ALL CARS ON EBAY.

[JusNoGood]

Not sure John.I'll start logging them.

The price dramatically varies. I think this is the cheapest I've seen it. You can see it still on an ebay search but no details behind it.

Screenshot 2018-11-06 at 20.55.41.png

Interesting info Dave thanks. Should I report this to one of those Facebook groups?

In most cases, they appear to be hacked genuine accounts with good feedback and trading history, which is why they invariably have a contact email within the listing - which is always a warning sign
Besides the obvious, another sure sign is click on "Sellers other items", there's normally Harley Davidsons, Motor Homes, Jet Skis, tractors and if you look carefully the contact email address is often slightly different for each of the 100 fake auctions. I've no doubt that these are often overseas sweat shops banging out 1000's scams

Just for fun, I set up a spoof email address and contacted one of these sellers, the car was "in Aberdeen", I replied that was lucky as "i'm working in the area" (I wasn't!) they came up with all manner of excuses why I couldn't see the car. I even tried a few obvious pun names, like "Ivor Biggun" these weren't picked up by the scammers

As ever, they rely on the buyers greed

I’ll give that a go. A friend pretended to be a fund manager to a Nigerian scammer. Over a few years he had me in tears with his emails back and forth. My mate ended it by pretend retiring sailing off into the distance on his luxury yacht the Pork Sword

[dapinky]

Justin/Toys....

.... that is basically what we in the Bankbusters group do

The sellers don't tend to hijack other seller accounts, so much as 'buy' them...... there is good money to be had from selling your eBay (or Gumtree etc) account to scammers. As long as your account is over a certain age, with recent feedback (preferably as a seller), then they will pay cash for it.... and then use it to scam others.

As you say, there are always clues in the listing(s)...

(1) far too cheap for what is being offered (as stated, usually cars, machine plant, motorhomes, motcycles etc - but sometimes other stuff as well - gaming consoles are quite popular recently)
(2) always a means to make contact (text, email etc) in the body of the listing
(3) sometimes even a link to a company website (usually for diggers/plant sales)
(4) an offer to deliver
(5) over 'reasurance' that you will get your money back if not happy etc etc.

We get into a conversation with the scammer (throw-away moibile texts / disposable email accounts etc) until we get answers to normal questions "Can I see it?" "Where is it?" etc and eventually get a name (usually a generic female - "Amy" was quite popular for a few years), and a bank account for transfer.

That is usually the end of the conversation with them - unless you want to carry on and wind them up - but that can be counter-productive.

There is a guy called "Jack Buster" (or Buster Jack - depending on which account he uses at the time) who collates all the bank details - if the one you get is already known, and he has notified the bank (only applies to UK accounts!), then the bank is liable for any money transferred into the account since they were told about it - but it takes a few more hoops to jump through before they will refund money - they are the biggest scammers in the scheme! If it is a 'new' account, then it gets added to the database, but any money already gone is probably gone for good ..... but I get £50 for every new one I find .

We rely on 'Money laundering' legislation, and it works.

The ringleaders of the scammers are all Romanian, and the 'top dog' has had a $2M bounty put on his head by the FBI & Russian authorities.... still unknown where he is, but I'd love to find him so I can get a nice car

As some on here know, I used to do this for a living - so all my transactions are recorded to an 'evidential standard' - but they don't have to be.

The guy who started it (who isn't really called 'Jack') is a wealthy man who once got scammed for many 100's of 1000's of £££ - and now does this to get justice for victims (and rarely turns any profit, but ocassionally someone says "thank you").

I have met him in person, and know who he really is, and you'd be surprised ('cos you've probably heard of him).... but I won't tell you any details, even over a quiet beer. (it can't work that way, or it'd all fold, sorry!).

Anyway, Justin, there is an easy way to get scam listings removed from eBay - but you don't need to do it - 'cos as soon as I become aware, I do it .....

.....usually there are multiple listings from the same seller, and if 3 or more get reported as scam, they all get pulled by Ebay.

I have to say that between Ebay, Banks, FCA it is hard to decide who is the biggest fraudster..... none of them are overly forthcoming with information, and all seem to be in it for the £££.

I assume (hope?) that there are similar schemes/groups in other countries, but don't know about them.

