Out of the USA purchase

[Big O]

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I have come across a 1972 GMC Jimmy that was once located in Washington State and is now in Denmark. The gentlemen I'm dealing with currently lives in Denmark; he has sent me pictures and vin number. He has a Washington title and its clear; its currently in his name. In the process of running the vin; he is providing and paying the cost for shipping. He wants to set it up for C.O.D. (cash on delivery) payment also. No payment or information has been provided to the gentlemen to complete the purchase and wont be until I see the vehicle in my driveway.

Has anybody had any encounters with a story like this?

[WarMonger]

I have never heard of a situation like this, but I'm interested to see how it goes.

[cleszkie]

Be careful with this. He may tell you he overpaid for the shipping "by accident" and will ask you to send him the difference. You send the money, and the truck never shows up. You've been had. Or, the truck shows up and COD means shipping too. Just be careful. There are too many ways to get burned on this.

[68 P.O.S.]

I had this happen to me when I was stationed in Italy, luckily I didnt fall for it. I was selling a car and someone from England was "interested" in it. I was asking $10K and they sent me a legit bank check for $20K (I still have it as a souvenir). The person said the extra money was for me to pay the shipping company and to send the remainder back to them. I would have lost the money and the car. Be very careful with this.

[davepl]

I've had offshore scam interest in every vehicle I've tried to sell, but not the other way around.

Why is a guy in Denmark selling a truck to the USA? That makes little sense.

I'll bet you a donut at some point it turns into "You just pay X to my friend Y and I'll do Z". If you can do a true COD and not pay a penny until the truck is physically there, I don't see a problem, but I have a hunch it'll never get that far.

Frankly once a truck is in Denmark it'd be easier and much more cost effective to sell it there, not back to the US (unless I totally misunderstand).

[DeadheadNM]

Pass. Many options here in the USA still.

[custom10nut]

Stay far away from that one. I had these types try to by/sell me stuff while I lived in Germany. If you want to see if he's anywhere near legit, tell him you will be in Denmark on a business trip, with specific dates, and wish to meet and look at the truck. My bet is that he'll make excuses as to why he can't meet, and insist that everything is legit. The next step is tell him you want to do a direct Electronic Funds Transfer to his bank account. Request a routing number for his bank to give to you bak, to complete the transaction. Again I think you won't get any response, but it's kinda fun to screw with these predators. Again, and I can't say this firm enough, STAY AWAY FROM TRANSFERRING ANY FUNDS.
As said before. There are plenty of trucks here on this side of the water to fit your needs. Also consider that your shipping cost from Europe are going to add 5-10k to the cost of the truck without adding to its value

[57taskforce]

Do a google search for craigslist scams and you'll learn all about people like this and the tactics they use. I was selling my wife's car last year and had it listed on Craigslist. For every 10 responses to my add I was lucky if 1 was legit. I had people claiming to be overseas promising the same type of deal your describing. Cash in hand, face to face deals sealed with a handshake, after I've thouroghly looked over what I'm buying are the only way I go. It's way to easy to get screwed any other way. Putting a small deposit down for someone to hold something is one thing but loosing your butt because you put your money into a scammers pocket is another.

[Aruba1]

I am totally confused. So you are buying a vehicle site unseen in a different country to have it shipped back to the US and the guy happens to have a title? What is so special about the truck? How much is he asking COD? What is the condition of the truck? Who's name is the title in? How did you get in touch with the guy? I am just curious to know...

If he wants $5000 for a pristine vehicle in Denmark COD, find what is a reasonable selling price for this truck in his country? What, why again do you want to purchase this truck? Sorry, more info is needed.

[blazercrazy70]

I was shopping on eBay for a camaro and found the to good to be true thing. I played along and them told them I would be there to look at the car in person. They came up with every excuse to not meet. Then I let them know I did cybercrime investigations for my agency. With in minutes the whole listing disappeared. It is fun to screw with them but good people get taken everyday. If it is to good to be true it is.

[dazza]

If you don't want to pass it up, I may be able to help. Whereabouts in Denmark? If it's in, or not to far from Copenhagen, I've got a good friend in Malmo, just across the bridge in Sweden, that I could probably get to take a ride over a give the truck a once over and to verify the person and address. He has some close connections with some biker friends in Copenhagen so maybe him and a few of them could go by... you know, just to show how serious Americans can be about their trucks! lol!

