<VV> email scammers

[Bill Elliott]

Absolutely not.   I wrote: "So from that point of view" (meaning needing 
payment to set up an EFT)," the original question absolutely sounds like 
a scam".

As I wrote, EFT is easy and cheap for them, so should cost you nothing. 
(Scammers know it's more difficult for us and assume that we won't 
realize the difference.)

I think I can comfortably say you didn't lose a sale here... but rather 
saved about $500.

 I just didn't want people to automatically discard an overseas offer 
because they found it hard to believe that anyone across the pond would 
seriously be interested in a  Corvair.

Bill

Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per wrote:

> Your experiences all good, and legitimate, and I have to ask if any of 
> these successful transactions required paying out of pocket to the 
> buyer up front (when the buyer should be paying you, not you, him.)
>
> Maybe I'm paranoid, but if "my guy" (in the UK) wanted to buy my car, 
> why did he want me to front him $500 ?
>
> I think I was just not as fortunate as these other sales were.  That's 
> good for you, and who knows ? I may have lost a sale, but it just 
> didn't sound right to me.
>
> How much did it cost you (the seller) for your sales to the EU ?
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Elliott" <corvair at fnader.com>
> To: "J R Read_HML" <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>
> Cc: "Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per" <chaz at ProperProPer.com>; "Virtual 
> Vairs" <VirtualVairs at corvair.org>; "Kevin Kiewel" 
> <flamingchariots at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 8:59 AM
> Subject: Re: <VV> email scammers
>
>
>> As someone who does a lot of European business, let me make a couple 
>> (okay, several)  points.
>>
>> - The US$ is very very weak right now and any US car is a good buy.
>> - Corvairs are still particularly cheap here, even more so there.
>> - Corvairs are all pre 1973, so they get free registration/road tax 
>> in the UK
>> - Corvairs have exceptionally low "petrol consumption" as compared to 
>> other US classics
>> - Corvairs are a more reasonable size on UK roads than other US classics
>> - Several UK magazines (particularly "Practical Classics" and  
>> "Classic & Sports Car") have recently either featured or have 
>> discussed the Corvair in very positive  terms. (In fact, we almost 
>> had a senior C&SC writer over for our Yenko and CORSA events last 
>> summer, but he was unable to get an audience with Mr. Nader which his 
>> editor had as a requirement to pay for the trip. Another C&SC staff 
>> is also considering a late model as a project car...)
>> -Corvairs are unique in the UK and do not carry the same sort of 
>> infamy as they do here... and are not thought of as economy cars.
>>
>> So having UK (or European) interest in our cars should not come as a 
>> surprise to anybody.
>>
>> However, unlike the US, electronic funds transfer in the UK (and most 
>> of the rest of Europe) is extremely inexpensive and very common. 
>> Europeans don't understand why it's so (relatively) difficult and 
>> expensive for us to do EFT here... and virtually always want to be 
>> paid via EFT... because unlike here, cashing a check in US$ or even 
>> cashing in US bills larger than $20's is expensive and difficult for 
>> many areas.
>>
>> So from that point of view, the original question absolutely sounds 
>> like a scam. But don't discard European offers out of hand because 
>> there is a growing interest in our cars there.
>>
>> (I have excellent contacts for shipping back and forth and will be 
>> glad to assist anyone who needs it...)
>>
>> Bill Elliott
>>
>> J R Read_HML wrote:
>>
>>> Well, I DID sell a car to "a guy in England" who saw it on the Corsa 
>>> On Line Classifieds.  It was a nerve wracking experience and took 
>>> way longer to complete than it should have, but it was a legit deal 
>>> and eventually everything was completed.  That "guy" could very well 
>>> be lurking here on VV as I put him onto it at the time -about 10 
>>> months ago.  Oh, I think Lon Wall made a nice sale as well.  My 
>>> buyer placed an order with CU and had it shipped to me to be packed 
>>> in the trunk of the car.
>>>
>>> Later, JR
>>>
>>> CCE and CORSA member
>>> '61 Rampside Standard 4/110
>>> '65 Monza Convertible 4/140 (used to be X 2)
>>> '66 beater 500 Coupe "icemobile" 4/140 (50%)
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per" 
>>> <chaz at ProperProPer.com>
>>> To: "Kevin Kiewel" <flamingchariots at yahoo.com>
>>> Cc: "Virtual Vairs" <VirtualVairs at corvair.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 3:11 AM
>>> Subject: Re: <VV> email scammers
>>>
>>>
>>>> I listed my Corvair on our town's local classified web site, and 
>>>> got an email from a guy in England, who said he would buy it if I 
>>>> sent his $500 to take care of setting up the transfer.
>>>>
>>>> He said he would give me the price I asked "without question" if I 
>>>> would send the money to him.
>>>>
>>>> So, I sent him the cash, .... (just kidding.)
>>>>
>>>> Anyway, does this sound like him ?
>>>>
>>>> CL
>>>>
>