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

Getting unwanted calls about your Cars.com Ad?

Are you a Cars.com customer who’s been getting calls about other services? We’ve been hearing increased complaints from customers who are getting unwanted calls from our competitors or other companies offering services.

A few things to know:

1. Cars.com does not share or sell any of your information. These companies get your information just like any shopper does – by searching on our site
2. Legally, this is nearly impossible to stop. This practice has its long term roots in classified advertising, where some one advertising source would call the numbers listed in another advertising source to solicit these customers for ads.
3. You can always say NO and asked to be taken off their list
4. It’s still a legal gray area (unfortunately) whether these companies are required to check to see if your number is on the national Do Not Call Registry. If you are on the list you certainly can file a complaint here https://www.donotcall.gov/Complain/ComplainCheck.aspx. To get on the Do Not Call Registry, click here: https://www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx.

If you are considering doing business with one of these companies

1. Check out ripoffreport.com. Several of the companies that call our customers are featured prominently on this site.
2. Be weary of any company that promises to have a buyer for your car – if it were that easy you already would have sold your car!
3. Know the true market value of what you’re purchasing. If the company is promising to advertise your car in several spots, be sure what they are charging is close to the actual cost of the ads.

Scam: Seller is a model

In last week's post, titled "The lengths scammers will go . . ." we discussed some of the stories that scammers create to make their situations seem more believeable. We've received some reports from customers of a new lie that scammers are using. Claiming to be models, we've seen some emails from scammers stating that their careers of photoshoots causes them to travel and need to sell their car on short notice (why they are allegedly offering an unbelievable deal).

Again, we aren't saying never do business with a person who claims to be a model, but we are selling remember the Cars.com safe selling tips if a buyer or seller's story makes you skeptical.

Email About Privacy Policy Changes?

(click to see larger image)

This is a "phishing" attempt to gain access to your account. If you receive this email, simply delete it. If you've already entered your information here, email reportascam@cars.com. Your financial information is not in jeopardy. Our customer service team will help you.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Did You Receive an Email Stating You Have Unread Inquiries?

Did it look like this?

(click to see larger image)

This is a "phishing" attempt to gain access to your account. If you receive this email, simply delete it. If you've already clicked on the links and logged into your account, email reportascam@cars.com. Your financial information is not in jeopardy. Our customer service team will help you.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Actual Fraud Email

Here's an actual fraud email sent to a Cars.com seller: Thanks for the email. I am interested and would be willing to buy it at that price ($3,500). I have an International shipping agent that will come pick it up from your (HOUSE) and ship to me. I will arrange for payment by sending your full name, address, state, city, ZIP code, country, telephone no./mobile no to my client in the states who is owing me the amount of ($8,000) to issue you a check for this amount, which is a refund for a cancelled order I placed with him, and being a refund the amount can only be written on a single check. I know it is more than the (car) price but after getting the check, I need you to cash it and deduct cost of the (car), then do me a favor of wiring the remaining balance to my international shipper via Western Union. I will also compensate you with ($50) for removing the advert from the net. After this is done and he gets the money, he will then pick it up from your residence and ship to me. So, confirm this and send your full name and address including phone number for mailing the check payment to you as soon as possible. Waiting for your urgent reply, Kind regards. John

Questions or concerns?  Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

FTC Tips to Avoid Scams!

The Federal Trade Commission offers the following tips to avoid scams:

• Confirm the buyer's name, street address and telephone number.
• Don't accept a check for more than the selling amount.
• Consider alternative methods of payment such as an escrow or online payment service.
• If you accept a check, insist on one drawn on a local bank or a bank with a local branch.
• If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
• If a buyer attempts to pay with a winning check from a foreign lottery, end the transaction immediately.
• Resist pressure from the buyer to act immediately. An offer good today should be good after the check clears.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Certified Check Scams

According to the U.S. Secret Service, which enforces federal laws related to counterfeiting, certified check scams cost consumers $100 million a year.

How they work:

1. A buyer shows interest in buying the car and says a cashier's check will be issued for payment.
2. At the last minute, the so-called buyer comes up with a reason to write the check for significantly more than the asking price and requests the seller to wire the difference.
3. The checks are often such convincing fakes that the seller wires the money immediately after his or her bank clears the check.
4. In a week or so, the check turns out to be counterfeit, and the bank requires the car seller to cover the money for the phony check.

The checks are of such good quality that they often fool bank personnel who study them, says Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. "Victims think the cashier's check or corporate check must be good when the bank gives them the money. But several days later they learn the check is a fake, and they're out both the item they sold and the full face value of the counterfeit check." In Idaho, even a deputy attorney general was duped by such a ploy.

If you're a victim of one of these scams, contact your local authorities immediately.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Safe Selling Tips

Advice for Sellers

Dealing locally is best.

The safest way to deal is in person and face to face. Be wary if the seller only wants to communicate via e-mail. Be more wary if the buyer is currently out of the country or resides overseas or far from where the vehicle is located. Be extremely wary if the seller flat out refuses to talk on the phone or claims they cannot talk on the phone.

Avoid complicated payment schemes.

Be suspicious of a payment process that involves many steps. One popular scam involves sending you a cashier's check for more than the purchase amount and asking you to wire the difference back to the buyer. These cashier's checks are almost always counterfeit and your bank will hold you liable. Any overpayment you wire back to the buyer will come directly out of your pocket.

Verify payment.

Do not transfer title of your vehicle to the buyer until the buyer's check has cleared or you have otherwise received full payment for your vehicle. You should always verify the authenticity of any cashier's or certified check with the issuing bank. Do not rely on the phone number printed on the check; look it up yourself. The bank can verify its routing number, describe the specific security features of its checks and even verify that there are sufficient funds to cover the check. Never accept a check for more than your asking price.

Use a legitimate escrow service.

Only use a real, reliable escrow service that you designate, not the buyer. Cars.com recommends Escrow.com. If you decide to use another escrow site, be aware that most escrow sites on the Internet are fraudulent. Research a service well before sending any money.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.