[JusNoGood]

Thanks Dave. Very interesting.

[GeoffSmith]

I even tried a few obvious pun names, like "Ivor Biggun"

That's Life I suppose....

[Toys2]

Thanks Dave. Very interesting.

Yes, really good Dave thank you

they do some things really well, such as only showing a couple of photos in the listing and then sending more by email, the ebay add that they stole the pictures from had all of the photos, they drip feed them out
Though they assured me that the Esprit that I "enquired" about, definitely had no rust or dents on the body work, I asked them again to be sure!

I asked about 3 different cars from my 1 spoof email address, and got to various stages of interest, windup and insulting them, all at the same time, but they never linked the 3 enquiries, which goes to show how many emails they must get and how many people they must have working on the scams

[dapinky]

Oh, they have lots of people working the phones (as it were) - all getting a pittance, and payment for results.... the chance of them linking your details are slim. (But out of habit, I use a new email address for each one).

[simonbuk]

Candy apple red Lotus anybody ? (think its silk red) -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-M ... :rk:2:pf:1

[JusNoGood]

Out of interest how would you fix the roof Simon? Sow it up or use a patch perhaps

[simonbuk]

Put a little patch inside and out I think - theres no other way that I know of.

[JusNoGood]

Out of interest I've noticed a little wear and an indent in exactly the same place on mine. I've put a little patch in the inside to see if that helps

[alan e]

Out of interest I've noticed a little wear and an indent in exactly the same place on mine. I've put a little patch in the inside to see if that helps

A off cut a of seat belt works well as a patch.

[simonbuk]

I think we all have a wear patch in the same areas unless it's got a new roof !

[Rambo]

I think we all have a wear patch in the same areas unless it's got a new roof !

My Black Beastie neither has wear patches nor a new roof

[JusNoGood]

Thinking about it I’d describe it as a stretch mark :d

[alan e]

The usual way of doing it is to get you into a conversation off of ebay, then try to get money transferred by EBT (known as Push-Payment Fraud) into an account in their name (except it was opened fraudulently with false documents).... then withdraw the cash elsewhere (using an accomplice), and when you realise it's a scam, the cash is gone.....

... they will send you all sorts of 'links' to suggest that payments made by payPal are secure and that the Ebay 'buyer protection' will cover your transaction - however, if you look at Ebay & PayPal T&Cs they do not apply to vehicle sales.

Often, they offer to deliver the car to you, and tell you that if you aren't happy with it, no problem, you can get your money back from Ebay (except you can't, because it was either (1) a vehicle or (2) sold outside of Ebay.

I do a lot of work for a couple of Facebook groups (EVSA & Bankbusters) to get these people stopped, bank accounts closed and 'customers' their money back - it isn't a quick process, and can take years of persistence.

(There is a lot more to it than that, but thats the very short version).

Dave here is one for you check gardenbarber (944) on eBay over 1000 items all the same price inc a M100 all Start at £3000 with all of them with a buy it now price of
just over £5000 and contact them by Email not via eBay.

[Simon_P]

Put a little patch inside and out I think - theres no other way that I know of.

Patch on the inside - use drysuit repair glue to stick it on and then use it to seal the scar on the outside by using a cocktail stick to dib it on. Has held on my car for the last 16 years.

[tb10]

Dave here is one for you check gardenbarber (944) on eBay over 1000 items all the same price inc a M100 all Start at £3000 with all of them with a buy it now price of just over £5000 and contact them by Email not via eBay.

Not anymore Alan! Yes, I also saw that and it’s amazing that they try it on but it’s also incredible that some punters fall for it though....

[JusNoGood]

Put a little patch inside and out I think - theres no other way that I know of.

Patch on the inside - use drysuit repair glue to stick it on and then use it to seal the scar on the outside by using a cocktail stick to dib it on. Has held on my car for the last 16 years.

Drysuit repair, good call

[dapinky]

Put a little patch inside and out I think - theres no other way that I know of.

Patch on the inside - use drysuit repair glue to stick it on and then use it to seal the scar on the outside by using a cocktail stick to dib it on. Has held on my car for the last 16 years.

Drysuit repair, good call

Bostik 2402 is my adhesive of choice for the seals on my drysuits - and is what holds the patches on the inside of my roof

[Rambo]

It smells good too