foreign replies to 'for sale' threads

[Yellow Dave]

My 182 is advertised on PistonHeads and has had a little interest but I was expecting the usual fraud email from someone wanting me to ship it to Africa etc but have just received this one from Germany. Looks a little suspect but not as bad as the usual rubbish they real off:

For Information: This message originates in Germany

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3378996.htm

Hello,

I'm very interested in your Renault Clio 182 Renaultsport and would like to ask if the car is still available.

I am from Germany and would pick up the car by myself. Would therefor be all documents present?
Is the car HPI clear? And what would be your last price (with / without the Scorpion Exhaust and lowering springs)?

I'll be in the UK tomorrow and would like to view the car then. Would this be possible?
If everything will be okay, I would take the car immediatly.

Thanks in advance.

Kind regards,
BoskoMy Email Address: bibicbosko@t-online.de

How would you play it, just ignore it or try and catch them out? I'm yet to reply so could see how much they're willing to play

 

[Knuckles]

say they can have it if they pay in cash tomorrow

 

[Beef-Mc]

Doesn't sound overly scam worthy.

 

[mr.pink87]

Not a very German name. Tell him he can have a look at the car and bring some cash.

 

[Yellow Dave]

Doesn't sound overly scam worthy.

this was my thoughts but surely there's plenty of Clio's in Germany to not worry about a UK car? Maybe I'll offer to meet him in a public place instead of giving out my full address

 

[M@tt_182]

Get him to call you 'once in the UK' using the PH telesafe thingy so he doesn't get your number. You can then see if he's legit?

 

[It's.Lee]

Sure there's been a couple of cars on here been bought by mainlanders. Pretty sure they hold there money very well over there being the reason.

 

[Beef-Mc]

Neutral venue would be a good idea, take a mate if he's serious about meeting too.

 

[frenchy4242]

they go for more over there I think, I know they sell for more in most of europe than they do here. Do what mr.pink87 said get him to bring cash and come when the banks are open you should be fine.

 

[Gally]

Just tell him no problem, bring the money and any documents he needs. Meet him at a safe place. Take a mate and a bat.

If he doesn't show then fine. Don't go out your way though.

 

[Sir_Dave]

You'll reply, arrange a meeting, he wont be able to make it, then will pay you via western union & his brother in nigeria will collect it using a carriage pulled by a fleet of unicorns. I responded to one of these emails once for sh1ts & giggles, it went downhill/more obviously dodgy quite rapidly.

This gives it away btw:

what would be your last price

They are either retarded, or dodgy. Either way, you're not selling your car to them.

 

[Yellow Dave]

thanks for the replies. Trying to find a friend that is free tomorrow afternoon as I'm off already. If not my sister has a rather large doberman (as stupid as scoody doo mind) that I could borrow and take with me. lol

I've explained in my email to him due to that as he is not a UK resident I would like him to contact me by phone before I give him any more details about arranging a viewing.

 

[Struggler]

if things start to look dodgy, please lead him on for as long as you can and post the replies on here!!

P-P-P-P-P-P-Powerbook style!! lol
http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/

 

[.01mph]

dont knock the foreign buyers there the one's with all the money these days; LOTS AND LOTS of it, have u noticed how much they pay for smashed cars? spend a day at dover u will see no < 30 semi artics carrying 6+ cars each a day!!!

if he has the money take it! these clio's are worth triple in eastern europe hence why they pay top top money for them smashed off some popular online auctions

 

[DanielJames]

if things start to look dodgy, please lead him on for as long as you can and post the replies on here!!

P-P-P-P-P-P-Powerbook style!! lol
http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/

Oh yes, that was brilliant!!

 

[yellowbelly]

I am always dubious about Foreigners when it comes to them wanting to "buy" your car....

However i once received an email from a Dutch chap saying her was going to get the ferry over on an agreed day, long story short he showed up as agreed with a friend and a trailer. about half hour later off he went with the car and i had the cash - For the asking price too.

This chap sent me confirmation of his Ferry ticket to prove he was genuine, perhaps ask this chappy for proof like this?

 

[Nick r26r]

seems pretty legit to me , especially if they are coming to view the car , its when they want to pay via western union , and paypal and want someone else to collect it that they are scams , they usually send scam emails to say its been payed for and the money is being held in a account

 

[Knuckles]

if things start to look dodgy, please lead him on for as long as you can and post the replies on here!!

P-P-P-P-P-P-Powerbook style!! lol
http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/

Aha! What a read!

 

[Kane.]

Sounds genuine to me, 182's are about a third of the price in th UK. I know where I'm going for mine.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Must admit I was worried when someone from Poland contacted me... but the sale went smoothly and he was actually a top bloke.

 

[Fred@BTM]

cars in europe are knocking on for 25-50% more than UK cars (even with the exchange rate) so lots of UK stuff is going over regardless of RHD

 

[R-Sport.]

just to add to this, when I sold my mini cooper S on pistonheads I was contacted from a guy in malta, i Thought to myself WTF as you do.
But 10 days later I picked him and his brother up from stanstead and off the mini went...

If that were me I would reply, asking a very open question regarding why he is coming to the UK for a clio.
You will soon find out if he is genuine..

Regards
steve

 

[Yellow Dave]

surprise surprise Ze Germans did not arrive, avoided the question when I asked them to call before giving them full details. Looks like the fraudulent emails are stepping up there game.

 

[kiss-me-goodnight]

Or he didn't want to call because his english is not so good on the phone, so he moved on to the next Clio, and paid them the full asking price instead.

 

[Yellow Dave]

Maybe, and good luck to them. But I'm not willing to give out full details of car and address to someone that is a little suspicous. But then if his English is that bad he wouldn't get on very well trying to buy a car off an English person that doesn;t speak German or trying to get past customs either etc.

I don't mean to be offensive but it's a little naive to think that with all the reports of dodgy emails regarding buying overseas. Would you not be a little suspicous and want to cover yourself?