After all the stealing and hassling people have put up with, it’s time to hit back.
Everyone at least knows someone who’s been taken advantage of by a car scammer, if they haven’t been a victim themselves. Just as sure as anyone publishes a guide on how to avoid getting scammed, criminals are one step ahead coming up with new methods. It’s a sick and twisted arms race, one that people who are often looking to buy or sell cars get sick of dealing with after a while. That’s what makes the video below about a guy taking advantage of a car scammer while selling a Subaru WRX so enjoyable to hear.
Doug Tabutt is a car dealer and also was part of the team which broke the Cannonball Run record a short while ago. Anyway, he said that most scammers are smart enough to not try messing with a dealer, but he still runs across them from time to time. Funny enough, he and a friend were actually trying to bait one and it finally worked.
The whole point of baiting a car scammer wasn’t to turn them into the authorities. That doesn’t work usually since many of these people don’t live in the same country, so you’ll never bring them to justice. No, Tabutt just wanted a good story to tell and he got it.
As Tabutt points out in his story, one of the dead giveaways that you’re dealing with a scammer is when someone contacts you and offers to pay full price for your car without asking questions or even engaging in any form of negotiations. Considering they’re just interested in separating you from your money, they obviously don’t care at all about the car, unlike a real shopper.
Another dead giveaway, just as pointed out in Tabutt’s story, is someone sending a cashier’s check for more than what you’re asking for the car, supposedly to cover the shipping costs. This is to make you feel good about everything and then you send a cashier’s check to their shipper. That’s when the check bounces and you’re out whatever money you sent. But Tabutt had the last laugh and it’s a good one, but it’s better to listen to the story in his words, so watch the video if you haven’t already.
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Jeffrey N. Ross
Jeffrey N. Ross
