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Anyone know of a car buying scam that might resemble this situation

Here´s the facts. I am distrusting! I have a nothing flashy 2003 Mazda 323 with only 51000kms, without A/c, is in exceptional mechanical shape with some light body damage like dings, scratches and a 2 small dents, probably will need new fron tires soon, but the car was never in a collision and would be considered a good used car. I´ve never advertised it for sale but about every 2 months, costeña(s) always walk up to my business asking if i will sell it, how much, what´s the least I´ll take for it, what type of car would you buy if u sold it, etc. I cringe because when this happens I am always looking for where the scam is. My thoughts are a) he/they want to rob me b) the car must have really good hiding spots and they want to run you know what to/from the coast c) They want to offer me cash but it will be all fake notes d) they offer me cash, I sign the papers and then they rob me. e) I make sure to say "twingo" to answer what car would you buy because that question may be to see if I have money. f) could just be guys that buy low/fix up/sell hi

So what do you all think? Where could the scam be. If I ever did sell it, I would definitely not sign the papers until the money is deposited into my bank account to not worry about theft or fake bills.

Thanks for input

By spigrimace on Jan 9, 2008, 10:07 in Friendly Talkzone.

tejasmarcos says on Jan 9, 2008, 11:13:

Spig - Has your history here caused you to be distrusting? Have you had problems with average people off the street?

I sometimes think I am not distrusting enough. I sure would hate to get scammed here. Although, I have had virtually no issues here thus far

trying to walk a straight line on sour mash and cheap wine...

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RAAAY says on Jan 9, 2008, 11:30:

The only way to ensure that you will not get scammed here is to adopt the attitude of Spig ( Chris )................

Assume that you're going to be scammed...........even if you are only buying/selling a pencil.

Oh.........to answer the origional question.............it's a scam........but I have no idea how.

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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rhydewithdis says on Jan 9, 2008, 12:00:

Spig, I think you already short-circuit the scam (if there is any) by having the seller deposit the monies directly into your bank account. But yea, I can see how you would be worried about getting handed fake bills or even worse getting robbed immediately afterwards.

Do you find folks come by often to run smaller scale scams at your place of business?

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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Lowell says on Jan 9, 2008, 15:47:

can they buy the car and not transfer the title? pretty good cover and then disposable.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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spigrimace says on Jan 9, 2008, 15:50:

GIB you may be right. I still always try to think logically of why ask me when there are always like twenty 323´s in the El Colombiano classifieds every week. And why are they ALWAYS costeño??!! As for the scam at the point of sale, I just think, okay we sign the docs in my office and they give me the money, I sign a receipt and then they take out a gun and leave with the money, keys and signed docs. They can put it in their name because they would have the receipt saying I got effectivo leaving me no recourse. I always correct my employees when they sign a recibo de caja menor for a loan from me with nothing filled in. It might really be a loan for 50 mil but I tell them I can put in $600.000 and it has your signature and screw them and legally nothing could be done.

TejasM & Rhy, I do have stories but the one scam I never could get how it works is this: 2 separate and well trusted employees in 2 separate incidents got scammed by people walking in asking to change say $200.000 - $300.000 in small bills. I´m thinking the scam is either hypnoisis, slight of hand, psychological or a combo of any of the 3. And because of it, they are forbidden to change effectivco from people on the street. Here´s how it went: A man comes to the register looking to change like $300k in small bills for larger ones. He says he has $300k to change, this may be the psychological part where the victim thinks already it´s $300k. Then the con, counts the small bills in front of the victim and somehow gets the victim to think it´s correct. Maybe it´s slight of hand or hypnosis b4 or after, but I really dont know, because the victim counts it as well, then the con receives his $300,000 in large bills and leaves and later the victim counts it the 2nd time as he puts it into the slot in the safe and it is always $100.000 short. It wasn´t the employees scamming me because they both paid up the difference. Both times the employees were dumbfounded because they counted it.

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robi666 says on Jan 9, 2008, 16:16:

I am with GIB.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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expatriate says on Jan 9, 2008, 16:45:

My I suggest selling your car to an authorized new car dealer, and skip the hassles?

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CatGirl says on Jan 9, 2008, 18:54:

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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lpdiver says on Jan 9, 2008, 23:54:

I get Ecuadoriad knocking on my door all the time here in the USA wanting to buy my toyota.

t

"cook some rice!"

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