Folks Of Interest scam or not

Ok guys, this guy seems legit. His bank called and wanted me to go to my local branch and sign off on the ***le for his loan and money transfer. I said hell no as he had never seen the car or made an offer. His loan officer said she thought that was already worked out, was shocked it wasnt. He called me and said he would change it to a personal loan and not sign anything. He is coming Sun. to look and make offer and if agreed on would come back Mon. Or Tues with cash to pick up the car. Sounds better to me.

 

PnB-guess I didn't state that too well. I would certainly drive 2hrs to see a car I wanted and I wouldn't buy a car sight unseen./ What I intended to say was that I'd want to make sure the car was real and that I had financing lined up before I made the trip.

 

OK, I intentionally mis-spoke. A-I have no idea how much my friends carry. B-I usually have more but don't need to stand out or brag. C-I often have financing lined up before I go in case I find the mother load.D-a lot of the bigger guys take credit cards and my credit limit is higher than I'd feel comfortable spending.

 

Afew weeks ago I found a car I always wanted on CL... called the guy, asked him how he wanted to be paid... He lived in Ca. Said he wanted a M.O., ok sounds good I told him I would get a shipping company to get it after he told me the M.O. was ok, so now I'M PUMPED! An original black plate 64 Caliente is about to be mine!
Sahweet! So pumped I forgot to get his address, called early the next morning had the MO in my hand... then... WHOA!!!! His wife answered the phone accused me of being a thief, "PEOPLE DON'T BUY CARS UNSEEN", so I had to be a cheat! I used her name trying to calm her down..., she went off again! "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!!!!?" Um you listed it in the ad... "NO WE DIDN'T!!!! thinking to myself.... Aw **** this is not going well. Even used my nice voice and everything... Didn't go well at all she hung up on me. Wrote him a very nice email, told him my bank could talk to his bank, we'd never have to meet, no test drives, no bartering over price... ...no luck... I was S*** out to rip them off... they sold the car on ebay for thousands less than it was worth in the rust belt.
People here say cash talks ... uh huh... sure... even after the couple went to buy the cl***ic Mustang with cash and were robbed and killed...? Who wold pay cash anymore, unless you're packin'! CL says to not sell to anyone unless it's face to face and cash. If I was a theif and needed cash, I find a pic of a nice car, list it on CL with a reasonable prices, cash only and sit on my couch waiting for the cash laden victims to come to me.
There are no guarantees on any transaction, be safe be reasonable whether you're buying or selling

 

Hope this all works out well for you and didn't dismiss the buyer like some of the paranoid people would have done. That could have ended up being like the deal that happened with the car white64 ended up not getting to buy because of the seller and his wife being paranoid.

 

I really don't want to stoke the paranoia, but here goes anyway: to those guys that commented about cash being illegal, you all need to do some quick research into "Civil Forfeiture" laws. It was even profiled on CBS 60 Minutes. http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/civil-forfeiture-laws-raise-questions-on-policing-for-profit/
There are police departments that are using Civil Forfeiture laws to seize cash found during traffic stops. No crime even needs to be charged for them to take your money, and they don't have to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that you are a drug trafficker, or a money launderer (or any other similar crime). If you have significant cash, they ***ume you are a criminal and then you have to prove you're not. They then keep the money to fund their departments, with some of them buying lots of new toys (even armored vehicles) with the money. Even if you are 100% innocent, they can drag you through the mud trying to get your money back, even requiring you to go through a trial to disprove you are a criminal.

So now that I have undoubtedly unintentionally stoked the paranoia, back to our regularly scheduled program........

 

yes you can dummy up a ***le its even easier with todays printers and photo copiers, you just need to have all the info, make a copy and sell the car in another state, not all states and police departments share info yet but there getting there , its call a national data base, alot of these cars are going to south america

 

I still find it hard to believe he'd go through all that without seeing the car, and then come to "make an offer"?? But, WTF , if you get your money, who cares? ****s you gotta be careful, but that's a lot of dough ( and a sweet looking car). Good luck with it.----File under logical- paranoid- ********; paragraph 7, sec.9 "Car Seller's Guidebook" c.2015

 

Yep, a true story. I've seen this spotlighted on other programs, it does happen. One was a young guy going west to go to college, had about $2500 in cash for traveling, food, deposits for housing when he got there. Took his money, didn't get it back. Another was a guy going to buy a car....

 

First off, I find it funny that California is referred to as "a state where some degree of common sense still prevails", I just find that very funny.

I'll take this out of the realm of "opinions".

I stopped at the County Treasurer's Office (where ***le work is done in Iowa) and asked exactly what it takes to get a duplicate ***le.

