Click a follow to @partswapper . Lots of scammers get identified on his posts along with lots of good stuff for sale
I was contacted through eBay about a seller using my pictures to try to sell a rare NOS GTO panel that I had, the con had modified the background to look different than my pictures, but it was clearly still my part and my pictures they started with. Of course they'll say they're willing to have you pick it up, if they know you're from half a world away. They won't actually let you do it, but they know the offer will put you at ease. Due diligence, that's the key. I've been buying and selling on the internet well over 2 decades and I have yet to fall prey to a scam like this. Don't send funds "Friends and Family" to someone who is not your friend or family.
The reason that the crooks use the "family and friends" is because the normal paypal method will cover the buyer if they have been scammed (at least they used to when I used it last, many years ago), and paypal will take the money back out of the seller's account. It happened to me once, and I was re-imbursed. "Friends or family" has no protection either way.
As @36roadster says, the solution is to only use 'family and friends' when dealing with actual family or friends...... ...... and even then only with family or friends you know you can trust. Simple really.
The photo is one from an Ebay listing. Note the mileage 67759 is the same on both photos. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1762576195...J9K90N&hash=item2909c5d670:g:~YEAAOSwtkll29p6 Image from Ebay listing
I got scammed by a ebay buyer a number of years ago. Claimed it was a incorrect part(it wasn't) woldn't return it and told me to pound sand. Contacted a buddy of mine who belongs to a well known international motorcycle club. The local chapter sent two rather burly young men to visit the guys shop and persuade him to relinquish my part. They also delivered it to me from Chicago to Minneapolis. The service cost as much as the part sold for but I had it back.
Exactly. Use common sense, folks. How many people living in New York have palm trees in their neighborhood, for example? How many people who have boat loads of super neat, rare, expensive stuff actually sell a bunch of it *all*the*time*? If you pay with the "Goods and Services" you have a recourse if you get scammed. If you mail a check or money order, good luck getting anything back - the USPS has zero resources to track down every little bit of mail fraud.
I've seen a lot of gullible people on a FB page I set up for old Buicks and other pages I visit. Someone will post pictures of a complete car saying they are parting it out and ask people to PM them about parts. People will start posting asking about parts and where they can send the payments. None of these people will spend a minute to see red flags of a scammer. On my page I review every post for parts and end up banning at least 50%. Don't be so desperate for a part and in a hurry to get it that you don't use your brain to keep yourself safe
I've bought and sold on IG. There's a few guys on there that I've mailed cash to for my stuff since we've established a good rapport. I've also had cash mailed to me for stuff but again, the relationships are solid. Others I ask to be payed and also pay with Postal MO. Random stuff? Tread softly. See who else follows em, send DMs and ask about who they are and if they're legit. Not an overnight process but in short order you can see who's who and what's what pretty easy. Yes, scammers abound. There's a few scammer hashtags to check.
It's not so much the scammer ratio, it's more to do with IG being a really stripped down, hard to use platform. You can't search for latest posts on a hashtag, for example. The only time I use IG is to post the pictures on LeMons Rallys, because it's required. But it's useless for figuring out what is going on in the Rally. IG rant over...
After reading all of these posts I had need to restate call the seller or buyer, it is the easiest way to start to sort out the scammer. It's not 100% fool proof but I've found scammers do not want to talk to you on the phone. Everyone has access to a phone and most have access to a digital camera. If they don't want to talk on the phone or send additional picture then it's a scam. If they do send additional pictures make sure the pictures of different than the one they have posted, ask them to include something in their additional pictures that wasn't in the posted pictures. Most scammers only have the images they steal. Ask for a picture shot from different angles that aren't in their posted pictures.
Ask them to give you a thumbs up in one of the pics of the part. Or a pic with a dollar bill laying next to it. Something that wouldn’t normally be in a pic of a car part.
Just tell them you work for the FBI. (Just say FBI...... short for any acronym you want " Fun Bumpers Incorporated" but of course it's NOT The FBI... they won't know. ) They will disappear immediately. If I can't drive to it and pay cash - I don't buy it. If it's a HAMB'r I know - of course I'll buy it.
Hmm. That's it for sure. Well old days treasures has it on sale for $1875 obo located in San Francisco. LOL
I got hit with a CASH APP when buying parts for the wagon and fortunately my granddaughter knew how to do that and the seller was legit and no problems but I wasn't comfortable. Buying parts for the wagon I have had to use sites I am not familiar with, Brenda has a facebook account so she found some of the parts on marketplace, I really prefer to do business on the hamb, I just feel like I can trust the guys here and thus far my gut feelings have proved to be correct. HRP
Send me a proof of life, before you send any money ask for a pick with a human hand giving a thumbs up and one with a peace sign, no reply no money
There's another active on IG right now that goes by hotrod_part_center He was posting pics taken from a friend's IG account of stuff he had for sale AND his little boy. Report and block.
The picture of the 39 Zephyr instrument cluster was taken from fleabay. I’ve had it on my watch list for months.
The Jalopy Journal
