Groundhog Day - Scamwatch Mk 2

This is the actual car. It would be a good buy.

Regular readers may remember this post back in 2012 when I was selling a car on line.

I'm at it again (selling a car, that is) and so are the scammers.

Not much has changed. The 2022 pitch is similar. The narrative involves a prospective buyer working remotely who can't make phone or text contact because he's working in an area lacking mobile coverage.

It makes you wonder how the men and women in FIFO situations stay in touch with their families. Apparently Facetime is popular. I'll have to let these people know. I'd be doing them a favour.

Here are the two emails I received via the Carsales website -

First one (Monday 14th February) -

    Glen Young <gleenyoung3@gmail.com> wrote:

Subject:Re: Mazda 3

        Thanks for your response, confirm the asking price again, where is it located at       the moment? Why are you selling it? Does it need anything to be replaced or              repaired? I'm cool with the condition as described on the advert. I work on a             remote mine site in  WA presently. and the reception is terrible. We do not have         access to a phone at the moment, which is why I contacted you with an internet          messaging facility.


       Regarding the payment,I can pay you through direct bank deposit (EFT), using           PayPal instant bank wire transfer service. I will need your Account name, BSB,        and Account number. If you are not comfortable with that, you can set up a               PayPal account properly at www.PayPal.com.au and I will make the payment           through PayPal, this way, all I will need is your PayPal email address.

       I have also contacted my courier who will come to pick up and deliver it to my           place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your account. As               regards the papers, all I will need is a receipt, the rego will have to be done in          NT Darwin at my place of residence, so there will be no use for the existing Reg          and RWC and i can buy it Unregistered


      Cheers

       Glenn

Second one - (Thursday 17th February) -

           Joanne Boughton <joanneboughton01@gmail.com> wrote:

Subject:Re: Mazda 3

        Thanks for your response,I am okay with the price, where is it located                        at the moment? Why are you selling it? Does it need anything to be replaced or         repaired? I'm cool with the condition as described on the advert. I work for Fly          In Fly Out (FIFO)Mining, Oil and Gas and we are presently in a remote area.           We do not have access to a phone at the moment and that's why I contacted you          with an internet messaging facility.

         Regarding the payment,I can pay you through direct bank deposit (EFT), using         PayPal instant bank wire transfer service. I will need your Account name, BSB,         and Account number. If you are not comfortable with that, you can set up a                PayPal account properly at www.PayPal.com.au and I will make the payment            through PayPal, this way, all I will need is your PayPal email address.

        I have also contacted my courier who will come to pick up and deliver it to my            place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your account.                   With the issue of my details, transferring the name of ownership and signing of           all paperwork will be done by the pickup agent. If you are not comfortable with        that, you can cancel the registration and I will buy unregistered because I am           taking it interstate.

        I have limited time on the computer, your quick response will be appreciated.

        Cheers

        Joanne

The scammers probably use bots, so replying to vent your spleen is a waste of time, but reporting them isn't. I did both. 

Feel free gentle reader, to use those email addresses to hassle them a little. It will waste their time. They're thieves, so should be wasting time in jail.

These scams have persisted (in my experience) for at least ten years, so they must work occasionally, and the scammers don't get caught.

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