What's the Scam?

[BCam]

I keep seeing Facebook Marketplace ads for RV's that are too good to be true. I'm wondering what the scam is, it's not obvious from the ads. Here are some examples (there are more) that I saw today, supposedly near my city of Elk Grove, CA. All such postings are accompanied by a beautiful photo, usually exterior only with maybe what looks like a brochure picture:

"2004 Airstream Bambi 16 International CCD $1000

The price is: $1000
I always kept it in garage, no rust, no dents, original paint, no accidents and clean title without any liens or encumbrances. Excellent condition. It is a non-smoker, non-pets in this trailer. It was just serviced 3 days ago, new tires, tags up to date, etc."

"2014 Fleetwood Bounder Class A RV
$20,000
Listed a day ago in Elk Grove, CA
Details
Condition
New
It is equipped with a bulletproof Ford Triton V10
only 20,800 miles on it.
Real price 20.000$
Outside Entertainment /TV
Couch for 6 people
Queen Size Bed 32" TV
ALL 6 Brand New Tires Installed.
Alignment Performed.
Runs and Drives Great ( we had 4000 mile family trip on it )
"

If you're a Facebook subscriber, here are the links:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...type=top_picks

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4-74082368f8fc

[Paul P.]

My guess would be the scam starts when you reply, getting your personal info/wanting money to hold unit etc. " if something seems to good to be true, it usually (always) is" just saying

[MO Fred]

A fool and his money are soon parted.

[Dakotah]

Please send me $250.00 to hold it for you. I have other people who are interested so I need a deposit to hold it. I’ll refund it if you change your mind. Please send the money to my offshore account.

[Capacitor]

Call them, get their address and go look at it. Ask to see the pink slip. If they give you a story why they don’t have the title, report them to the police. Maybe first ask for more pictures.

[PJStough]

I see this a lot when I look at FB Marketplace or RVs. It seems that virtually all the people posting these types of ads are some type of other business. A lot are real estate agents, some have other businesses. When I see these ads, I either report the ad, or the person or entity that posts it. Havent heard anything back from FB, or the posters.

[K Charles]

It says its a trailer with a ford V10. I bet he doesn't even know what it is let alone have it.

[Bigd9]

A few years ago when we were looking for a diesel pusher, when I saw these ads, I would Google search the picture that was showing in the ad and I was surprised how many other ads countrywide had the same picture!

[1JetDoc]

Not only RVs but cars, trucks, SUVs and more. Typically, there's only one photo and no real details on what they are trying to sell.

When I see one of these, I click on the seller's details and find that they have posted the same ad in multiple cities all over the country. When I find one of these, I report them as a scam or no intent to sell and I block the sender.

[Alpine36]

I'm seeing more and more of these scam ad's all the time.
Cars, boats, RVs, heavy equipment, you name it. Low low pricing, usually only one picture, no details and usually a gmail reply address. I replied to a Kubota tractor recently for sale in Washington. Ad looked fairly legit and the price was quite realistic. Asked the seller for more pictures, address etc and they replied that they had a lot of interest, and for $500 (Venmo) they would hold it. He sent pictures of a different tractor, with palm trees in the background lol. Buyer Beware. Never send money. Period.

[Ray,IN]

Several years ago I emailed one of these adds. I was told the MH was in AZ, so I replied it was not too far to drive to look at it; then I was told it had been moved to KY. Again, I emailed that was not too far to drive to see the MH.
This went on for a week, then the person stopped all communication, guess he must have realized I was baiting him.
I posted that here on irv2.com, and a woman replied that she and her husband had sent the add person $3,000 down payment and never heard from them again.


BTW, his MH picture was all over the internet on RV sales websites, including RVTrader.com with a totally different address and detailed information.


If something sounds like a steal it probably is, from you.

[BCam]

I know it's a scam and I've never been remotely tempted, I just wondered what it was.

[tetranz]

A good test is to ask something silly like:

Is the flux capacity in the RV a type 2 or type 3? I'm really interested if it's a type 3.

[wrvond]

Originally Posted by BCam

I know it's a scam and I've never been remotely tempted, I just wondered what it was.

Impossible to say. The ways to get you to send them money then disappear are limited only by the imagination of the scammers.