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Random Quote: Just a thought. I never said it was a good thought.
I listed a car for sale on Craigslist and I got one response from someone that asked me to send them the VIN. It sounds strange but I can't see the harm. Does this sound like the beginning of a scam?
I would still ask why. Ask them if they are interested. The reason most call and ask for a VIN is so they can take your pictures and VIN and advertise the car in a scam elsewhere. I have been looking for another vehicle and there is a huge amount of scam ads on Craigslist. 50% of the vehicles I have inquired about are located in another state which means there is no vehicle and it is a scam.
It could be a scam I don't know, but I do know my is cousin owns a used dealership and he buy off CL all the time and he has unlimited carfax so he just runs VIN's on every car he is interested in. Give him the VIN and it he wants to buy it make sure he meets you in person with a certified bank check.
Jags, I disagree. If you wanted photos and the VIN of a car to list - go to a parking lot, a lot easier. I've run across a fair number of obvious scam vehicle listings and don't ever recall seeing a VIN attached.
When I am car shopping (about one every other year) the absolute first question I will ask a buyer is what is the VIN. If I don't get the vin back, I assume it has been in a horrible accident and am no longer intersted.
As Jdizzle says, I run a carfax on every car I'm considering. While carfax is not perfect - it keeps the honest people honest and MANY of the cars I've checked on come back with damage or questionable history in their past. It is also a good way to check any number of white lies, like how long they've owned the car, if it is 4x4 or 2x4, what engine it has, what states it was registered in, etc.
It's a very legitimate request and in fact usually indicates a more serious buyer, IMO.
Flot, Every scam I have run across recently on CL includes a VIN even though I didn't ask for it. When you respond, then they tell you the car is in Montana or NY or somewhere else. The new scam is they will say they are being called back to Afganistan but the car is in Timbuktoo. Ebay is different.
IMO, giving a VIN doesn't prove anything as far as the seller not being a scammer. For example, I steal someones pictures and description and the correct VIN from an ad. Run my own scam ad where I try to dupe someone out of their money. They ask for the VIN, I give it and it is legitimate...just not my car to sell. I don't think there is a way for them to know that.
Here's the e-mail in question. I changed the phone number, but it looks like a Boston number. There's just something about it that doesn't look right.
"Hello Would you please email me if you can the VIN # please, i will be very happy to buy the solara so please email me or call XXX-XXX-9808"
Any time I see, "....I will be very happy to buy...." my antenna goes up big time. The diction and wording doesn't sound American, either...so you have reason to be cautious. That said, providing the VIN isn't going to hurt you at all.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Any time I see, "....I will be very happy to buy...." my antenna goes up big time. The diction and wording doesn't sound American, either...so you have reason to be cautious. That said, providing the VIN isn't going to hurt you at all.
I would still ask why. Ask them if they are interested. The reason most call and ask for a VIN is so they can take your pictures and VIN and advertise the car in a scam elsewhere. I have been looking for another vehicle and there is a huge amount of scam ads on Craigslist. 50% of the vehicles I have inquired about are located in another state which means there is no vehicle and it is a scam.
Sounds like a perfect way to sell someone else vehicle for more money than you are asking for it.
Flot, Every scam I have run across recently on CL includes a VIN even though I didn't ask for it.
They ask for the VIN, I give it and it is legitimate...just not my car to sell. I don't think there is a way for them to know that.
Of the 30-50 cars I've emailed/called about on craigslist over the last few years, I think I have actually been "duped" by an ad maybe 3-4 times. I'll cruise through the listings a couple of times a week, and IMO it's usually pretty clear which ones are scams so I don't bother with those. Honestly if it looks too good to be true it almost always is. If it's too good to be true and there's no phone number? Forget it.
It's a little easier to spot here in south florida, since they often include photos of the vehicles - usually with rolling hills or wooded forests (sometimes snow) in the background. HAH.
As for receiving an illegit vin - you'll know the paint color, model, and ownership history of that VIN. YOU have a much better chance of noticing any discrepency than the 2 bit scam artist seller. As a seller there's no real risk to giving out the VIN, it's not like there is any recourse for a scammed buyer to come after YOU for your own car that you didn't sell them.