"You fill out a short form, update your personal information, like if you moved or something, and mail it in to the Treasurer in the county the ***le was originally issued. It takes about 5 days with the mail and everything but you'll get your new ***le back in the mail, usually in a weeks time total."

I even asked specifically about change of address from the original ***le and was told "no problem, it happens all the time when people move".

The application needs to be signed just as it was on the lost ***le, IE: husband and wife must both sign the application if both are listed on the ***le. They won't take a name off or add a name, just reissue a duplicate with the personal info (address) updated.

I then asked if there was any other paper work needed and she said nothing was needed except the application for a duplicate ***le.

Now, If I have the guys name, his address and the VIN number, I can get a new ***le in Iowa. Having a registration gives me the name(s) and address exactly as listed on the ***le that I am claiming is lost. Then it would need forged to transfer it to somebody new but what's a little forgery after doing all the other stuff to get a ***le to a car you don't really own? Don't think that would stop a thief.

Get a ***le to a car you don't own? It can be done. What's strange to me is that as tough as Iowa is on ***le issues that it's actually that easy to obtain a duplicate ***le.

Not all states even issue ***les for older cars. Some work on a registration only. You have the registration you can transfer ownership I some states. Everyone does it differently state to state.

Just call me paranoid, but say it loud enough so I can hear it over the laughter.
SPark

 

Notice I said "Some degree"
You have made my point. If you are Joe Blow from Keokuk and the car is registered to John Doe in Des Moines I don't think the DMV would issue you a dupe. You would have to get John Doe to file for the lost ***le. At least that's how it works here in CA where, evidently, they have more common sense than they do in Iowa.

 

My last comment on the issue.

You do not get it! If it's a scam, they are looking for a ***le, legal or not. I talked to the DMV here and it can be done just like I explained in Iowa. Your state may be different and apparently it is. That's why nobody can say for sure, it depends on his state, their rules and his comfort level. Yes, it would be illegal to sign somebody else's name but we're talking about crooks here! Would it be a legal ***le? No. Could they make money with it? Yes. That's why it's called a SCAM! They don't care about legal, that's what is so sad about it and why we are even having this conversation in the first place. IT DOES HAPPEN. There are dishonest people out there. Look how many "I got ripped off" type posts are on just this web site. Every web site has them, it's the way crooks work these days.

To the OP, you have to do what you are comfortable with. If you like the guys voice take a personal check. It really doesn't affect our lives, just yours. It has to satisfy YOUR comfort level, not ours. What you asked apparently raises a red flag for a lot of people on here. For others they trust the guy. If you asked, per your original post, you must have some uneasy feelings on doing what he wants done. Go with your gut feeling. You can see there is a wide range of opinions, you have to do what you feel is safe for you.

JMO,
SPark

 

Post 124 last paragraph, We've alledgedly had this happen lately in our small quiet town. Good way for criminal elements to get cash.....

 

As for those claiming as evidence the one couple killed over a fake Mustang purchase, that is the ONLY example that I have ever heard of this happening.

Scams happen daily, by the thousands, across this land.

I take cash, and I have the means to authenticate it.

 

I said that for everyone else's benefit, I know that you are not that dumb.

I did talk with my banker this afternoon. I didn't go specifically to find out about this deal. But figured while I was there it would not cost a thing to get his advice. so maybe for future benefit or blow it off no skin off my nose.

First I asked about walking around money, he said that he was not sure if the new rules stated anything about how much money someone could have in their possession at any given moment but there is a law that every bank must comply with. if you take 5K or more out of the bank in cash the bank is required to report that and the amount to the federal govt by the end of business. The fed is real interested in how much and who on that one for some reason.

As for the registration thing, he said that some banks may require that from their clients to get a loan but that there is absolutely nothing that they cannot find out from the vin number that they would find out from a copy of the registration. He also suggested that if I find myself in that situation that it is best to let the bank handle it, and that seeing as how I am a bank customer that there would be no charge. He suggested that it is just safer that way.

Anyway just for information and certainly not the '****** being paranoid by any means.

Anyway for what it is worth.

 

Reporting
Banking activity can result in two different kinds of reports, and the filing requirements are different for each. Su****ious activity reports relate to $2,000-limit transactions involving alarming activity. The bank has 30 days to file this report, and, by law, it can't let you know that it's done so. A currency transaction report applies to transactions of $10,000 or more. The bank has only 15 days to file a report of this nature, and it must keep copies of such reports for five years.

 

Kinda sad that opinions & conjecture are getting more responses than some of the awesome (period-correct) content featured elsewhere on the HAMB. Closing this for now...OP, please PM me when you feel everything is resolved and I'll reopen.

Back to traditional rods & customs....