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02-26-2021, 10:42 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 176
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What's the Scam??
I'm trying to sell a Class A gas coach. I don't expect to have any trouble selling it, and it's in good shape and the price is right.
I put an admittedly low-effort ad on Craigslist. I got a pretty good initial response in January. thought I had it sold but the potential buyer couldn't swing the money.
I put together a much better ad, with pictures and I am getting a better response, and a lot of interest.
There is this one character, however who has called on both ads, with a story about his dying grandmother, he needs a place to stay while he's visiting with her. Wants to travel here (650 miles) cash in hand, and buy it sight unseen. His initial offer was low, but he's starting to up his offer and is getting closer to my asking price
He also called the previous owner of the Monaco I just bought, and the same character did the same thing with him: Lowball all cash offer sight unseen. He's apparently been at this for a while (at least 4 months).
Now there's another guy, different city, calling me with essentially the same story, but he wants to give me a deposit to hold it, and pay me in cash when he comes out to get it. Sight unseen. Full asking price.
Trying to figure out the scams here. Obviously getting robbed or being passed a bunch of counterfeit bills is two possibilities. But if someone shows up to meet in the parking lot of the state police station, and hands me cash, and it isn't counterfeit, where's the catch?
Or are these guys just flippers, and my asking price is reasonable, and they're just going to take the rig home, up the price in a hotter market, and resell it?
__________________
2003 Monaco Dynasty
2020 Chevy Spark Toad
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02-26-2021, 10:53 AM
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#2
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,626
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Run, don't walk!
Those guys will always figure out a way to take you to the cleaners! It's definitely a seller's market right now, so I would not jump on things like this!
Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!
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Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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02-26-2021, 10:58 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 323
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Possibly identity theft, doing something with the VIN or financial.
1. The next step might be them asking for your name, address, etc.
2. They could ask for the VIN to do a background check on the vehicle and then use the clean VIN to sell/move another vehicle.
3. They could say they need your deposit information because they are going to pay electronically. They may also say you need to pay them a small fee to make the transaction.
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02-26-2021, 11:04 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Capistrano Beach, California
Posts: 4,465
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You nailed it in your OP.
They are curbside resellers. They secure your coach with a money deposit and then sell it to someone else at a higher price, presenting themselves as "brokers" or "agents."
Lots of similar scams, especially those with "agents" and "cashier's checks" that are also fake, but these two say they are going to come, in person, and deliver cash. Even the one that offers a deposit with balance due in cash, gives you enough time to find out if the deposit is real. This tells me it's a reselling scam.
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Larry, Eileen, and Finley
2004 Alpine 36FDDS
Third motor home, first Alpine, no need for another.
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02-26-2021, 11:07 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,085
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Arrange with your bank to meet with a banker for the exchange. Large amount of cash and title document exchange can be the source of much trouble.
The Feds can legally take your cash if they think it is money laundering. The banker will help you keep it straight.
Chances are the scammer will not agree to meet at a bank.
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Paul Bristol
Kodiak Cub 176RD
Nissan Pathfinder 2015
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02-26-2021, 11:09 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Spring Branch, TX
Posts: 2,981
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They are thiefs not flippers. This is a common ruse on Craigslist and other online classifieds.
Chances are best he is not even in the US. These theifs like to throw in an out of town sob story.
If you bite on this you'll be out thousands of dollars. How?
It's like this. He will send someone to the house - an accomplice. He will not have the cash he promised. Instead he'll have a cashiers check for more than the agreed upon price. The accomplice will want to travel with you to your bank so you can deposit the money and give the "extra" money back to them.
The bank will find the cashiers check seems legit and they will complete the deal. Then 4-days later the cashier's check will ultimately bounce. Your bank will claw back the amount of the bogus check including the amount you gave to the guy that picked up the RV.
The RV will be gone. You'll have no money and be out 100% of the extra on the check. The contact info will all be bogus and the guy that made all the initial contacts will be untraceable.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/8...s-online-scams
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
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02-26-2021, 11:09 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 667
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Lie down with dogs and you come up with fleas.
Not 100% sure of this scam but you have good spidey sense! No way is that legit.
