Trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me. Pay ten large into a complete stranger's bank account, you're an evolutionary oversight.
I love reading the phishing scams that come my way. All these people sitting on so much money! If only they could get it out of their country, poor loves.
And such complicated lives they lead. Well-meaning doctors who've inherited a patient's millions. UN officials with bulging bank accounts. Nephews of recently dead millionaires with no time to waste. Deposed princes of various kinds on the run. The stories are thick with glamour.
This one is my favourite. I win millions almost every week because someone in Spain wants to 'encourage' me to use the internet. Like I need encouragement.
After listing a car for sale on Craigslist I discovered a whole new level of dumbed-down scamming. Check out one of the responses I got:
>> Thanks for the email and happy new year,do let me know how much you
>> are willing to sell the item to me . I will be paying with my paypal
>> account which is the safest online payment mode.so please do reply me
>> asap with your paypal account or send me a payment request from your
>> paypal account so i can effect payment to you rightaway. You can
>> easily open an account with paypal if you don,t have one at
>> www.paypal.com.au its safe,simple and reliable also do get back to me
>> so we can arrange for pick up as i will like the item to be picked by
>> my pick up agent due to the fact that i am out of the country now on
>> job duties,so no shipping included I await your reply.
>>
>>
>> Hope to hear from you soon.
>> Regards
This guy sure loves PayPal, and talking about PayPal. He loves it so much he will ignore absolutely everything related to buying a car and just focus on how quickly, safely and conveniently he can get me my money. Now I'm no car expert per se, but at some point in the transaction I usually like to look at the thing I'm buying. I'm crazy that way. He has a pick-up agent, too, which makes me feel very secure, safe and convenient. Damn, it's catching.
But this takes the cake. I think the scammer sent me the wrong email - this is obviously Valerio Bracalone's 'selling a car' scam email:
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2009 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in January 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
If you are interested,please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
So he's Italian, he has a new son (You can trust people with kids, right? Nice touch Valerio) and has forgotten to sell his car. The price includes insurance (How does that work, Valerio?). I shouldn't be concerned, however, because a word like 'escrow' screams authenticity, doesn't it? But the website where I'll be putting my money just doesn't look right, despite the fancy word. Valerio, cheeky boy, is that you again? Well, I never.
If I only I could make money scammer baiting. Wait a minute...
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29 comments:
We're getting dumber...or maybe that's just me...
it's not just you!
Saw a "too good to be true" ad on gumtree.com.au. Sent email asking person to confirm price. I got the same email "Thank you for your enquiry... The vehicle is in perfect working condition... no problem registering... worked in Au for 3 years... son in Italy... DAS freight...
He's very clever. The web link to escrow.com he attaches to email opens as http://escrow.com/solutions...
The legitimate escrow.com web site states that all their links open as https://
How many people would catch this...?
What a sneaky little so-n-so! i just got this EXACT email response. just reported it to WA SCAMNET. hehe....see how he likes them apples!!!!!!!!
Me too got the same
See the contents below
n Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 10:24 AM, Maurizio Valtena maurizio.valtena04@rocketmail.com wrote:
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2009 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in January 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
If you are interested,please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
Glad it's not just me who collects scam-mail. Would love to see any others that come your way and tickle your fancy.
Reply to your "2007 Mitsubishi Triton ML GLX-R (4X4)" Ad on Gumtree
From: Giulio Caronte (giulio_caronte29@rocketmail.com)
Sent: Saturday, 21 March 2009 11:18:18 PM
To: moi
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2009 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in January 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
If you are interested,please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
Regards;
IT APPEARS MOST OF HIS ADDS AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS APPEAR ON GUMTREE,DOES HAVE TO MAKE YOU WONDER HOW NIEVE THIS IDIOT REALLY THINKS PEOPLE ARE!!!haha,though I bet he has got some poor nieve bugger at some stage,sadly enough..
this email I recieved today,seems he gets around in every state,same car's and campervan on GUMTREE :)
They tried this on my dad via GumTree word-for-word too
.
All i could tell him that if it was too good to be true it probably was. Unless he's like a nigerian prince that is...
the lousy mongrel has just put another ad on Gumtree for a 2007 Toyota landcruiser for $7,800, no less. the name given this time in Emilio Narsete, but it's the same ad, the same 'escrow' company, the same DAS freight department.
when I replied to the ad his response was also to ask for my full name and address, before anything else - which I didn't give, of course!
Personally, I think the bloke should be strung up by his nobblies...
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2009 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in January 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
If you are interested,please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
Regards ,
very convincing i got the same reply on a GTi golf 2006 and i nearly fell for it..i checked the rego on vicroads and it was all the same information so i believed it .i gave him my address but what can he do with that??
So who investigates this sort of thing or does he just keep on his merry way?
Am annoyed that "GUMTREE" is almost anonymous as maurizio/renato/giulio/...o/...o. They take no real action.
With all the ...o's he is trying to convince us that he is Italian, but I suspect he is some where in the middle of Germany-still working on it.
We almost got caught by this guy. We had neer been on gumtree before.Has anyone given this guy their details by accident before???
I Would reccomend you run an anti spyware/virus on your computer and scan the whole computer, if you have opened this scamers attachment and/or visited his fake website.Do not acess your internet banking or pay for anything online untill you are sure you dont have any spyware on your computer
If you have given them your adress and full name chances are they are after your details to try and access your internet banking or use your credit card/debit card online.
I know cause it has happened to me.
Better to be safe than sorry i say.
The new one is a motorhome... except he's changed his name again...Luciano Barnaba
Beware!
