daandman

I'm looking on a certain website where people put up their cars for sale, and there's a 2007 Lexus LS460 being sold for $14,900. It's black on black, fully loaded, with 8700 miles on it. The seller says that it's never been in an accident & is in perfect condition.

This baffles me as it's an $80,000 car. I emailed the seller confirming the condition of the car, but if he responds that it is indeed in good condition & there's nothing wrong with it, would you risk it?

I mean 15k is nothing for this car, but it seems kind of suspicious.

It's apparently owned by a senior citizen, if that makes a difference. Maybe he just doesn't need the money? Idunno, but this is very odd.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Not a chance, that screams scam.

Email him and ask if he can ship it to you in Nigeria

daandman

This is a location-specific board, I would be meeting him in person to complete the deal. I'm thinking I'd take it for a test drive & maybe an inspection first of course.

Mike_TX

Hey, if you have plenty of time and want to play with him, go ahead. But remember the tired old saying: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

The questions that immediately spring to mind are:

- If it's really legit, why hasn't someone else already snatched it up? Heck, you could turn around and sell it to Carmax for a tidy profit if nothing else.

- Does this guy really have legitimate paperwork showing he owns the car free and clear? It would be a ***** to buy it and then find out the bank really owns it and now you owe them $50,000.

- Can you run a carfax report on it to make sure it hasn't been totaled and rebuilt, or water-damaged, or stolen, or whatever?

This smells big time IMO ...

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Dave Mac

I agree "If it sounds too good to be true it probably isn't". There could be one of several different scams going on here but I probably wouldn't even waste my time looking into it. There was a piece on American Greed just last week about a couple of guys selling cars from a deceased "rich stepfather's estate" or something for in most cases around $1,000. No stepfather and of course no cars. They made about 20 million dollars with this scam over a few years before being caught. They sold most cars to church members.

These stories are always interesting though so if you learn any more about the deal let us know.

Dave Mac

rominl

iTrader: (4)

and this sounds WAY too good to be true.... it doesn't make one single sense. he can blindly give it to dealership and get tons more. just think about it, why would he sell it for 15k with no good reason

PatsSoxfan

I will also put my 2 cents woth here. This smells like rotten fish.

ny888

We're probably looking at the same website or one of it's kind but I noticed this one person putting up all kinds of expensive vehicles, all late model and all for $9900. I've reported the listing as a scam every time, one GS450h listing actually had the description of a Harley Davidson motorcycle so you know this person is creating tons of these listings using different high end products and vehicles to lure buyers.

It's a scam and I definitely would not agree to meet in person to check out the "goods" - too many people get robbed answering these ads.

Nospinzone

It's apparently owned by a senior citizen

And how many senior citizens do you know who give ***** away? The early bird specials aren't for teenagers!

Daandman, no disrespect, but to quote a line from the movie Goodfellas, "We gotta toughen this kid up".

I hope you don't get a letter from a Nigerian diplomat who has to move $100 million out of his country, but needs you to send him $10,000.

Patric

Any chance he is looking for someone to buy out his lease?

Johnny

Do you think if we order two we'll get a better price?

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

There is a current e-mail collection process going on craigslist sites in multiple states and it consists of cars advertised for fractions of what they're worth simply to get your e-mail address for spamming.

To the OP - put up your spam filters buddy, you're gonna get hit hard soon.

sonyman

Did you really have to ask? Honestly, if you couldn't smell how much of a scam this is before you even clicked the post button...

dmvp29

No need to ask. Don't bother buying a carfax subscription to check it out either - you'd be wasting your money. It's simply a scam.

If anybody ever offers you a guaranteed annual return on your investment of 12-15% or higher, it's a scam.

This man is essentially offering you greater than a 300% return on your money, as this car could legitimately be sold for at least 3 times as much. It's fake.

Nobody who is legitimately wealthy is that wasteful with his or her money. Nobody who is legitimately wealthy is generous to such an extent that he or she would give other wealthy individuals a great deal like this. People are far more likely to sell the car at a reasonable price and give the "extra" money away to charity if they really were in a giving mood. Just giving a fellow white collar a "break" with such a huge deal screams "huge scam."

KILLERGS4

senior meant 1997 LS w 87k; not 2007 LS460 w 8,700miles
FYI: craigslist is FULL OF SCAMS!!!