BMW M5 Forum and M6 Forums banner

M5 Scam

3K views 24 replies 19 participants last post by  BmwNut 
#1 ·
well, i was looking through used m5's on yahoo autos and came across this add, it said the car was a 2002 for sale for $25,000, and its in beverly hills, im pretty close so i decided to see if i can take a look at the car, i emalied the person and heres what he said:

I am very glad that you are interested in purchasing my car. First of all I must inform you that currently I'm in Marseille, France and I have to let you know that the BMW M5 car is here with me and it is in a perfect condition. If you are really interested we can work out something... I can ship out the car to you or something like that. What do you say?

Now, to tell you something about the car. The car is still for sale and the price is $25.000. It's condition is outstanding and most important I have a clear title which you will receive it with the car. It can be registered into your name, so stay cool about this. The odometer shows 11785 miles.

Also, for my security, I will not send through e-mail or fax any kind of copy of the title or other paper from the car. You will receive all papers once with the car.

The car is a state of the art BMW and works and looks perfectly I think it would get to this. The car is US street legal, does not need any conversion and it meets all DOT and EPA regulations. It has a miles odometer, etc. The car is as new, with no scratches and it was never involved in an accident. You can check the VIN (WBSDE93472CF91074) on
www.CarFax.com The paint looks just as new, the car was always garaged.
When I brought the car here, I tried to register it, but when I found that the import and register taxes are very high. I was very dissapointed, because I love this car and now I am forced to sell it. I can't sell it here in France or in Europe, because it is US street legal. You can see this, if you will check the VIN. The car was registered in US before. This is the reason that I want to sell the car in USA because european people do not like it prepared this way. The other offers that I have are also from the US.

http://used-cars.autos.yahoo.com/usedcars/detail/index.html?cid=automobiles-1081466769-5142263&dst=11.36&rsr=bWFrZT1ibXcmbW9kZWw9NzUwMDA3NDg2JmNsX3k9JmNoX3k9JmNsX3ByaWNlPSZjaF9wcmljZT0mY2xfbWk9JmNoX21pPSZjaz0mZ3VyPTUwJmNzej05MTc4MCZ2dHlwZT1hdXRvcyZtaz1CTVcmbW89TTU-#bogus

I think its a scam, how about you guys?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Yep, I bet it's a scam. An issue like this on another M5 appeared on the board recently.

I also ran into this type of scam when I was looking for a used snowmobile on Ebay. The price for the sled was fantastic, condition was excellent. Only problem was that the owner moved to the UK and could not use it. He wanted to arrange a transaction via a UK escrow company. Sound familiar??

This is pretty common place on Ebay and the gov't is apparently aware of it. I just they catch the scam artist before too many people get burned.

If it's too good to be true, it usually is..
 
#3 ·
MattCev said:
Yep, I bet it's a scam. An issue like this on another M5 appeared on the board recently.

I also ran into this type of scam when I was looking for a used snowmobile on Ebay. The price for the sled was fantastic, condition was excellent. Only problem was that the owner moved to the UK and could not use it. He wanted to arrange a transaction via a UK escrow company. Sound familiar??

This is pretty common place on Ebay and the gov't is apparently aware of it. I just they catch the scam artist before too many people get burned.

If it's too good to be true, it usually is..
...i looked at a 2000 on ebay as well--guy claimed it had 11,900 miles and when i checked inside at his gauges, they were from an 2002 or 2001
 
#4 ·
Might be a scam...might not.

If you're seriously interested in this car, I would suggest requesting more information from the seller, including more pictures.

You might also consider telling the seller that you have somebody that you would like to have come over to survey the car (maybe a board member in Marseille?). I had this done a while back for something non-auto related, and it worked out fine. I had a friend in Paris go check something out for me, sent him a check, and he bought it for me and shipped it...

:cheers:
 
#5 ·
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SCAM...

c'mon guys i'm shocked that you would even think that this is for real, this is the same story i've heard from other car scams that are out there. if you want to have some fun with the guy (or to get info to send to the authorities and ebay) that might be reason to follow up but otherwise run from this stuff!!

at least it's a 'state of the art' bmw, that makes me feel much better...
 
