me not to. Any advice for me?

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Ebay does not have anything called an  "ebay motor buyer  protection program".

Ebay has a Vehicle Protection Program that can cover some vehicles that are purchased using the ebay site.

https://pages.motors.ebay.com/buy/purchase-protection/index.html

You test drive and inspect  the vehicle BEFORE paying.

It is handled just like any other car purchase.

Walk away if you do not like the car as vehicles are in a non binding category..

[soh.maryl]

So now we need to hear from the OP:  Where, exactly, did you find this vehicle listed for sale? (Although I would be willing to bet that this is a typical CL scam).  

[fab_finds4u]

There is never a test drive period or a 5 or 7 day inspection period because vehicles can't be returned.

Did the seller ask you for your name and email so "eBay"  could send you an invoice? 

If you got one it's fake. eBay doesn't handle payment arrangements on vehicles. The email and 1-800 phone number in the fake invoice connects to the scammer who will answer the phone pretending to be eBay.

Forward it to spoof@ebay.com and report the fraudulent ad on the site you found it on.