# Doesn't feel right, is this a scam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2017, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268 "2017-09-25T09:04:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/1 "2017-09-25T09:04:51Z")
Wifie San found a yard tractor on craigs list. Kupota BX25 going for 2500. The listing is down now. \*\* [IMAGE of similar](http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzA4WDUwMA==/z/CUEAAOxygPtSs9p3/\_3.JPG?set\_id=2) \*\* All other similar age and adorned ones go for $12000+. I contacted seller to ask if it was a misprint and it wasn’t. Here is the sellers 1st response \ > [@](#): > > My 2008 Kubota BX 25 Tractor is still for sale. This tractor is in great shape. I’m the original owner… I have a clear title, without liens or loans on it, under my name. I am selling it at this final price of $2.500 because my husband died 1 month ago and it brings me bad memories and that’s the reason I want to sell it a.s.a.p. I want to use eBay services for the safety of both of us so if you’re interested in purchasing this tractor can notify eBay that you are selected as my possible buyer and they will contact you to explain the entire procedure. I responded I haven’t used Ebay this way and did not see the item listed there. I then got this response which threw me. > [@](#): > > Thanks so much for getting back to me, as I have told you in previous email my husband died recently. Right now i’m in a military base (Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska), training and getting ready for leaving the country. My presence won’t be necessary because I prearranged the deal with eBay Money Back Guarantee program. The tractor is here in the custody of the Military Logistic Department, ready to be delivered to its hopefully future new owner. You`ll get free delivery and it will arrive at your address in 2 to 3 days. In addition, you will have 5 days to try out prior to making any purchase and if by any reason you find something you don’t like about it you can send it back at my expense.If you are ready to buy it, please reply with your whole name, shipping address, email address and phone # so I can notify eBay that you are selected as my buyer, and they will contact you right away with all the details about the transaction. The fact it is in Nebraska doesn’t bother me except that the craigs listing was for eastern Wisconsin. Also the pictures of the tractor had a suburban ranch house in the background. I can’t see the military being a delivery company for personnel making personal sales, whether they are deploying or not. The fact I can’t just drive up with a trailer and hand over a wad of cash after inspecting it tripped my radar. also, you can put a lien on yard and garden equipment? At the moment all this person has is my true name email address, nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/2 "2017-09-25T09:34:17Z")
Yes, it’s a scam. Googe _buy car military logistic department_ and you’ll see multiple examples. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/3 "2017-09-25T10:04:28Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Yes, it’s a scam. Googe _buy car military logistic department_ and you’ll see multiple examples. About what I expected. I was just googling with the wrong terms. GREAT, now I have to junk that email address as it will get spammed like crazy. I liked that one and it is attached to my resumes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/4 "2017-09-25T11:29:35Z")
> [@](#): > > if you’re interested in purchasing this tractor can notify eBay that you are selected as my possible buyer and they will contact you to explain the entire procedure. This is not how eBay works. The contact and explanation would consist of off-ebay transactions that appear plausible, but are not genuine - probably they will ask for payment via bank transfer or money order, and you would never see your money again. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/5 "2017-09-25T11:48:58Z")
“In addition, you will have 5 days to try out prior to making any purchase and if by any reason you find something you don’t like about it you can send it back at my expense.” Thats just totally preposterous. The one way cost of transport would exceed the regular full price , they’d be better to leave it at the scrap yard !, and they are selling it at a bargain price, and might even pay for returns ?? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/6 "2017-09-25T12:25:40Z")
In that particular case, this marks it as a fake escrow scam I think - you would be asked to pay, but on the assurance that your payment is held in escrow for your trial period - of course, it isn’t - it’s just another way for the scammers to buy themselves a bit more getaway time. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/7 "2017-09-25T12:42:52Z")
The “seller” even refused to me having my representative “in the area” stop buy to inspect it, pay cash, and load it on to a trailer large enough for it. For my own protection of course. Seems Ebay is an ironclad scam and thief proof method. Yeah right. I didn’t even get to ask about the paint changing tint based on the lighting used in the various photos. Also when the add-ons from the stock equipment were added. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/8 "2017-09-25T13:52:43Z")
Maybe the reason the seller has “bad memories” about the tractor is that she ran over her husband with it, and is selling cheap to get rid of the evidence fast? ---
**Author:** ![Oddball\_92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b3f665/32.png) [@Oddball\_92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oddball_92)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/9 "2017-09-25T14:23:32Z")
100% scam ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/10 "2017-09-25T14:37:46Z")
As futile a gesture as I’m sure it’ll be, I hope you reported the “auction” to eBay. At least it might burn that particular seller account. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/11 "2017-09-25T16:30:31Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > As futile a gesture as I’m sure it’ll be, I hope you reported the “auction” to eBay. At least it might burn that particular seller account. It’s not on eBay and was never going to be. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/12 "2017-09-26T15:45:33Z")
3 red flags: 1. Going thru a divorce, selling ex’s property. 2. Leaving soon for overseas … 3. … for military reasons. Any 1 of those screams “scam”. All three scream loud enough to register on nearby seismometers. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/13 "2017-09-26T19:28:37Z")
Now that we’ve established it’s a scam, I’ve got to ask–that’s a yard tractor? It looks like a combo front-end loader and backhoe to me. You must have a hell of a yard. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/14 "2017-09-26T19:38:11Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > 3 red flags: > > 1. Going thru a divorce, selling ex’s property. > 2. Leaving soon for overseas … > 3. … for military reasons. > > Any 1 of those screams “scam”. All three scream loud enough to register on nearby seismometers. Nitpick: number 1 was actually recently widowed, but your point stands equally with that detail. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/15 "2017-09-26T21:05:35Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > As futile a gesture as I’m sure it’ll be, I hope you reported the “auction” to eBay. At least it might burn that particular seller account. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s not on eBay and was never going to be. Indeed, you’re right. I clearly misread how the scam was playing out. I don’t suppose there’s any recourse through Craigslist, eh? Perfect. Still, OP, good job sniffing out the scammyness of it. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/16 "2017-09-26T22:47:30Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > About what I expected. I was just googling with the wrong terms. GREAT, now I have to junk that email address as it will get spammed like crazy. I liked that one and it is attached to my resumes. Don’t be too hasty. I think you’re being overly pessimistic. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doesnt-feel-right-is-this-a-scam/797268/17 "2017-09-26T23:35:27Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Now that we’ve established it’s a scam, I’ve got to ask–that’s a yard tractor? It looks like a combo front-end loader and backhoe to me. You must have a hell of a yard. I have the buildings area of an older midwestern farm. Plus quite a few family members local. I wouldn’t use the backhoe much but the deck and loader area would get a workout, each in their own season. > [@gnoitall](#): > > … Perfect. Still, OP, good job sniffing out the scammyness of it. The knowledge gained on this site is worth every penny. > [@Flyer](#): > > Don’t be too hasty. I think you’re being overly pessimistic. Probably no worse than the calls to my cell phone with messages for a former resident (also my kids’ phones looking for the person) that somehow got connected with my landline after the credit bureau hack this summer.