#6 ·
M-Fünf said:
(maybe a board member in Marseille?). I had this done a while back for something non-auto related, and it worked out fine. I had a friend in Paris go check something out for me, sent him a check, and he bought it for me and shipped it...
maybe i should mess around with this guy, i am going to say that i have a friend close by to where he is, im going to see what he says, i tell you guys what he said
 
#7 ·
Tomk said:
...i looked at a 2000 on ebay as well--guy claimed it had 11,900 miles and when i checked inside at his gauges, they were from an 2002 or 2001
Some E39 have had their gauge clusters replaced due to bad pixels in the display, and when that happens they go from the black faced gauges to the grey ones. Just a thought on that one, but this current one screams scam to me. If you cant easily go look at it, or find someone to look at it, then walk away. It's easier than hell to find some pics of someones M5 and try to sell it for your own. Sorry, otherwise it would be a great find.
:cheers:
 
#8 ·
Look closely at the pictures of the car posted on the yahoo site. There are houses in the background and they are not the style of houses found in and around Paris. Why would the pictures be from the US if it the car was currently in France? :confused2
 
#9 · (Edited)
I forced myself to keep reading when I learned it was a $25k asking price with only 11,785 miles and the car had a clean title. "If it sounds too good to be true..."

Curiously, he bought a US spec car in Europe?

Sometimes miracles do happen. My friend knew someone that got a very good condition Porsche 911 for $50. I can't remember the specifics, but I recall it being worth much more. Post divorce, the ex-wife was pissed and it was the husband's pride and joy...

I'm sure someone on the board could actually look at it...see if the seller is reluctant...
 
#10 ·
Well, if you zoom in on one of the side view pictures there is a van down the street. Looks like an old GM van being used as a service vehicle. Did not know GM had such a presence in France for service vehicles ouich

In france.....right and I am moving to a condo on the moon :cheers:
 
#12 ·
well, i emailed him bak saying that my friend was in Nice, France which is close to where ever hes at and can go see the car, he said this:

If you want me to keep the car until you or your friend can come to see it you must
proove yourself a serious buyer and deposit USD 2000.After I verify the transfer I cancel
all other possible bidders.
 
#14 ·
aznxstunna said:
If you want me to keep the car until you or your friend can come to see it you must
proove yourself a serious buyer and deposit USD 2000.After I verify the transfer I cancel
all other possible bidders.
Scam to the extreme! He wants to get money even before you look at it?? Who in their right mind would go forth with that?! Man, stay away from this...it's all bad.
:cheers:
 
#16 ·
O.K. it's a scam. You should not reply to this guy, as he'll get scared and run off. You should, instead, report him to the authorities immediately through Yahoo classifieds.

Glad the litmus test proved this was a scam

:cheers:
 
#17 ·
Greco said:
I bet you he has an uncle that is a political prisoner of Nigeria and can get you $10,000,000 if you help him transfer his wealth of $150,000,000 from Nigeria to a bank in the Caymans.
hiha hiha Oh man, you get those emails too? My mom called me a month or so ago and said "you should check this out." hmmm
I feel bad for the brain donors that would actually go for one of these...
:cheers:
 
#19 ·
#21 ·
AJ said:
the rule of thumb is that if any part of the transaction is abroad (car, seller, bank, escrow service, whatever) it is 99.9% chance it is a scam.

that simple


alex
Actually with certainty, 100% scam!
 
#22 ·
I actually located my RUF in Europe, had Ken (KWalls) of this board checked the car out (seller did not ask for any $$ for that), and then bought the car and shipped it here. It is also an U.S. spec. 993 that never left Europe and with all the RUF work done in Germany. I count myself extremely lucky to have landed my deal.

The differences? I did not see it on e-Bay, nor was the car going for a song (or may be it was a smoking deal afterall).

I'm not saying that THIS is NOT a scam. In fact I'm SURE it is. I'm just pointing out that miracles do happen sometimes.

CP
 
#23 ·
Bauer said:
Well, if you zoom in on one of the side view pictures there is a van down the street. Looks like an old GM van being used as a service vehicle. Did not know GM had such a presence in France for service vehicles ouich

In france.....right and I am moving to a condo on the moon :cheers:
It seems to have a US-spec decklid also. Odd, for a M5 in France.
 
#24 ·
StanAE86 said:
My friend knew someone that got a very good condition Porsche 911 for $50. I can't remember the specifics, but I recall it being worth much more. Post divorce, the ex-wife was pissed and it was the husband's pride and joy...
Yes, everyone has a friend who knows that guy, but strangely, no one knows the guy directly. It's always a friend who knows him. :3:

That's one of the oldest urban legends there is. It's been written up by Jan Harold Brunvand in one of his urban legend books, and you can also find it here: http://www.snopes.com/love/revenge/porsche.asp
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top