Ask for a phone number to call the seller, if you haven't already gotten it. Usually this will scare away any scammer and you won't hear from them again. This is only a first tier filter. If you do get a number that won't mean much because they could be using a pay by the minute cell phone that's not traceable.

Another idea mentioned on the HAMB is to ask for a picture of the item with something specific like today's newspaper or another unique item that shows the seller isn't just sending images they took of the net some time in the past.

Tell the person you are going to be in the area or have a relative in the area that can come and inspect the item. That's usually a killer for the deal if it's a scam. Once more thing to think about even if the seller allows you to inspect the item in person, make sure you let some one know where you are going. Give them the name, phone number and address. You just never know.

Any time the seller or buyer wants to arrange payment in some off kind of way be very careful, I'd bet it's a scam.

 

Thanks, I might take youy up on that if this goes any farther, which I'm now doubting will happen.

Her back story is" that she has a clear title to the tractor that she got in the divorce settlement. She is a dealer on a cruise ship, and the tractor is in Valley City, Ohio. She says to tell if I want it or not and to give her my address so she can contact ebay and start the deal with them."

Later

 

The whole thing sounds REALLY fishy to me.

I would want to go there and work the deal in person.......

 

Valley City ,Eh?My son's girlfriend and her parents are there right now,visiting the grand parents,I'm sure they would love to swing by and look it over!Ask for the address in Valley City.That's in the county I grew up in,is very small,and I'd be surprised if they don't know nearly everyone in the community.

 

I'll see if she will give me the address, thanks.

 

I would be quite leary of this set up. We had tractors on the farm and none of them were ever registered or licenced simply because they never saw public roads. All you ever got was a receipt for the exchange of money for the tractor. Sometimes the serial number was even quoted on the bill of sale. Mind you, these were usually transactions between friends and neighbours.
mervy49

 

divorce settlement???........dealer on a cruise ship???

Let us know how this turns out, sure am curious...

 

Be careful. I am in Ohio, and have never had an Ohio title for a tractor, even when bought from an authorized dealer, so there is no way it can have a clear title. All I have ever received was a bill of sale.

 

It's a scam, don't waste any more time on this one. I had a similar experience on a potential purchase of a muscle car and discovered it was on a showroom floor of some dealer in TX (It was for sale in VA on Craigslist.). the story was a divorcee' trying to get whatever she could for it yata yata yata......

 

Here in WI we don't have titles for tractors either. I didn't mention this because I thought maybe WI was odd but from the two other posts not titling tractors might be the norm for all the states.

I would like to know what kind of excuse she gives for not allowing some to see the tractor. If nothing else the scammers are fun to screw with. They can come up with prettly lame excuses. If she is a scam let us know the email address, we could deluge her with requests. If nothing else we can waste her time.

 

That is a classic scam tactic!!! DO NOT sent this person any more personal information!!! Do not have any more contact of any kind with this person. Report them to the police. SCAM!!!! SCAM!!!!

 

I agree, since she already has your email address that's one thing you can't take back, but don't give her an address. I played around with one of these guys one time and sent them the address of the local police department. I have since reallized that even that was a foolish idea but I would never give these bozos my real address.

As I mentioned above, if you, or some one else, goes to check something out in person make sure you let some one know where you're going and when you expect to be back. I had an experience quite a few years ago with a eBay seller. It wasn't a scam but it could have turned ugly. I went to pick up a truck I arranged to buy from a seller. We did the agreement off eBay after the truck didn't sell. I drove up to MN to a small town and followed the seller to a very remote farm out in the middle of nowhere, something out of the Dukes of Hazard. The deal wasn't what the seller represented and I turned down the original offer and was walking away from the deal when he accepted my counter offer. I had my wife and kids with me and as we were loading the truck the seller's buddy came out with two shot guns and a case of beer, these guys were a little strange. They were going to do some target shooting behind the barn. Those were some intense moments because they knew I had money and I never let anyone back home know what I was doing or where I was. I was able to use my cell phone to call my brother to let him know what was going on and if he didn't hear back from me in an hour to go to my house and look up the emails I got from this guy and call the local cops.

You don't have to be paranoid about everything but when dealing with strangers and money the very least you should do is let some one know what's going on.

 

I also am in Ohio now, and would look it over for you. Just say the word.

 

It so happens that I take issue with your statement. I happen to be in the business of moving cars and trucks around the country, CLICK HERE, and I also sell stuff on Craig's List and occasionally eBay. I sometimes offer to move or ship them myself as a lot of people shy away from buying big stuff due to the high cost of shipping. Once in a while I run an ad on Craig's List for the business of moving cars and trucks. As a matter of fact I have a current listing for a vehicle with delivery available on the ad.
I looked at the listing and is says nothing about fraud.

It's hard enough to do business honestly without pointless scatter gun statements of this nature. I know there is a lot of attempts at fraud of all sorts online but common sense and double checking should insure a safe transaction for all but critically challenged minds.

 

Dave,

I think the key to your dealings on the net is honesty and openness, that's how I conduct myself. When someone replies to your ads I am sure you're not elusive and offer excuses and vague information. If you have a legitimate business you will be willing to communicate one on one via the phone. The first piece of information I ask from any one who has contacted me via the net is a phone number. That usually weeds out the scammers pretty quick. People like you and me don't need to worry about the reputation scammers have spread across the net because you know you're honest. It may take a little work to convince some one but that's just part of doing business on the web.

The biggest rule to follow when dealing with some one on the net is, if it doesn't feel right, run away, run away fast. It's amazing how our guts can tell us what is right and what isn't.