mmmm ?

[grittracing]

I posted a while back looking for reverse thread lug bolts for my Ghia.I only posted in here and the other spider forum and flu. Monday I received a email to my gmail account someone in the UK with a car being sold off for parts. have emailed back and forth for 2 days and I feel it is a scam tring to get me to send money to him. via western union. he wants me to buy everything at one time but i told him i want to only buy one part for $30 than if all goes well i will send him the rest of the money. i have not heard back since than. not sure why. im not giving any names. I am only posting this to let everyone know there are other people reading our forum and we all need to be carefull before we just send money for parts . now I almost sent the money ,being so happy just to find Ghia parts and I wasnt really thinking during the emails. i was at work and not really paying attention. if it had not been for me being very busy might have been out a few hundred dollars.

if you do not know the person you are buying parts from here are a few steps that may save you

1. KNOW YOUR PART !

2. ask for pictures of the parts off the car.

3. ask for details about the parts

4. when asking details, ask a question you know doesnt ably to the part. (Example; if the part was red tail lights, ask if he is selling the red and yellow tail lights ? )

5. know the adverage selling price of your part

6. if it seems to got to be true it probably is.

7. if something deosnt feel right. usaully your right

8. never give your credit card or checking info to anyone ! always send a money order or use something like paypal

9. try to buy a cheepier part. that way if you loose money it is only for a few dollars not a few hundred or thousand !

now I do not know if this person is on the up and up or a a scam. but it sure doesnt feel right. i am still waiting for my pictures. i will keep you posted. I have a friend lives out of the country who tells me the phone number does look correct for the area. how ever he refuses to give me his house address to send a money order. he keeps giving me reasons to just buy everything at one time as well as keeps trying to get me to use western union. ( scam artist dont want you to have there address, they can use a fake name to claim money at a western union

[So Cal Mark]

I had a similar experience when I was looking for Scorpion dist gears. A seller in the UK contacted me with a vague message and wanted over $1000 for a single gear.

[grittracing]

name started with a V ?

[narfire]

Good for you in spotting the scam. Any stuff I have bought, the seller has always been forthright and willing to accomodate. If you don't get that, then as you are doing leave it alone and move on. Too bad it is in jolly-old. If the parts were in the US or Canada someone here could assist.
Chris

[azruss]

many conmen have learned that the internet is a way to make a quick buck. it isnt limited the the UK or Nigeria. One of our Canadian brothren got taken on purchasing a spider here in Phoenix. I did some sluething on his behalf to try to get him the car or his money back. Was interesting to see the lack of resource he had without actually coming to town for a month to get things legally resolved, which would have cost more than the car.

[vandor]

There was a thread on Mirafiori about this not too long ago. Names were mentioned.