# Avoided the ebay auto scam **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780 "2019-05-10T15:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/1 "2019-05-10T15:13:58Z")
Sent an email about a car for sale online > [@](#): > > Hello there, > > My 2003 Range Rover HSE is still for sale. This SUV is in great shape. I’m the original owner. It has no damage, no scratches, dents or hidden defects. It is in good condition, meticulously maintained, always garaged and hasn’t been involved in any accident… Has only 98,221 miles. I have a clear title, without liens or loans on it, under my name. The SUV belonged to my lovely husband who passed away 1 month ago and it brings me bad memories each time i open my garage… that’s the reason I want to sell it asap…The price was reduced at $1,800. Hate to sell it, but it’s not worth keeping insurance. I want to use eBay Services for the safety of both of us so if you’re interested in purchasing this vehicle, I can notify eBay that you are selected as my possible buyer and they will contact you to explain the entire procedure. Ooooookay a scam right? On the off chance that it wasn’t I reply “You’re in the Denver area correct? Why not a cash deal?” Her reply > [@](#): > > Me and my daughter decided to moved at my parents house in Omaha Nebraska trying to start a new life. The SUV is at the shipping company in Omaha Nebraska, ready for delivery because someone agreed to buy it, but in the end he never got the loan. For this reason, the shipping is already paid . > > I will use eBay motors in this transaction for our protection. If you are not aware of this program, you should know that it will allow you to test and inspect the vehicle before paying me. The inspection period will be set to 5 days and I think is enough for you to make a decision about the vehicle. If you won`t like my SUV you notify eBay motors and you send it back on my expense. But I assure you it won’t be the case. > > When receiving it you will have as well all the documents including title, sale bill , 2 sets of keys, full service records and more…The title and the bill of sale will be notarized and signed by me. > > I can ask eBay to send you an email with more information on how to purchase it. If you are really interested please reply with your whole name, a delivery address including street, city, state, zip code and phone number and they will contact you right away. As soon as I hear that from you I will initiate the transaction through them. > > Best Regards, I was thinking of replying to this about how I’ll be in Omaha this weekend or my cousin lives in Omaha but considering she has my real email I’m just going to let this drop. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/2 "2019-05-10T15:34:05Z")
Color me naive, but what was going to be the scam? Does the alleged seller get money up front with eBay? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/3 "2019-05-10T16:21:37Z")
> [@Her reply](#): > > The title and the bill of sale will be notarized and signed by me. I may be mistaken, but I didn’t think one was allowed to notarize their own documents; kinda defeats the purpose. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/4 "2019-05-10T16:25:41Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > I may be mistaken, but I didn’t think one was allowed to notarize their own documents; kinda defeats the purpose. Maybe she meant “The title and the bill of sale will be signed by me and notarized”? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/5 "2019-05-10T16:44:10Z")
Not sure what the scam is, but yeah, it’s scammy. We went thru similar crap when selling a motorcycle a few years back. Some guy in the PNW wanted to buy it because, well, no one out there sells Harleys, right? :rolleyes: He also fed us some crap about using his work email because he’s in the military and had a classified position and some such crap. Similarly when I answered an ad for an RV, it was in Omaha (hmmmm, I sense a trend) but they’d send it to me on approval so if I didn’t like it… yeah. I guess this crap works on some people. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/6 "2019-05-10T17:03:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Color me naive, but what was going to be the scam? I searched for ebay auto scam and got a thread with about a dozen very similarly worded offers to ship through ebay services. Apparently, they want you to pay up front with some kind of untraceable method, gift cards, or such, then they just skip out on you. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/7 "2019-05-10T17:31:01Z")
Scams like this that involve any kind of shipping company are all about paying the so-called shipping company. I know this one says that the shipping company was holding the vehicle because the previous sale fell through, and the shipping is already paid. But after you get a bit more involved there will be some other, minor fee that needs to be paid, in this case probably some storage for the time that the shipping company has held the vehicle. So you get really involved, it is a great deal, and the owner just wants to get rid of the thing. So you think that another $300 for the storage is a minor issue and you pay it. There never was a vehicle for sale, never was even a seller, there isn’t even a shipping company. The storage fee (or whatever they come up with) is the whole scam. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/8 "2019-05-10T17:38:26Z")
