Fiberglass Trailer Scams

[Gary Lynch]

As you can surmise from the length of this thread that scams have become an large industry. Many of the scams are high tech in nature now. eBay, Craigslist, your personal accounts, and on and on are targeted by professional pieces of dung wrapped in human flesh. Old folks are big targets via the telephone. Don't give anyone one ounce of information over the phone. Use a shredder at home one every item that has any family name or number or anything else liked to something that could be used for fraud. At some landfills, inmates work during the day. Trust no one, that's my motto. Unfortunatly the ideal days of yesterday are gone.

I often think of how many bank employees, or service station attendants could get a hold of a credit card number or even your social security number. It will get worse before it gets better. I believe in school they will be teaching the children not only to start saving money and get an education, but the new ways of the world such as fraud and what ever else rears it's ugly head in the future.

But the sun still comes up and goes down and for those that use caution, there is a good life to be had while running the gauntlet of life in 2007 and beyond.

[Mike-B]

I really hesitate to post this, as it may very well be legitimate, but a buy-it-now of 2900 and no location noted makes me suspicious : http://cgi.ebay.com/04-SCAMP-CASITA-16-TRA...tem230097259953
CindyL

Current bid is up to $5600. Contact only outside of E-bay is suspicious. No location, no title info, real????????????.

[Mike-B]

The above Casita has been removed by E-bay.

[Mike-B]

Another scamp with free shipping. E-bay #140094145192. Wants a reply outside of E-bay. Real??????????????????

They just relisted this trailer again #180094043277. Same ad, different sellers name.

[mark tds]

I almost got caught, but I lucked out. Here is an example of how good of scam artist they are.Remember this is a casita 17 2005 Hello,
I have received your email regarding my trailer. First of all my name is Alan and i am the owner of the trailer on ebay that you have asked about.
The trailer was purchased new and i am the original owner, it has always been very well maintained and winterized with very little use.It is in excellent condition, everything is original as you can see from the pictures, the trailer is flawless inside and out.I am willing to sell it for a lower price than usual because i recently got a promotion at my work and i had to move with my family in Europe. I got
a new home in Spain, Barcelona. I couldn't ship the trailer here as I found out that the cost would be twice the trailer's price. It is stored at eBay's Warehouse in California and eBay agreed to hold and ship the trailer to the possible buyer, meaning that you won't have to pay for shipping as it will be on my expense.
The price for the trailer is $2900.
You will receive all paper work, title, keys and owner manual. It can be registrated without any kind of problems in any state.
Ebay will handle the financial transaction so we can be 100% protected. The trailer will be shipped by DAS and the process will take between 3 to 4 days depending on your location.
I forgot to mention that i also have a 14 days return policy which means that if for any reason you are not satisfied with the merchandise, you can return it and receive a full refund.
If you are serious on buying the trailer please let me know your full name, eBay id and the shipping address so I can contact eBay and set up the transaction.
I am waiting for your response with any questions you may have.
Regards and all the best,
Alan

[John Blair]

Hi Alan,

I'm glad that you didn't get caught. I saw some of these trailers for sale on ebay (3 in the last month) and realized they were a scam and have been reporting them to eBay. I bet others have too. Of course the obvious points are:

-the somewhat mysterious $2900 price (used on a bunch of scams)
-eBay's Warehouse - eBay doesn't have warehouses
-eBay shipping - eBay doesn't ship. This is a user to user deal.
-Shipping for one of these trailers is at least $1700 (Scamp's own trucks) and probably costs twice that much common carrier.
-I'm sure shipping will take longer than 3 to 4 days as they have to arrange transport.
-I've been studying pricing, mainly on Scamps, and found that you can probably expect to pay 85-90% of current retail for a two year old trailer in good condition. Even a 10 year old trailer will sell typically for 60% to 70%. Even though this is for Scamps, I would bet that the same would be true for Casitas.
-Some of the scams use the same photographs over and over.

There are a few other details that these scams usually show as well. Check out this for all of the details:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/in...howtopic=20897

John

[Mike-B]

Something new. E-bay Item number 180093516058. 2005 Casita for $19.95. Really??? If you click on any key, you will only go to scamers e-mail address. I tryed to check other items, contact E-bay, etc. and always was sent to the scam E-mail address. So will have to use other method to contact E-bay. http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-17ft-Deluxe-Casit...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Mike-B]

He's back... http://cgi.ebay.com/04-SCAMP-CASITA-16-TRA...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Mike-B]

I just got an E-mail from the owner of the e-bay account where the above trailer is listed. He said it is NOT his listing. E-bay contacted.

[Mike Watters]

<div align="left">Two relevant things to note:

1) Seems to me the VAST majority of the scams list the trailers on the normal eBay site in screwball categories and never (rarely???)
in the appropriate category on eBay Motors.