[Coley]

I agree with some of the other guys here....sounds a little suspicious.
I would give it a few 'litmus' tests tho' and if you can get someone to go look at it that would be a good move.
Has he sent you pics of it?...here is one litmus test: ask him to send you one or two very specific new photos of it that you choose....just to see if he responds. Maybe a pic of the back of the left rear tire or the very top centre of the roof from above or something. That would, at least confirm...that he actually has a truck, because some scammers just reuse old truck photos they have found on line.
Be careful....
Coley

[87Skier]

Originally Posted by blazercrazy70

I was shopping on eBay for a camaro and found the to good to be true thing. I played along and them told them I would be there to look at the car in person. They came up with every excuse to not meet. Then I let them know I did cybercrime investigations for my agency. With in minutes the whole listing disappeared. It is fun to screw with them but good people get taken everyday. If it is to good to be true it is.

x2 on asking to see it in person. I highly recommend convincing the seller that you have to see it in person before you can give them any money. If they are an actual seller, they won't have a problem with it.

As a quick check you can trace phone and emails. It is isn't that difficult, but it should at least show that they are in the region they say they are in. For phone numbers you can use a free reverse phone lookup. Emails are more complicated, but there is a way.

[ho70]

for him to buy a vehicle here, ship it there and ship it here again at his cost-he must be losing a ton of money. Why ship a vehicle there and not keep it only to ship it here-something is not right

[AKC]

I concur on the "plenty of trucks here to buy" opinion.

I'd pass on this one...

[davepl]

I'm still curious what the possible scam is because this one is backwards from the typical offshore buyers, it's an offshore "seller".

I still have to imagine at some point they'll want money, or want you to place money into an escrow account, or something like that. There are fake escrow services, of course, so that's one way.

If it's truly "no money until vehicle in my driveway" I think you're protected, but at some point I have to assume he's going to want some kind of "good faith" money before he ships a vehicle from Sweden to the US, and that's the money that will disappear I'd think.

Just not rare enough to be shipping these things around. I bet the scam works better with Cadillacs, because at least they are known to import a lot of those, but I'm still curious!

I'd stay away just to be safe.

I once say my own car listed for sale in Europe on eBay!

[Already Gone]

Ask for a photocopy of the title he says he has..

[Aruba1]

A basic compact car in Denmark will set you $15k. A new Honda will cost between $35k to $90k and a new BMW can be from $70k to $435k. With import duties of 180%, I ask myself how much is he asking for a truck and how much will shipping fees cost. Normally when vehicles are so expensive you tend to want to hang to what you have or sell it to recoup some of your investment. I would love to see the For Sale ad, and the asking price.

[dazza]

You never know what the guys story may be, just do some research... unless of course he's a high ranking official within a government of a small country just West of Nigeria. Forget his name, but there's this guy over there and from his multitude of email correspondence to me, money is no object for him and his people, in fact, their banks seem to always have a surplus of it that they try to give it away more often than Harbor Freight has a sale! (I really should get my information over to him at some point).

[Big O]

Ok Update Time:

I finally spoke with the Guy; this is a little story he is telling why he is selling it and a plan forward.

He bought it in Washington State and then got relocated to Denmark; when he finally got it to Denmark. It was going to cost him a fortune to transfer it to the European emissions. So he wanted to sell it back to the USA; were the vehicle belongs.

Plan Forward:
He wants to go through a Logistics company he shipped it to Denmark the 1st time. SO he will drop off the truck and the clear Washington title with them and the Jimmy will go on a boat ride. When it gets close or delivered to the US; I will go inspect the Jimmy and title. Then I will pay the Logistics company and they will sign over the title and bill of sale....

He is going to give me the Logistics company number so I can verify and give them the proper information. So we shall see what happens

[Big O]

Here are a couple more pictures..

[Ed F]

I responded to a too good to be true Craigslist ad a few years ago. Woman claimed her husband died and left a brand new Gold Wing to her. When I told her I was going to be in her town on business, suddenly the bike was some where else in a storage unit. I responded that, that was great, that's near where I live and I wanted to go see the bike. She disappeared but it was fun messing with her. Had another guy that wanted to trade an almost new Harley for an old motor home I had for sale. He actually came to look at the motor home and said his Harley was at his buddies in California. All I had to do was pay the shipping on the Harley and we had a trade. When I asked for specific pictures, the bike was suddenly stolen from his buddies house. It is fun to mess with these people but it's sad that they are out there taking advantage of people. If it sounds too good to be true...it definitely is not true. Best of luck and buy your American truck here in America. They are for sale everywhere.

[old Chevy guy]

It a nice looking truck for sure. Sounds like you have nothing to lose But still seems sketchy somehow. I can't see how the guy won't lose a ton shipping it ,forget what it cost to get it there in the first place. if it's no money till after you see it just confirm the tittle is legitimate. Sounds like all the risk is on him.

[sprint_9]

I would honestly stay away, there is just too much scamming on the internet, or for that matter the world today. Its very hard to buy anything of significant value under unusual circumstances such as this.

On a side note, I found out that a distant relative of mine has died, all I need to do is supply my bank account information and I will receive 1 million dollars as outlined in their will.

[Grumpy old man]

The license plates in the picture looks like it's dated 2/ 11 ,run the plates and see if the names / address match , what's the price ?