Long story short, I’m selling my van on Craigslist, and it took me a few rounds to realize I was being scammed. I only dodged the first one because the guy was rude. By the time the second and third people asked me to get a vehicle history report from random sites I’d never heard of, I started to get suspicious. A quick post on this forum confirmed what I was thinking.
I thought you all might enjoy checking out the texts. I saved the contacts as Scammer 1, Scammer 2, and Scammer 3.
/u/Incoming_RPG - Be cautious! If you’re selling a car and someone asks you to use a specific vehicle history site, it’s likely a scam. Scammers often ask for these reports and send you to fraudulent sites to steal your info.
Thanks for posting this! Sometimes it’s hard to understand how these scams work until you see an example like this. Really appreciate it!
Did you know that in 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and he fell 16ft through an announcer’s table?
Marley said:
Did you know that in 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and he fell 16ft through an announcer’s table?
Yes, but that doesn’t change the fact that in 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and plummeted 16ft through an announcer’s table.
@pacificlow
Exactly! It’s just something that cannot be overlooked. In 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and he plummeted 16ft through an announcer’s table.
Marley said:
@pacificlow
Exactly! It’s just something that cannot be overlooked. In 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and he plummeted 16ft through an announcer’s table.
Everyone knows it was 16.0001ft through an announcer’s table! Stop spreading misinformation.
Carfax is the standard. If a buyer asks for anything else, it’s a red flag. They can check safety ratings and features themselves. Serious buyers will want to see the car in person.
MichaelAiden3 said:
Carfax is the standard. If a buyer asks for anything else, it’s a red flag. They can check safety ratings and features themselves. Serious buyers will want to see the car in person.
But what about the extended warranty?
@Rowen
Bigfoot probably ate it along with the insurance papers. Now you’re stuck with a VIN report scam!
OP, you win for the best use of random facts while exposing a scammer! I hope this example helps others avoid falling for this type of scam.
It’s funny how scammers stick to their script even when you hit them with nonsense responses like that!
LillyGrace said:
It’s funny how scammers stick to their script even when you hit them with nonsense responses like that!
Yep, they’re either bots or following a boilerplate script.
If they insist on using a sketchy site, block them. Serious buyers will use trustworthy services like CarFax.
These are definitely bot replies. The fact that the Undertaker story didn’t phase them proves it!
Selling things online has become such a hassle with all the scams. It’s hard to trust anyone these days.
I had multiple buyers asking for a vehicle history report from a specific site when I was selling a car recently. When I provided my own report, they weren’t happy. It’s definitely a scam.
Kendall said:
I had multiple buyers asking for a vehicle history report from a specific site when I was selling a car recently. When I provided my own report, they weren’t happy. It’s definitely a scam.
They run the site they ask you to use. It’s all a setup to steal your credit card info.
If you’re selling a car, just spend the $40 on a Carfax report. It helps weed out scammers and gives legit buyers confidence.
The scam is simple—they get your credit card details on a fake vehicle history site and then use it to make fraudulent purchases.