2003 Motor Home Explorer Chevy V8 Turbo Diesel" Ad on Gumtree... only $8300!!?? I thought it was waaay too cheap so emailed to confirm amount. This was his reply:
Hello ,
I have attached some more photos in this e-mail in order for you to have a better view of the vehicle.
The total cost will be Aud $ 8,300 (freight included )and in 4 days the vehicle will be delivered.
Since the vehicle is currently registered and have 2010 Rego you will not have to pay any taxes and also won't have any problems registering it under your name.
I will sign the transfer papers from here and there after your 5 days of inspection period , your local escrow representatives will make the purchase papers .
Let me explain you how the deal works.The deal will be made using escrow vehicle purchase department so we can be both be 100% protected.
I will wire the vehicle in your name and address and forward the details to escrow in order to handle the transaction.
After that you will have to confirm the payment into escrow system in order for the freight process to begin and the vehicle will leave the storage area .
The vehicle will be delivered directly to your address in the presence of escrow agents located in your area.
In order to proceed please provide me the following information's in order to make freight arrangements:
-Your full name ;
-Full address(with postal code);
Regards Luciano,
This was in Melbourne... He's also advertising the same vehicle in WA.
i got one of these omg i almost fell for it
Yes I got this email as well...it was a too good to be true offer on a 2007 Toyota. Sort of half believed it but then thought really nothing is for free and would not provide my details. See I guess you could sort of be sucked in if you had been car hunting for the last few weeks like I have.
Oh Dear
Help- I am one of the suckers that has just given another person by the name of Marco Diomede with the exact same e-mail jargon my name and address for a motorhome. No other details though. What do I do now?
I though this was all too good to be true. I checked up the escrow sites but have only just now tried to look for the DAS and came up with this site and seen all that I have been reading but his son was born in May 2009. Now I am really scared.
Help............please ..........
Yes I got same Email after I queried the price which was too good to be true...$8,000 for a Mercedes Sprinter
I checked the Escrow..They seemed ok did not notice Http header! But thankfully I checked DAS freight and saw this post Thanks guys have a happy New Year and remember guys "If it sound too good to be true" then its most likely a scam.
hi,i got a same mail about bmw 330i steptonic convertible.
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2010 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in may 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
Please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
I almost just got caught - thought it looked too good to be true! They were selling a 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer on Brisbane Gumtree for an unbelievable $6,500.
I got this email reply to my query:
From: Mario Fiameta [mario.fiameta@yahoo.com.au]
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle. The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2010 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle. I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in may 2009 i came home to Italy. The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance). We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
Please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
Regards,
Hi,
I can add another to the growing list.
This was for the motor-home on Gumtree (Sydney)and the e-mail reply is the same as others listed.
Beware, if it looks too good to be true then it most likely is!
Ian
hihi, I've just received e-mail from Mario... same old, same old ... This time Ford Focus 1,8 TDi 2006 on Gumtree (Poland).
WELL, WE JUST NEARLY GOT SCAMMED.... SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE...A DEAL TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.. THOUGHT IT WAS SUSS WHEN HE WOULDN'T GIVE US VIN NUMBERS ETC, SO WE THOUGHT TO GOOGLE HIS NAME FROM HIS EMAIL... MARIO FIAMETA! THE SAME MARIO THAT HAS WRITTEN TO SOMEONE ELSE AND TRIED TO PULL THE SAME TRICK. THE LETTERS TO YOU ALL, ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAD RECEIVED... JUST SO GLAD THAT HE DIDNT FOOL US. JUST SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR MATES TOO BE AWARE OF THIS, STOP IT FROM HAPPENING TO ANOTHER INNOCENT VICTIM.
our dodgy email came from Mario Fiamenta, who is apparently selling a 2006 corolla hatchback for $6,500:
Hello ,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding my vehicle.
The vehicle is in perfect working condition i'm the only owner and it has 2010 Rego so you will have no problem registering and licensing the vehicle.
I've worked in Australia for the past 3 years and since the birth of my son in may 2009 i came home to Italy.
The vehicle is in Australia at DAS freight department and i have full access(i can deliver the vehicle anywhere in Australia).
I will arrange delivery on my cost to your home address and you will have a 5 days period for inspection.
The total price includes (stamp duty, registration, transfer fee, and insurance).
We can use an escrow agreement to facilitate payment so that we both can be 100 % protected.
www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp
I will also supply some more pictures as soon as i get home from work.
Please reply with the following information's in order to arrange shipping at DAS freight department:
-Your full name ;
-Full delivery address(with postal code);
Regards ,
Please do not get sucked into this scam. He calls himself "Mario" now and would not supply VIN or engine No's and how obvious is it, that you cant see the vehicle even though it's in Australia? As the car will be delivered after payment. I am so amazed after reading all these reviews!!! His son is now apparently born in Dec 09" too funny. How come this guy cant be caught???? Dont get sucked into this scam...
Seems it is the same culprit selling a "2004 Audi TT Quattro Silver 1.8 T 47,286km" Ad on Gumtree (Melb).
Didn't provide any details as thought it was dodgy from beginning. Email received was from From: mario.fiameta@googlemail.com (Mario Fiatmeta) on behalf of Toto Potrasi (toto_potrasi@yahoo.com.au). I hope he/she gets what is coming to them!!
toto_potrasi@yahoo.com.au is now supposedly selling a 2008 Winnebago for $8,200.. the same b*s* "I am overseas, use escrow etc etc" Also advertised gumtree.
I received the same scam offer from a "Toto Potrasi",about a Motorhome located in Sydney,offering the same deal as he is known for,From GUMTREE,no less.
Beware people,this cunt is obviously making fast money from the gullible(or Greedy) .
Dont you be the next sucker !.
Question ,,who do I contact to stop this dirtbag ?,I await your reply.
cheers...
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