Thanks, **Dallas** and **Cheese**. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/9 "2019-05-10T17:42:17Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Apparently, they want you to pay up front with some kind of untraceable method, gift cards, or such, then they just skip out on you. You say they just skip out on you as if they actually own the vehicle they’re pretending to sell. I know you know, but just to be clear, it’s fake right from the very beginning. When I was selling my bike, I’d say well over half the people that were ‘interested’ in it asked me to get a VIN report. They’d even provide a link. I can assure you that every single person who asks the seller for a VIN report never had any interest in buying the vehicle. They just want you to pay for the VIN report (either to steal your credit card info or because they get a referral fee). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/10 "2019-05-10T21:57:08Z")
Saint Cad, if you received this email randomly, out of the blue, then **yes** definitely scammy. Who sends out mass emails to people saying that you are the priority buyer of a car they are selling on ebay? But if you know the person that sent it… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/11 "2019-05-10T22:52:18Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Saint Cad, if you received this email randomly, out of the blue, then **yes** definitely scammy. Who sends out mass emails to people saying that you are the priority buyer of a car they are selling on ebay? > > But if you know the person that sent it… Saint Cad emailed them, asking to buy their car. The two quotes in the OP are the replies. It wasn’t unsolicited. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/12 "2019-05-10T23:01:01Z")
If you reply with something like 'That sounds great, let me know as soon as you have it listed on ebay. Just send me the link and I’ll buy it" I’ll bet you either never hear from them again or they start trying to explain what they meant by ‘ebay motors’. As soon as the person asked for all your info to have ebay send something to you (ya know, to explain how ebay works), that was a red flag. Remember, in order for ebay to have any involvement, the sale has to be completed on ebay. This person will probably try to explain how everything will happen on some other site or you’ll paypal/mail them the payment etc etc etc, but somehow ebay motors is involved to cover you in case there’s a problem. It’s just a scam and they’re using the ebay name to A)invoke trust and B)get a headstart when you realize you were scammed. They’ll have a few extra days while you try to file a dispute through ebay. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/13 "2019-05-10T23:25:30Z")
This got my scam antennae twitching: > [@](#): > > The SUV belonged to my lovely husband who passed away 1 month ago and it brings me bad memories each time i open my garage… that’s the reason I want to sell it asap… Maybe she also has a vintage Corvette that another family member passed away in and wants to sell it really cheap. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/14 "2019-05-11T00:27:21Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > This got my scam antennae twitching:Maybe she also has a vintage Corvette that another family member passed away in and wants to sell it really cheap. :dubious: Exactly. That and the part about the shipping company and everything is already paid but it fell through. Waaaaaay too many weird things going on. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/15 "2019-05-11T01:11:35Z")
Ebay has a excellent guide to avoid scams. > **[eBay Motors Security Center](https://pages.motors.ebay.com/buy/security/index.html)** > > Welcome to the eBay Motors Security Center. As you continue towards selling or purchasing your vehicle, we ask that you take a brief pit stop here so that we can provide you with valuable tips and resources to avoid scams and fraud. We want to make... ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/16 "2019-05-13T14:15:56Z")
The scam is: send me, a complete stranger, $$$ and I promise to send the car from a remote location so you can’t verify that it really exist and since it’s Ebay Motors it’s totally NOT a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avoided-the-ebay-auto-scam/833780/17 "2019-05-15T14:03:55Z")
> [@](#): > > The SUV belonged to my lovely husband who passed away 1 month ago and it brings me bad memories each time i open my garage… that’s the reason I want to sell it asap… Odd… I thought it was in a shipping facility in Omaha. > [@](#): > > The SUV is at the shipping company in Omaha Nebraska, ready for delivery because someone agreed to buy it, but in the end he never got the loan. Or maybe…_maybe_… the daughter is including the wife in the deal and she’s _also_ at the shipping company! :eek: