Scam? I think so.

[N80]

In another thread I was complaining about a listing on Craig's list that sounded too good to be true and that the person who listed it replied back to me once and then not again.

Well, today I got a reply with a name and the pictures I requested. The tractor looks fantastic. The location of the tractor, according to Craig's list is about 2 hours from me. I sent the seller, who says she is selling her recently deceased husband's tractor, a list of dates that I could come and pay cash for the tractor. This is the reply I got:

As I mentioned before, I'm a widow and now I'm here in *******, ** staying with my parents. [That is not the location listed on Craig's list].
The tractor is already at the shipping company in Roanoke sealed and ready for shipping. My presence won't be necessary because I prearranged the deal with Continental Freight Shippers. The deal includes free delivery and it will arrive at your address in 3-4 days. You will have 5 days to try out prior to making any purchase and if by any reason you find something you don't like about it you can send it back at my expense. If you are interested in knowing more info about how it works, I can ask Continental Freight Shippers to send you an email with more information on how to purchase it. Continental Freight Shippers will contact you shortly after they have the details with all the confirmation that you need to complete this deal and you will also have proof that I am covered by them and a legitimate seller.
If you would like to receive the email from Continental Freight Shippers with all the transaction information please reply with your full name, shipping address and phone # and they will call you right away.
Hope to hear from you soon.

So, this obviously looks fishy. I cannot find a company with the exact name of Continental Freight Shippers but there are a few with very similar names. My wife, who is an excellent researcher, could not find a person by the name the seller gave me in the area that the Craig's list posting originated from except for someone who is deceased. Craig's list also says only to buy face-to-face. The part about trying it for 5 days and sending it back at the seller's expense sounds ridiculous too.

I sent her my work number and address. I'll play along and try to be an optimist just because I want it to be real (the pictures show a sweet tractor!). I'm normally a realist....pessimist according to my wife.

It makes me sad and angry that we live in this kind of world. It also makes me disappointed in myself that I'm still hoping this might be legit.

Curious if others have seen this sort of thing?

 

[LD48750]

Really simple.... Have her send it to you & after 5 days if you like it, you will send her the money for it.
Otherwise she can have it shipped back to wherever she wants at her expense.

 

[Fixastuff]

Fake, I think adds like this are just fishing for names and contact info to sell. I'd someone happens to send them the $$ for it, even better!

 

[2manyrocks]

the tractor is sealed and ready for delivery....

What are the odds that some widow is going to take a tractor to some shipping company and have it sealed and ready for delivery without even having reached a deal with a buyer? Most sellers are going to say, the tractor is here, bring your $ and you pick it up yourself.

Or the widow is going to put it in the hands of an auction company to sell all her deceased husband's stuff and then take the vacation she always dreamed of.

 

[ericm979]

It's a scam. It's likely that an image search on the pics will find where they were lifted from.

 

[9973720wb19]

Hmm...I purchased a new tractor from a dealer. It was a "sealed limited edition numbered". I'm going to keep it sealed and un-opened to preserve it's value... Seriously, I've heard of sealed coins, limited edition fountain pens, and new watches, but never a tractor or even a car...at any price. Seems the seller doesn't know much about tractors...

 

[N80]

Don't see it as a data collection scam. Too little contact info to be worth it. The word "sealed" is odd and probably a tell. But, she could just mean that it is in storage.

So I'm still waiting for the punch line. My guess is that the "shipping" company will request $500 or something along those lines to guarantee delivery and that is the angle.

I tried to look at the image info data but there was very little there. How do you do an image search?

 

[N80]

So here is the next email:

I was contacted by Continental Freight Shippers that you have already received the invoice. Now you must call them and ask about the next step. From my side everything is done, I got ready all the papers work that you need to register the tractor in your name.
Please call their customer support number provided in the invoice +1 (***) 216-**** in order to confirm the transaction.
Thank you!

I have not received an invoice of course. I am going to call the number from one of my work extensions.

 

[N80]

No answer at the number. I'm done.

 

[PuffyC]

That's a scam as old as the day is long. They'll keep doing it as long as there are rubes out there who continue to fall for it.