Scam Alert, I almost fell for it

I'm not a noob, but after the middle Tennessee floods (I'm in Cheatam co), I was desperate, based on that I came very close to falling for a scam. I had been and still am looking for a travel trailer so I can take my work and life mobile. While I not planned to do it quite so suddenly, it was in the works. Couple that with being somewhat homeless due to the floods and I was hoping/praying for a deal. So here is what I found

A 2000 Fleetwood Terry EX 31G for $.2,900 in perfect condition. I truly felt this was the answer to a prayer, turns out it WAS NOT. I contacted the person via CL email, waited about a day, then they said the trailer was still available and they were ready to sell. I jumped on it, since I desperately needed a place to live. While thinking about it, talking to friends, etc., I anxioulsy showed them the ad on CL, but it had been flagged.. "strange I thought". So then I googled the ad title and found MULTIPLE instance of the same thing. Warning bells went off and a bit more googling brought me to scam site.

I was of course EXTREMELY disappointed, but I'd not sent them any money so nothing too bad happened, except that he/she/it now has my email/cell num/and mailing addrsss (but it's underwater and I'm moving)

ENTIRE CONVERSATION PASTED BELOW. Moral, if it's too good to be ture, it likely is AND.. there are some who wear REALLY black hats, blacker than I care to fathom. You'll note I didn't tear him/her a new one on my reply, figured it was better they did not know I was onto them. fyi... I'm okay and the water has dropped, we start cleanup tomorrow

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Forwarded conversation
Subject: 2000 Fleetwood Terry EX 31G
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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, May 5, 2010 at 10:08 PM
To: [email protected]


Hello I'm Tim... I'm in Ashland City, just north of Nashville, and like many have lost my home to the floods. If this trailer is still available, I am VERY MUCH interested, it would be the answer to a prayer. You can reply to this email and/or call me at 615-xxx-xxxx. I'm am prepared to move ASAP on this. Hope to hear from you. Tim

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 9:40 AM
To: [email protected]


just wondering if you received this email...? I'm hoping you did and that I will hear from you. Tim

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 3:50 PM
To: [email protected]


Hi,

My 2000 Fleetwood Terry is still available, it's in good working condition .With much regret I`m selling my camper because me and my husband are buying a house and we need the money for our dream home. This camper is excellent in every way, has no accidents reports,with no need for additional repairs, no scratches ,clear title and the price is only $2,900.The interior looks great (NO SMOKING).
We will use eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program so we can both be protected.I just need your full name, full shipping address and phone # so I can open a case (with no further obligation or fees). I will provide you also an inspection period of 10 days so you can decide if you will buy the camper or not.
For more pictures : http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/Look-2000-Fleetwood-Terry-EX-31G/

Thank you

Gina

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 4:03 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>


WONDERFUL NEWS.. will be back in touch within the hour with details. God does answer prayer. Tim

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 4:07 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>


Tim xxxxxx
xxxx xxxxxx Dr. (although this is now underwater)
Chapmansboro, TN

Please proceed and we can talk later this evening, running quick errand now. Tim



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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 4:30 PM




Forwarded conversation
Subject: 2000 Fleetwood Terry EX 31G
------------------------

From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, May 5, 2010 at 10:08 PM
To: [email protected]

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 9:40 AM
To: [email protected]

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 3:50 PM
To: [email protected]

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 4:03 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 4:07 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>



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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 5:34 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>


Let me know the next step. All is "Go" on my end. I'm taking a nap for a bit, I'm exhausted from the cleanup today. In case I forget to say it later, God bless you for this and I trust your dream home will be wonderful. This is a certainly a blessing for me. Best, Tim

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 6:25 PM
To:


believe this is turning out to be a scam.. if you google
you'll find multiple instance of the same thing listed for sale. Plus,found a anti scam site, and on their some trusting soul (like me) had received an email with the exact wording of what I sent you earlier, so back to the drawing board on the trailer if you hear of one. I'm going to follow through and see what they ask me next, I'm sure it will be to send a deposit. Talk soon. Tim

p.s. river is down now, my landlord lynn is inside my apartment and has recovered my mom's urn

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, May 6, 2010 at 7:31 PM
To: [email protected]


The camper is in perfect condition .
I want to finish this deal through eBay.They will hold your payment and release it to me only after you will receive,inspect and agree with the camper.I will give you 10 inspection days.If you won`t like my camper,you notify eBay and you send the camper back on my cost .

I will start the shipping in the same day with the payment confirmation.
The delivery process to your location will take 3 days.

If you are interested and you have the funds available email me your full name and shipping address and your phone number.
Thanks

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, May 7, 2010 at 6:23 PM
To: [email protected]


I just wanted to let you know that I already opened the case with eBay about our deal so pls let me know after they contact you.Because of the strict policies of the filters of Spam of webmaster, you cannot receive the invoice of eBay in your box of reception. Please check your box of ?Spams? of your email address in order to active the transaction. To make known me after you receive the invoice of eBay.If you not to have come into contact in 10 hours email me back.