__________________
2007 Newmar Kountry Star 8.9 liter cummins
2019 F250 Toad
Blue OX
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02-26-2021, 11:13 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Merritt, BC
Posts: 3,753
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Should you decide to do a cash sale and assuming you possess the title, I would suggest driving the coach to your bank, or as close to it as you can get, have the buyer meet you there and have the transaction completed inside your bank.
- The bank can verify the validity of the funds
- You can deposit the funds to your account immediately
__________________
Bob, Sherron & Kinsey (RIP 2013-2022)
2017 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited
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02-26-2021, 11:16 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SC
Posts: 354
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ljwt330
You nailed it in your OP.
They are curbside resellers. They secure your coach with a money deposit and then sell it to someone else at a higher price, presenting themselves as "brokers" or "agents."
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Agree. Probably planning to resell it, and using the sob story to hopefully get a lower price. Years ago, I sold a pop up when the market wasn't nearly as hot as it is now. After having a couple people come look at it (and dealing with the aggravation of finding a time to meet, putting it up and down, etc.) but not making an offer, I accepted a somewhat low "sight unseen" offer from a guy a couple hours away. He showed up, didn't even pretend to look at the camper, handed me cash, took the title, and was gone in about 10 minutes. He told me straight up he was planning to resell it. I didn't really want to deal with the aggravation any more, so I guess I was fine with that.
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02-26-2021, 11:20 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 385
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Quote:
Originally Posted by creativepart
It's like this. He will send someone to the house - an accomplice. He will not have the cash he promised. Instead he'll have a cashiers check for more than the agreed upon price. The accomplice will want to travel with you to your bank so you can deposit the money and give the "extra" money back to them.
The bank will find the cashiers check seems legit and they will complete the deal. Then 4-days later the cashier's check will ultimately bounce. Your bank will claw back the amount of the bogus check including the amount you gave to the guy that picked up the RV.
The RV will be gone. You'll have no money and be out 100% of the extra on the check. The contact info will all be bogus and the guy that made all the initial contacts will be untraceable.
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Nailed it....
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Patrick
Atlanta GA
2023 Renegade Vienna & 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland
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02-26-2021, 11:27 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 176
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So another question, aside from cash, verified to be non-counterfeit and counted three times, what is the safest non-cash instrument?
Postal Money order, Certified check, cashier check? something else? My least concern would be taking the title to a bank where the buyer had gotten a loan, and trading the title for a check from said bank. But, I shouldn't rule out an all cash transaction either.
In this part of the country, because of the marijuana industry, bags of cash used for large purchases isn't unheard of.
__________________
2003 Monaco Dynasty
2020 Chevy Spark Toad
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02-26-2021, 11:36 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 7,870
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Yes, a cashier's check from the BANK (them handing it to you) is OK.
Best is to ask your banker for drafting instructions so money can be deposited into your account. No, no one can suck money out of your account with the information supplied by your banker.
When your banker confirms funds in your account (usually less than an hour), THEN turn over title and possession.
Drafting is how we have bought/sold real estate, RV's and boats over the last decade.
If in doubt, go in and talk with your banker. His job is to protect you in the transaction.
__________________
Brett Wolfe
Ex: 2003 Alpine 38FDDS. Ex: 1997 Safari Sahara. Ex: 1993 Foretravel U240
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02-26-2021, 11:51 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 5,850
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An all cash offer is tempting to accept, but questions may arise as to the legality of its origin when deposited to the bank in your account.
Drug Money being laundered with a legit cash transaction?
Since your deposit will be more than $10,000 of cash, the bank will have to notify the IRS of the event.
Why risk that kind of event?
IMHO, require a Wire Transfer to your account from the Seller. That way the cash is bank-to-bank.
__________________
Dean
1995 38' CC Magna #5280 **** Sold after 21 years of enjoyment.
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02-26-2021, 11:59 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Thornville, Ohio
Posts: 3,662
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They may be flippers. But cash??? I always have money change hand at the bank where the title is notorized. I deposit at the same time.
They can meet to look at it. But I share the plan to go to the bank before they show up. So there is no expectation of cash changing hands until we get to the bank.
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Art & Joyce
Thornville, OH
Kia Soul pushing a 36' DP Endeavor
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