look at this scam

I inquired about a S250 Bobcat on CL that was advertised for $3100! here is the email I received back and a link to pics.


Hi,

Thank you for your interest in purchasing my 2003 Bobcat S-250 skid loader skid steer S250. The bobcat is in a perfect condition - like new! Only 2019 hrs! If you decide to buy , you'll receive all the papers, owner manuals, keys, a buy-sell contract already signed by me and the clear title. For this transaction I want to use eBay because I want to provide you a fast and very secure way. They will handle the transaction for me. You will make the payment to eBay and they will hold the money until you receive and inspect the bobcat ONLY AFTER you receive the bobcat , and you inspect (you have 7 days for inspection) eBay will release the payment to me. The inspection time period will begin as soon as you receive the bobcat at your address. Meanwhile eBay will hold the money into a trust account. So, this is not a blind transaction, you can see the bobcat before you decide to buy. This way we are both protected : I will know that I have a serious buyer who has the money to pay me and you will be able to see and inspect the bobcat before buy.
The bobcat price to sell quickly and the final price that I'm asking for bobcat is $2,880 including shipping and handling costs. My husband died 3 months ago and I along with my daughter decided to sell the bobcat and move to my brother. I can't afford to take days off my work for this sale so I'm trying to sell online.
If you are really interested in purchasing the bobcat please send me your full name, shipping address and your phone number. eBay will give you all the details regarding the shipping and payment.
I will appreciate an answer as soon as possible.

Regards!
Allyson


So they set up a fake "profile" of a woman,pics of her and her daughter and a bunch of seperate pics of a S250 Bobcat that looked great and I guess they in kind would set up a fake "ebay" transaction to get you to paypal or wire money to them. they even lowered the price without me haggling! They have gotten smart, just not smart enough.

I'd ask the grieving widow out on a date if she was hot enough. Even offer to be a father figure to her daughter. Wonder how they would take that?

she was pretty hot...but....i will go out on a limb and guess this isnt the same person that composed the mail....
here

These scams continue,because they work.It only take one person,out of the thousands that read these adds,to send some money they'll never see back.

Looks like a scam. I purchased a backhoe from CL, however I went to pick it up and gave him a bank check as payment. We were both happy.

If you copy the ad title and do a google search you'll find the same ad across the US. The ones that haven't been closed I go a head and report those too.
The common thread in these are a too good of price and you won't get to see it. Don't know why anybody would think there're going to get a $10,000-25,000 loader for $3000.
I use to try and get the news paper or trader early and run for deals, but I figure on CL 5000 people seen it before I ever did.

She looks too sweet and innocent to create a scam. If I needed a loader and had the money I would buy it.

Too good to be true. I never heard of Ebay holding money. Is this something new or a fraudulent Ebay sight.

Aw come on! She seems like a nice enough gal. Just trying to get rid of something she doesn't have any use for anymore,don't you think? Where's your compassion. I'm sure she needs the money.

It would be interesting to see how they tie it in with eBay- but wouldn't recommend anyone to try to find out!

That would be one expensive 1/32 scale model toy BobCat.....

Ya, I think ya got something there...I was thinking to mention that ya should snowplow her driveway for her, for the last time;, before ya leave the Bahamas with your new BobCat.

If that deal falls through, here's another Bobcat deal for you.
Untitled URL Link

There will always be suckers that will "think" they are taking advatange of a widow that does not know the real value of equipment. I never side with these crooks, but there is a crook on the other end that purposely takes advantage in the real cases, and it happens all the time.
Maybe karma if one of the crooks that cheats widows and others got caught in one of these and lost some of that money.
Always tell the seller that you or one of your friends is going to be in the area and will come by to check out the goods and leave the money. They will typically disappear and never contact you again.

Write them back and tell them that you want to come look at in in person. Tell them your two brothers, one who is an FBI agent and the other a Federal Marshall, want to tag along.

Tell them you are looking to take a vacation anyway and will just drop by, all you need is a physical address.

You'll never hear back from them.

Gene

ROFL .Truly did. You have a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.
LOU

Red flags:

Price is too good.

English is very good, but there are cues that tell you it wasn't written by a native speaker: "eBay will hold the money into a trust account" or "The bobcat price to sell quickly".

Unnecessary personal details, including (of course) a personal tragedy.

And the biggie: It makes no sense! Who would ship a heavy and expensive piece of equipment to someone who has made no commitment to purchase? Not to mention the idea that eBay is going to act as an escrow agent (which is something they don't do) for a deal that wasn't brokered on eBay.

My thought and experience with these kind of people and ebay & I've been selling on ebay for 10 years; "There is no Bobcat for sale, just a picture to back up their scam".