Polaris scams on Craigslist. Beware

[johnnycash]

Anyone else run across this? Yesterday I checked out a few Polaris' for sale on the Richmond, Va craigslist and received two almost identical emails back telling me that they had rcvd the Polaris as a divorce settlement and that they would sell the vehicle at a super low price that inc shipping and handling (immediately suspect). They then asked for my address to send me the Ebay (or in the other case Yahoo) Motors form so that we can have a "safe" transaction.

Email looked like this:


Hi,
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my ATV (2005 Polaris Sportsman 700 EFI 4x4). I sell it at this price ($1,600) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. It has only 891 miles!!! The ATV is fully paid off, clean title. I have title in hand. I bought it since new and has only been adult ridden and garage kept. It is in excellent condition and comes with a snow plow and a winch. I just had it serviced and put in a new battery a couple of months ago.
This atv runs as good as a new one and has no dings, dents, or scratches. The divorce has finished 6 months ago and the ATV is mine now. After the divorce I was forced to buy a new house. Following the financial crisis I can't afford to pay the bank and I decided to sell the ATV. As you can see from the pictures, it's in excellent condition. This atv runs as good as a new one and has no dings, dents, or scratches.
I'm very busy with my job and I'm out of town right now so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my ATV over the Internet. From the beginning you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay. I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services (I will receive the payment only after you receive and inspect the ATV and only if you agree to buy it). We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated with eBay and I have a purchase protection account. The last price for this ATV is $1,600. I will pay for shipping and handling (the loan of my previous buyer didn't get approved, so, there won't be any additional shipping costs). If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address for shipping so I can initiate the deal through eBay. I will wait your answer (if you are interested to buy) very soon.
Kind regards, Amanda Fisher


They then sent me another email:

Hi,
I have just been informed by eBay that they have sent you details about how we can complete our transaction. Have you received any email from them? Please let me know.
Kind regards, Amanda Fisher

P.S. If the email from them haven't arrived in the Inbox folder, please also check the Junk/Spam folder. Maybe the email from eBay went there. Thanks
------


When I checked my spam folder I got an email that looked like it was from Ebay but on further inspection this was the reply email address: invoicevpp@support.com

I'm sure most of you are wary like me but for someone new who might be looking for a Polaris out there be careful. Scammers await.

[mngatorhunt]

People that get scammed deserve to be scammed. How does the saying go, it's immoral to let a foolish man keep his money...

I think these scams happen daily and are successful because so many people want something for nothing. And that is exactly what they get, NOTHING...

Sure, there are deals out there. But a great rule of thumb is to not purchase anything of high value unless you can drive to inspect it and if possible always carry a second pair of eyes to inspect and to keep you safe.

You have to protect yourself because no one else will...

[Truckie]

Originally Posted by johnnycash

Anyone else run across this? Yesterday I checked out a few Polaris' for sale on the Richmond, Va craigslist and received two almost identical emails back telling me that they had rcvd the Polaris as a divorce settlement and that they would sell the vehicle at a super low price that inc shipping and handling (immediately suspect). They then asked for my address to send me the Ebay (or in the other case Yahoo) Motors form so that we can have a "safe" transaction.

Email looked like this:


Hi,
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my ATV (2005 Polaris Sportsman 700 EFI 4x4). I sell it at this price ($1,600) because i just finished the divorce with my husband. It has only 891 miles!!! The ATV is fully paid off, clean title. I have title in hand. I bought it since new and has only been adult ridden and garage kept. It is in excellent condition and comes with a snow plow and a winch. I just had it serviced and put in a new battery a couple of months ago.
This atv runs as good as a new one and has no dings, dents, or scratches. The divorce has finished 6 months ago and the ATV is mine now. After the divorce I was forced to buy a new house. Following the financial crisis I can't afford to pay the bank and I decided to sell the ATV. As you can see from the pictures, it's in excellent condition. This atv runs as good as a new one and has no dings, dents, or scratches.
I'm very busy with my job and I'm out of town right now so I can't meet in person with you so this is the reason why I chose to sell my ATV over the Internet. From the beginning you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay. I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services (I will receive the payment only after you receive and inspect the ATV and only if you agree to buy it). We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated with eBay and I have a purchase protection account. The last price for this ATV is $1,600. I will pay for shipping and handling (the loan of my previous buyer didn't get approved, so, there won't be any additional shipping costs). If you are interested in buying it please provide me your full name and address for shipping so I can initiate the deal through eBay. I will wait your answer (if you are interested to buy) very soon.
Kind regards, Amanda Fisher


They then sent me another email:

Hi,
I have just been informed by eBay that they have sent you details about how we can complete our transaction. Have you received any email from them? Please let me know.
Kind regards, Amanda Fisher

P.S. If the email from them haven't arrived in the Inbox folder, please also check the Junk/Spam folder. Maybe the email from eBay went there. Thanks
------


When I checked my spam folder I got an email that looked like it was from Ebay but on further inspection this was the reply email address: invoicevpp@support.com

I'm sure most of you are wary like me but for someone new who might be looking for a Polaris out there be careful. Scammers await.

Is it still the 05 Brute force 750 with the plow for $1600? I got several emails from her.

[bgirard420]

I almost fell for one of these similar scams. Supposedly the guy was a pilot in the military and could fly it to me for free...ect. Then I woke up and realized that nobody will unload a $7000 machine for $1500. People I know would sell a kidney before their Polaris! Then I bought a new one instead.

[bukaty]

I jerk these fools around as much as I can get away with without giving away my identity. Tell them I want the __ and start asking assinine questions. Can usually string them out for two or three weeks before they give up on me.

[bgirard420]

Originally Posted by bukaty

I jerk these fools around as much as I can get away with without giving away my identity. Tell them I want the __ and start asking assinine questions. Can usually string them out for two or three weeks before they give up on me.

LMAO, I am going to start doing this too!

[mahd776]

Same email I recieved on two different quads listed in the Springfield , IL Craigs List. Emails were so obviously phony that it was almost funny. Strung them along for a few emails and then told them where to go.

[grub]

Had a friend selling her car on CL and got a scam email from a "buyer." He was supposedly on an oil platform in the Pacific somewhere and wanted to send a check for the price plus shipping. My friend told him to send barrels of oil instead and it would be a deal. Needless to say, there was no reply.

[big4x4mudder]

When I was looking for an atv I posted an ad on CL looking for polaris sportsman and got an E-mail much like this one.

[cwlongshot]

YUP!!

That 750 Brute Force was found by my neighbor!! But was in NJ this time, same deal 1600 for it shipping to him for free, go to EBay and pay yada yada yada. He asked me about it and I thought too good to be true, by NJ isn't too far to go for a ride. I said tell her we pick it up and pay in person... the excuse was something about needing record of sale thru ebay, I said then we will come down and look at it and pay thru ebay right there on my phone... no more emails where sent to him... LOL

CW