PHISHING EMAIL - URGENT notice: Your Cars account may be deactivated and your Ad deleted

Please do not respond to the email (below) asking you to confirm our new terms and conditions. This is a phishing scam to obtain your password.  The link in the fraudulent email doesn't go to the cars.com website.

If you received this email and logged into your account from clicking on http://www.safemaillogin.com/LoginAuth.html?, then follow these steps:

1. Close your browser

2. Open your browser and go to www.cars.com

3. Click the sign in link

4. Change your account password

5. Verify all your ad details haven't been changed

6. Email reportascam@cars.com if you have any other questions

-----EMAIL EXAMPLE BELOW------------------------------------------

From: Cars.com Staff <mail-noreply@Billing-Cars.com>

Date: 8 Oct 2009 00:17:22 -0000

To: <kmoore@elitedoctechnology.com>

Subject: URGENT notice: Your Cars account may be deactivated and your Ad deleted

Dear Customer,

Cars support team is writing to inform you that the Terms of Use have changed and all Cars customers must accept the new Terms of Use in order to retain the service.

If the new Terms of Use is not accepted by Oct-15-2009, your Cars account may be deactivated and your online Ad deleted also you will not be able to reactivate it.

In order to keep your Cars account, please follow these easy steps:

1. Click on the link below.

2. On the sign in page, enter the E-Mail and Password for your account and then follow the instructions.

https://sell.Cars.com/syc/login.jsf<http://www.safemaillogin.com/LoginAuth.html?1r2Aww6wbD3f8,1_437_AFKliGIAAGXwSq1rcwinUCRWMyU,&sort=date&order=down&startMid=0&pSize=25&hash=008d7e5a0e030e9e80072c45d92f3725&.jsrand=4334854>

 We are sory for any incovenience this may caused and we want to thank you for being a Cars customer, and hope you continue to enjoy our services.

Best regards,

Theo Hnarakis

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director

Cars.com Private Seller Survey Scam

Please do not respond to an e-mail that asks you to fill out a web-based survey. This e-mail is sent from a fraudster and is not associated with Cars.com.

If you do enter any credit card information on the survey, then please immediately cancel your credit card.

EXAMPLE OF FRAUDULENT EMAIL FROM cars.com Network

Cars.com will NEVER ask you to log into your account to verify your username and/or password via email. We recommend that you log into your Cars.com account by directly going to Cars.com instead of clicking on a link.

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Please see example below from a known fraudster:

As advised in our previous email correspondence (9-JULY-2008), it has been more than 2 days since you have not confirmed your account to your cars.com Network. Sellers are asked to log in and confirm their personal details at no extra cost to ensure their details and confirm them in order to continue with their account on our cars.com Network.

If you do not log on to confirm account within 48 hours it will be removed from the cars.com Network. To remain on cars.com Network, click on the following link and log on to confrim your account:

This will confirm your account to continue to advertise on the cars.com Network.

If you have any questions please dont hesitate to contact us via email or by phoning 1-322-601-5000 during normal business hours.

Thank you once again for using the cars.com Network.

Kind regards,

The Customer Care Team

The cars.com Network

Western Union Fraud

Please refrain from using Western Union for ANY transaction. We recommend meeting with the seller with the title of the car.

SAMPLE FRAUD EMAIL BELOW
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Hello,
If you really like the car but you don't trust an escrow, I have something SAFE and fast for you because I want you to be sure that you will receive the car and I hope we will collaborate in the future too. You will make the $1900 transfer to my location(Leeds, United Kingdom) but not to my name (you will use your best friends name for example George Bush as receiver's name) so you can be sure that I will not pick up the money until you get the car; so you make a deposit at Western Union and you will give me the transfer's details (SENDER'S NAME AND MTCN) so I can check that the deposit was made.
After I verify it I will book a flight and meet you. Only after you will receive the car and check it if it OK, you will have to change the receiver's name of the transfer to my name so I can collect my money. So until you will have the car in your hands the money will be deposited on your best friend's name at Western Union Agency. I think it is better to not inform Western Union that you will change the receivers name in a few days because it is possible they ask you to pay the fees twice (fees that are quite big for such an amount),also when you go to a Western Union office to make the transfer,please don't tell there the reason you send the money because here in this country I must pay some additional taxes when I receive the funds. Please say you send the money to your friends or to your partner.
If you agree with these terms, let me know and I will be more than glad to start and complete the transaction with you. Thank you and I hope that you will have the pleasure to drive this car.
I am waiting your answer ASAP.
Thank you and kindly regards!

Fraudulent Buyer Threatens to Sue the Seller

Please be aware that we have been notified of a fraudulent buyer threatening to sue sellers. If you receive an email about a buyer threatening to sue you, then please contact sellyourcar@cars.com to report the buyer.
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Here is the sample email:

I have every reason to inform you that we have exercised enough patience with you.My lawyer's suggestion of reporting to the authorities hasn't had any cause to sink in till this moment.We are supposed to exhibit absolute matured approach towards this and that was the sole reason why we even agreed on the terms from the word go.Aside collecting your information for Payment to be sent to you,it is also a form of security for us because that is what we have as evidence of your existence and location.

You have ever since failed to answer me and as such putting me at loggerheads with my client and also making things difficult for me ,booking wise.If you have sold the vehicle,come out open up to us and we can then know what line of action to take.If the purpose of the purchase which is at hand is not met up with,it will also be another case o negligience on your own part as a party to this transaction and my lawyer has already stated this out in clear terms to me.I never thought it will come to this and i have to send this last email to you before we report to the authorities because its now obvious you are sitting on my client's money and daring us to do our worst.

We thank God for our system where the authorities are the last hope ,at least.Have you sold the Vehicle?Do you want to seize our money too?It is left for you to decide where to answer these questions.Good day.

