Buying Advice TRACTOR SCAM??

Gl33kl · May 5, 2011

MtHam said:
Ads like this have been appearing all over on Craigslist. If you want to waste your time and risk exposing yourself, ask where and when you can come see it. They won't give you a direct answer. Usually "includes shipping" and some kind of "Guaranteed Buyers Protection." RUN!

I have done same as MtHam and it works. Told a 'potential' seller I had a friend that lived nearby and wanted to arrange a meeting and the communication stopped altogether. I had suspected scam and sure it was. This was a CL ad, but could happen anywhere, even through a local paper as far as I'm concerned. Our local paper takes ads via email or phone, and it would be easy enough for a scammer to avoid being identified. It would be easy enough to reply and ask if a friend could look at the merchandise and wouldn't cost anything. If they vanish you know what's up. Now that I see all the posts I feel pretty stoopid even entertaining the ad, but I was pretty new to CL at the time.

zing · May 5, 2011

PossumHound said:
I was surprised, after I told her my brother would come to inspect it, that she replied at all, but she did. Here's what she said:

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I listed the tractor using a national website, I think they are somehow conected to the newspaper in your area.

I uploaded the pictures here:https://picasaweb.google.com/107593094028107166517/2005JohnDeere4310# the pics were made 5 days ago and that's the tractor's condition right now. It was garage kept, has no mechanical problems and it is in perfect condition.I bought the tractor from a friend, Ken Griffin, one year ago. Make:John Deere, Model:4310, Model Year:2005, Engine HP:32, Hours:281, Drive:4WD, Serial Number:LV4310H234153, Fueliesel, Heavy Duty 430 Loader. The loader has a 2 pin quick connect system with arms that drop down allowing you to just pull away from it. GM1060R 60" Finish Mower. The mower is a great finishing, golf course quality mower. Options: Cruise control, power steering, power brakes, 3 point hitch, PTO, 3 cylinder diesel engine, 4WD, and turf tires. All equipment is in excellent condition. All functions perform perfectly, nothing wrong with this tractor. It is ready to go to work for you. I don't have other attachments or a trailer. We had to sell the farm after my husband fell off a horse and got paralyzed. I'm spending most of my time in the hospital with him and that's why I want to use an escrow company for completing the sale. You will inspect the tractor at your shipping address but I'll get paid only if you will decide to buy it after you will inspect it. If you're interested I'll give you all the details.
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The pics at Picasa show a really nice looking tractor, but the sad tale about her husband falling just makes it sound more like a scam.

I've already contacted the newspaper and told them of my (our) suspicions about this ad. They didn't say if they'd pursue it or not. I'm going to reply to her email with your suggestion, i.e. ask to drive up and pick it up and pay then. More to the story....

PH

That is almost word for word the same response that I gat regarding an almost new Kubota that was selling for a song on Craig's list. Like you, I responded just to see what they would say. I wanted to see what the scam was.
The only real difference was that "she" was saying that she just divorced her husband so she was offloading his tractor for cheap. When I told her I had a friend who lived near where she was, she changed the story a little bit to say that the tractor was in one state (with an escrow company coincidentally), while she had gone to her mother's place a thousand miles away so she couldn't show it to me. She said though that it would be shipped to me to inspect and if I didn't like it I could send it back, all at no cost.
I got tired of it and quit emailing soon after that, but my best guess is that they send you some official looking documents that say they have shipped it, and then they call back the next day to say that it had been held up by the shipper or at a state line for a tariff of something. Then they say they need some money to get it moving again (because of the divorce or the hospital bills or something), and offer a sweet deal like "Send $100 to get it the rest of the way to you, and I will take $300 off of the price." Once they have someone they just keep sucking out more money, and it gets easier because people will throw good money after bad, since they have so much into it now, they can't just throw it away.
There is no tractor, no divorce, no paralysed husband, and nothing is ever shipped. It's just some con artist living in a bachelor apt with a computer, convincing people to wire him money. Their whole scenario is to get you to send some money to them, a little bit at first, and then more and more.

ustmd · May 6, 2011

Fake, scame, scam, scam.

If you need any more reasons...look at the background. She said she took these pictures 5 days ago-(end of Apr?). While Spring may be late this year, it is not that late.

farmboy12 · May 6, 2011

Yeah, ustmd

Look at the trees in the backround....late april/early may? Nah

Kyle

RSKY · May 6, 2011

My first thought was that it was real and had been under water. But it sounds like a scam.

Qapla · May 6, 2011

It would be interesting to know who owns that house and who the guy in pic #8 is.

The Haymaker · May 6, 2011

PossumHound said:
I was surprised, after I told her my brother would come to inspect it, that she replied at all, but she did. Here's what she said:

*************************************************
I listed the tractor using a national website, I think they are somehow conected to the newspaper in your area.

I uploaded the pictures here:https://picasaweb.google.com/107593094028107166517/2005JohnDeere4310# the pics were made 5 days ago and that's the tractor's condition right now. It was garage kept, has no mechanical problems and it is in perfect condition.I bought the tractor from a friend, Ken Griffin, one year ago. Make:John Deere, Model:4310, Model Year:2005, Engine HP:32, Hours:281, Drive:4WD, Serial Number:LV4310H234153, Fueliesel, Heavy Duty 430 Loader. The loader has a 2 pin quick connect system with arms that drop down allowing you to just pull away from it. GM1060R 60" Finish Mower. The mower is a great finishing, golf course quality mower. Options: Cruise control, power steering, power brakes, 3 point hitch, PTO, 3 cylinder diesel engine, 4WD, and turf tires. All equipment is in excellent condition. All functions perform perfectly, nothing wrong with this tractor. It is ready to go to work for you. I don't have other attachments or a trailer. We had to sell the farm after my husband fell off a horse and got paralyzed. I'm spending most of my time in the hospital with him and that's why I want to use an escrow company for completing the sale. You will inspect the tractor at your shipping address but I'll get paid only if you will decide to buy it after you will inspect it. If you're interested I'll give you all the details.
*******************************************************

The pics at Picasa show a really nice looking tractor, but the sad tale about her husband falling just makes it sound more like a scam.

I've already contacted the newspaper and told them of my (our) suspicions about this ad. They didn't say if they'd pursue it or not. I'm going to reply to her email with your suggestion, i.e. ask to drive up and pick it up and pay then. More to the story....

PH