The more common things I see on CL are just plain liars - the "owners" posting their cars for sale "well maintained, oil changed every 3000 miles"... I get the carfax and ask how come it was bought at an auction 3 weeks ago and they shut up real fast. Or the guy I called about his 4x4 truck for sale, I was actually in the car driving up to see him, ran the carfax at a light and it came back 2wd. "Oh you must not have understood me." Right. Ditto lying about which engine it has. And PLENTY of vehicles advertised "in perfect shape" that the carfax shows as having been in a horrible accident, salvage titles, you name it.
Not to say that I haven't looked at cars with clean carfax reports that also weren't obviously damaged and repaired - but it's a great first line of defense - and it requires the VIN.
Just got this today. This is a CL ad I responded to. I asked a simple question, how many miles and where is the car located in JACKSONVILLE and here is the response:
Hi, I am selling this car because my battalion has been sent back to Afghanistan and don't want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before October 8. It has no damage, no scratches or dents, no hidden defects. It is in immaculate condition, meticulously maintained and hasn't been involved in any accident...I do have the title , clear, under my name. The ACCORD has 31,700 original miles VIN 1HGCM655X6A074815. It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4,300. The car is in Seattle WA, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.Below is the car details and also link with more photos,if the link doesn't work,copy and paste it into a new browser page. Regards!!! 2006 HONDA ACCORD EX Vehicle title: Clear Body type: Sedan Engine: 3.0L V6 MPI SOHC 24V Exterior color: Silver Transmission: Front Wheel Drive Fuel type: Gasoline Interior color: Gray You can find more pics at:
Just got this today. This is a CL ad I responded to. I asked a simple question, how many miles and where is the car located in JACKSONVILLE and here is the response:
Hi, I am selling this car because my battalion has been sent back to Afghanistan and don't want it get old in my backyard. The price is low because I need to sell it before October 8. It has no damage, no scratches or dents, no hidden defects. It is in immaculate condition, meticulously maintained and hasn't been involved in any accident...I do have the title , clear, under my name. The ACCORD has 31,700 original miles VIN 1HGCM655X6A074815. It is still available for sale if interested, price as stated in the ad $4,300. The car is in Seattle WA, in case it gets sold I will take care of shipping. Let me know if you are interested, email back.Below is the car details and also link with more photos,if the link doesn't work,copy and paste it into a new browser page. Regards!!! 2006 HONDA ACCORD EX Vehicle title: Clear Body type: Sedan Engine: 3.0L V6 MPI SOHC 24V Exterior color: Silver Transmission: Front Wheel Drive Fuel type: Gasoline Interior color: Gray You can find more pics at:
Let's see, how many opportunities to spot this as a scam...
0. Seller being sent overseas but will ship the car to you for free
1. 2006 v6 Accord for $4300. Really? I'll take 2.
2. Car advertised in jacksonville but is in seattle where you couldn't possibly look at it
3. Ironically the "seattle" car photos show a palm tree in the background
4. No phone number
5. "options" list includes nonsense like body type
6. Sgt. Jeff Fletcher uses a website by steve dusseldorf? is this his "bunk mate" ?
7. And of course it's a template cut and paste reply that didn't answer your actual questions
I really don't think anyone in their right mind would think that the VIN in this reply lends any authenticity to the response. Although for someone with unlimited carfax reports, I'd be curious to hear if that VIN does actually come back to a honda accord in seattle?
What was the original ad? With the "quality" of the response I'm skeptical that the ad itself wouldn't have raised lots of red flags as well..
Here are some more scams no one should bother emailing... do you see any similarities?
Keys No Known MDetailed Tires & Wheels: Spare Never Used Condition Ext / Int Color: Pacific Blue Metallic with Gray Leather Interior Luxury Features: Air
Well, at least in my case everything seems to be on the up and up. I sent the VIN and got an email a few minutes later asking to see the car. As it turns out, I sold the car this morning anyway to another buyer. I did call the number after I got the email and spoke to a live person so I guess they're not all scammers.
Craigslist Question 
1st Cav Div Air Assault Infantry RVN