2) How, at least some of, the IDs and passwords are collected:
I've encountered SEVERAL auctions (tons of them were showing up with the motorcycle listings - ALL had porn posted as the main photo that showed up during
searches) that as soon on you click on the auction to look at the page it flips you over to a spoof page that emulates the normal eBay page asking you to log in. I was very lucky the first time since I knew full well I was already logged in. If I hadn't realized that and just instinctively input my info - it could have been -me- selling recent model Casitas for $2900. What the heck is magic about that number anyway?!?

Oh - all of the ones I saw were pulled by eBay within hours, but I wonder just how many IDs they managed to snag in the meantime...

Just a heads-up. If you are prompted at a time you think odd - just head over to your normal "my ebay" page (logging in if necc) to be sure you're really on. Don't just input things out of habit.
mkw </div>

[Mike-B]

Back again...
http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Scamp-16SD-ultra-...1QQcmdZViewItem


They pulled that one quick.

[mark tds]

hERE WE GO AGAIN, This is another scam ob e bay. ( Hi Mark,
I have to let you know that I have earlier ended my eBay auction because some serious buyers who have promised me that they will pay for the trailer but in the end they did not have the cash to pay.
so I need to be cautious with my next buyer.
Thank you for your interest in purchasing my trailer.
First of all I must inform you that currently I'm in Utrech, Netherlands where I'm staying with my son and his wife.
My son had a heart attack and needs a triple bypass, and this is why I decided to move here with my wife to help my daughter in law to take care of him.
He may not make it after operation so I have to stay here.
I am selling this trailer because the shipping to Europe will cost me to much .
The trailer is stored at eBay's warehouse in California.
The trailer is in perfect working condition with nothing mechanically wrong - Like New!
It was used only for a few times and it was always been garaged.
The title is clear and is already back signed; I have already signed a release for the title to be transferred.
You'll also receive all the papers required for registration , owner manual, keys, a buy-sell contract already signed by me, etc...
After inspection, the eBay's experts agreed to hold and ship the trailer to the new owner as soon as the payment is made.
This way, both sides (seller and buyer) are insured by eBay.
The trailer will be shipped from the eBay Warehouse on my expense, as soon as the payment is sent to eBay and confirmed .
The price for this trailer is 2,900.00 USD.

Terms of sale:
If you will offer me $2,900 I will support the shipping from the warehouse to your address.
For the payment i would like to use eBay.
Please note that I will not make the financial part of this deal outside of eBay.

Payment:
eBay will keep your money until you get the trailer and will release it to me upon delivery and inspection .
To open a case with them regarding our deal i need your eBay user ID, your full name, your shipping address, and your phone number that is needed to be contacted by the shipping company to give them shipping instructions.
Here are my name and address in case you decide to buy my trailer :

Terry Roberts
Voorstraat 71
Utrecht, 3506 GA
Netherlands

[Mike-B]

He's back. Has all links routed back to his E-mail address. Can't even get to E-bay from this listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-17ft-Deluxe-Casit...tem320093085099

[AZCharlie]

The one in Post #193 has been pulled already by eBay. Now there's one here in Phoenix that looks questionable to me, a Campster. There are already several questions being asked and answered by the seller who lists a private email for special pricing. Someone may be biddiing, but don't forget they can do shill bidding, too.

Good news that eBay is moving on it. They have received many complaints about this stuff, including mine.

I spent years investigating con artists. Two big truths became clear: (1) They're usually very smart and (2) they are invariably the most amoral beings on the planet. Always, always, they count on somebody trying to gain something they know darned well they shouldn't be able to get at that price, in that way, etc. If that doesn't work, they will target the elderly who are often more trusting and more vulnerable. (Retired people want trailers, right? And they have limited incomes, so a great discount is attractive).

The service you all are doing by spotting the scams and warning people wjho come onto the fiberglass trailer websites is valuble and noble. Keep it up.

[Mike Watters]

I spent years investigating con artists. Two big truths became clear: (1) They're usually very smart

Course - given that, you might think they'd figure out that eBay doesn't have warehouses...

mkw

[Christi V.]

Same person is at it again!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/2004-CAMPER-CASITA-TRA...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Mike-B]

Better Hurry Christy, This is a "HOT" deal. ***Too late. E-bay just dropped the ad.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2004-CAMPER-CASITA-TRA...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Mike-B]

Back again....

http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-17ft-Deluxe-Casit...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Randya]

Seems pretty cheap! He has $5799 on it, wonder if it is legit?


http://cgi.ebay.com/2004-CASITA-TRAVEL-TRA...#paymentmethods

[Ed Harris]

This is the exact "M.O" of an earlier scam.
We can see thogh,I asked to see the trailer and my bet is there will be no response or lame excuses.