Beware Of Car Sale Scams

[SeanD]

Just thought I would share this article with the members.

http://www.nation.lk/2010/08/15/newsfe3.htm

While members here may exercise caution with our car sale dealings, I'm sure we all know plenty of people who can't pass up a "good bargain." Please forward to anyone who this may be of interest to, as this kind of thing is on the rise.

Cheap Car Scam

An advertisement, appearing in the classified add supplement of a very prominent Sunday English newspaper, had promised a Maruti Suzuki car for as little as Rs.129 000.

When prospective victims called the given hotline they were asked to deposit Rs.5000 to a given account. When they deposited the sum of money they were included in a ‘waiting list’ and were asked to come to a office in Colombo 4.

The office which was not that small had two computers and two operators at the front desk. Depositors were told that they would get the cars which were arriving into Sri Lanka within the week. They were also told that they would have to deposit all the money or will at least have to pay half the money in cash.

When they did so they were told to come to the office the following Saturday, only six days after the advertisement was initially published. On Saturday they all appear to be very busy and tell the depositors that the cars are already in the docks and since it is a large shipment they are having a lot of trouble clearing it through customs and that they would have the cars ready the next day morning.

When the depositors returned the next day the people had left with the two computers and all the documents. The phone number that was given was the landlord’s number who was also paid only an advance. The landlord was only provided little details about the group.

Some times over 100 people submit to these advertisements. When at least half of them deposit the advance cash, little by little the amount adds up to well over 10 million rupees.

Plenty more about it in the article.

[Wheel]

Hope the Maruti which the customers were gone crazy about will worth for it's steel weight than Rs. 129000.00 in Sri Lanka.

People should've thought a bit.....

[jdnet]

If it's true good to be true, it very well is. I can't believe people fall for these scams.

[Sylvi]

####

Edited August 16, 2010 by MADZ

[heavyD]

I guess it'll take a lot more scams and a lot more wasted money before people start realizing that you don't get good anything for free. Or in this case; dirt cheap. Kinda like those forwarded emails which promise you free moolah if you forward them.

[SeanD]

The problem is, there are plenty of people getting scammed on land deals, work deals, etc., and not at dirt cheap rates or anything below that either. I've had friends who were scammed out of several lakhs by guys making false company letterheads etc., to do a job of work that required a significant advance payment. Man disappears without a trace, no job done. However, in that particular case, the man was tracked down and had the crap beaten out of him which is the only language some of these crooks can understand. I believe the money was eventually returned. Guess the moral of the story is, always do a full research in to any party you are having financial transactions with, and don't do anything without proper references for the person you are dealing with. As for the Maruti at 129K I agree, you got to be smoking something a bit strange in order to fall for that.

[SeanD]

I guess it'll take a lot more scams and a lot more wasted money before people start realizing that you don't get good anything for free. Or in this case; dirt cheap.

Although, I guess on the flipside, the crooks manage to get good something for free Although I firmly believe they will eventually pay for it.

[Elvis_Pil]

Edited- as already addressed by Mods..

Edited August 17, 2010 by Elvis_Pil

[YALA]

well its common sense you the cost of a maruti without any margins is more than 129,000 so ppl should think before buying or even considering depositing some money...