Classified Ventures Fraudulent Check

We have reports of sellers receiving fraudulent checks from Classified Ventures (Cars.com's parent company). Please don't accept this as payment. Cars.com is ONLY a classified listing service and NEVER is involved in payment between the seller and buyer. Please always get a copy of the buyer's drivers license and contact information before selling your car.  Also, it is important to report any buyer who sends you a check similar to the image below. (Please click on image to enlarge)

Latest Fraud Email

See fraudulent email below. If you receive an email with the following text, then stop all correspondence with the buyer.

ATTENSION
?
Thank you for your? reply,i hope the options of your car are still intact and you have removed it from ad ,however i just finished inquiring from my client on how payment should get to you about your car .He instructed i should inform you that payment will get to you in a cashier check of $15,500.00 which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by my client.
?
Due to our company policy this check has to be made out in this amount to you, because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier check, so you are required to deduct cost of your car $10,500.00 when payment gets to you and refund balance of? $5,000.00 to my clients shippers via Swift Account? for them to be able to offset shipping charges .
After payment has reached you and balance sent back to him, our agent will come for pick-up and drive to a prepaid shipper to be shipped to my customer,while title papers and other necessary documents will be either collected from you at the point of pick-up or sent via FedEx courier to my customer.
Confirm this and provide :
1)Name (check will be made payable to)
2) complete address and Phone number for the check

NB.Please stop all correspondence with any intending buyer,as the Car should be considered sold .
Thank you and God bless .

Greogory

Example Fraud Email: US Certified Cashier Check Fraud

From: jack rayan <fummymen44@yahoo.com>
Date: Aug 16, 2007 1:14 AM
Subject: payment info

Hello,

Thanks for your mail.  .However payment will get to you in a US certified cashier check of($19,000) which is a refund payment of a canceled order i made earlier.Due to company policies  this check has to be made out in  this amount to you, Because company policy only allows refund payment on one cashier check. So you are   required to deduct
the cost of your car  ($12,500) and send the balance of($6,500)to my agent who will  ship the car to canada for him to be able to offset shipping & tax charges, and other cosmetic  repair costs if needed .

After payment has reached you and balance sent back to my agent,he will then proceed with his mechanics  for the inspection, pick up(of car & signing of  title (papers), make some cosmetic touches if needed and drive to a prepaid shipper while title papers and other necessary documents will be handed over to my agent at the  time of pick up.Please confirm this and forward the following..............

  Informations for payment.
  Names:.......
  Address:....... with zip
  Phone#:.......

For payment to be made and send to you as soon as possible.I decided to mail it now for urgent  purpose.  Thanks for your understanding and co-operation.
Best regards.

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First message:

I happened to budget for a car last time and unfortunately it was sold. i will be shipping it to canada upon reaching an agreement with you.
i will be responsible for shipment.
Please I have Some Questions to Ask:
1) Is it in perfect condition?
2) How often do you service the it?
3) are you the owner, how old is it?
4)Finally At what price are you willing to sell it to Us ...Bottom price
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Text Message Fraud

If you receive a text message from a buyer, and then an email similar to below. Please refrain from corresponding with this buyer.

SAMPLE EMAIL-------------------------------------------

Good News,

Thanks for your prompt and positive reply.However I have informed my client about your decision on this transaction. He was suppose to be present in order to view the CAR,but due to his tight business he couldn't be present now.

In other to experdiate this transaction and due to our time frame,we are running out of time so we don't have enough time to negotiate the price but i believe is a little beat better than buying it locally,cause of this reason my client has accepted your price/offer but we will like you to assure us that the engine is in great condition as well .

please we will need your co-operation in this transaction AND YOUR HONESTY. But however, my client made out a certified cashiers check of (28,000usd) before he traveled today for Christian Retreat ,for a previous CAR and its shipment charges etc,but it was unfortunately sold.

The amount on the check he deposited for CAR  is bigger than what should be paid to you now, so the check will be in your name now and also meant for the total expenses which includes the purchase of your CAR ,the pick up of the CAR  from its present location and the shipping charges/other necessary shipping arrangements. However he has instructed I, to carry on with this transaction.

So you're required to deduct the cost of your CAR($20,000)and send the balance of (8,000) to the pick-up agent via western union money transfer to enable him offset shipping charges/arrangements.once the transaction is concluded, our shipper agent will be coming for the pick up of the car from its present location.so you don't have to bother yourself about the pick up and shipping arrangements,while title papers and other necessary documents will be sent by you via service courier to us.

Please Confirm this and provide
Name..
Address..
phone number...
For check payment to be delivered to you via courier service.
Thanks

Another text message response example:

Hello Joyce,

Thanks for your response more pics will be appreciated,we are out of town and can not come to view it but we trust that everything we saw on your ad is true.

I have just spoken to my husband in regards your payment and he has agreed to pay $10,000.

Am happy to tell you that my husband has instructed me to carry on with the transaction, he said that I should inform you that payment will get to you in a cashiers check of $16,000 which is a payment of a cancelled order of a car earlier made by him.

The order was cancelled because, when the pick-up agent went for the pick up of the car, it was discovered that the car had been involved in an accident and this wasn't mentioned during the course of the transaction.

This check {$16,000} will be made out to you due to the refund of the cancelled order will be on one check, so you are required to deduct cost of your vehicle $10,000 when payment gets to you and refund the balance of $6000 to our pick-up agent/shipper via western union money transfer or money gram transfer for him to be able to offset some customized work on the vehicle and shipping charges While title papers and other necessary documents will be sent by you via courier to us.

Please confirm this and provide name, address and phone number for check payment to be delivered to you via courier services.

Mary

---SAMPLE Text Message (Click to Enlarge)----

How to tell the new phishing scam is fake