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From: Tim <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, May 7, 2010 at 6:42 PM
To: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>


okay thank you, but I cannot proceed, I am now involved with the flood cleanup for the next week or so and until FEMA comes through, my finances are very low. Please proceed with the other buyer and thank you for the offer. Best of luck on your dream home. Tim

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, May 7, 2010 at 7:02 PM
To: [email protected]


Hello,
After you will send the payment to the agent you will receive the camper with all papers in 3 days at your home address . You will receive with the camper and title a contract Bill Of Sale signed by me and my lawyer so you not have problem to registered the camper in your name . The camper is in perfect condition , engine work like new...you will see that after you will receive and test it .
When you will go to Western Union to make the transfer do not tell them that the money is for business, so they will not charge the agent when him will get the money. Just say it is for a friend or a relative.....And in my turn when I will ship you the camper,I will declare it as a gift for a friend so you will not pay taxes either....

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From: Gina Towarsen <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, May 7, 2010 at 7:02 PM
To: [email protected]


The money will not be pick up until you will receive the camper .. After you will send the money i will start the shipping and you will receive the with all papers in maximum 3 days . After you receive it they will go to pick up the money and give me it after that . Is little complicated how i decide to make this deal but is very safe for me and for you .Last year a good friend he send the camper to the buyer who didn t send the money until now and also it can t be find.so i pay 70 bucks for the security of this transaction but at least i know it all be clear . I told you that to see why i use ebay for handle cause all people have trust in ebay .

G00B3R said:

Is this person a member here mate?

G00B3R

Click to expand...

If they are, they need to be banned.

I hope that this person is NOT a member of BHW, I was simply posting to let others know about what can happen when someone/me (even with experience) gets a bit desperate and can possibly fall victim to a scam.

it was posted all over warning about this

just glad I found it before sending money. And yes jrdogg, saw the warnings LATER, but at that moment wasn't thinking about being scammed, just looking for a place to live. I even felt that MAYBE (even knowing it was a scam) that the guy/gal would backoff when they saw what I was going through... NOT!!!

My local police station sends out a flyer and this was actually in it. They will give you an insanely cheap price car, boat or trailer and then make you send the money through ebay.

I noticed their english skills seemed to diminish with each email. Looks like a twist on the good old fashion 419 scammers.

This is just straight up scamming. :-/

Loot at words and pitch and you will catch easily.

i'm glad that you didn't loss any money to this retard, I really hate people like this who tries to take advantage of people in their times of need... well i simply hate people who take advantage of other people

i have been reading a lot of posts here and even though the methods are 'not common' people aren't trying to take money from other people by doing things like this

let's just pray god likes his good deeds and take him NOW

lol if you hear Western union for paying over the internet then run

exeption is Xrumer but i think it is the only one

yep... I feel lucky. You should have seen me.. I was so excited thinking I'd found a trailer.. then so pissed when I realized I'd almost been scammed. Live and learn, I'm one of the lucky ones. Bit of good news and this IS LEGIT, not certain it will happen, but if it does... wow. Because of my landlord/friend and through one of his contacts, I may be able to get a great deal on a FEMA trailer, it's in Alabama so would have to go get it, but still, even with transpo costs, would save me a bundle. I'll keep you posted. SBV

bro I am glad that you didn't fell for the scam. See individuals like that might succeed for a short period of time in scamming people but its only a matter of time before they lose it all and then they will be put into the same situation having someone scam them and when that happens its usually more than what they have ever scam before. I Pray and hope that you get your fema Trailer. I have faith that you will get it actually. I must say losing your house and everything i am proud and astonish by your reaction not many would act the way you do after losing their home. Continue to push bro you will see success

showbizvet said:

So then I googled the ad title and found MULTIPLE instance of the same thing. Warning bells went off and a bit more googling brought me to scam site.

Click to expand...

this, because you're an internet marketer saves you, what do you think how many every day people (not IM) would search for the ad on google...?!

yea that sucks, theres alot of people around here that got flooded out and looking for a place to stay right now, and of course your always going to have those assholes trying to make a quick buck from it. i live in the same state northwest of where you are so i know how bad it got. right after the storm it wasn't all that bad around here until they let water through the dam, that pretty much when shit hit the fan around here. couple days after the storm i was going to the store to get some smokes at a little gas station right next to the tva power plant and the fucking place was 4 foot under water along with the whole road in front of it. they had cops redirecting people to another street not letting people through and the bank i usually go to was along that street so i had to go way in the hell elsewhere to go to another, so it was a big pain in the ass. plus there were alot of places on my street that were under 4 feet some places more under water so i had to take a big ass detour so this week has generally been a huge pain in the ass and a big waste of time. i live little less than a quarter mile from a huge ass lake that connects with the Cumberland river so naturally that flooded the hell out of a portion of the road. its sort of like a bridge that separates a big ass pond and the lake when ever the water rises (rarely ever happened till now). theres some people i know that live right by the lake but far above it that came like 15 feet from being flooded out and they don't have flood insurance so they're pretty lucky. went fishing from the top of their driveway and caught a shit load of fish lmao. anyways, glad you didn't end up getting fucked over.

thanks for the good thoughts and yeah, you're probably right HoneyBird.

On a different but related note, FEMA just called about 20 minutes ago, only two days since I put in the app. The rep is meeting me on site between 1 and 3 tomorrow, keep a good thought for me... Night for now... exhausting day with the cleanup, but we had good help and TONS of free food.

So as it turns out God does not answer prayers?

Thanks u came out unscathed....
Btw, how are the floods in Nashville?

People who run scams like this, based on disasters & misfortunes, deserve a hydrochloric acid enema.

Deviance said:

So as it turns out God does not answer prayers?

Click to expand...

Not necessarily, might have a better trailer coming. And he/or someone certainly gave me some internal warnings to "check further".