I hate scammers: low life scum.

I’m calling you out Patrick501854.

Turns out the girl was looking for a used car and found this add for a 2005 Acura caught her eye. Why not, a car that should book out at 15k selling for 3500, loaded, 1,200 rims. Sounds to good to be true right? Well guess what... it is.

After an inquiry, the “seller” replied:

Subject: Re: Acura TL

Hello,
I'm writing you regarding my Acura TL. The car is still for sale. My asking price for the car is $3500. The car is currently located in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is a 2005 model loaded with everything including DVD Navigation, Wood Grain trim, Camel color leather interior and handsfree link & bluetooth telephone. The exterior is a rare Acura Abyss Blue Pearl. The car has AEM Polished Aluminum Cold Air Intake. Currently the car has 84,250 miles, it is very well maintained, it has just been completely serviced. The engine runs very good and the automatic transmission shifts perfectly. The tires are Goodyear Eagle F1 Tires that are nearly new. The beautiful wheels are 19" Chrome Zenetti Duece. I'm selling the car because I don't have time to enjoy it due to my job (i work as a casino dealer on a cruise ship) plus that I have some financial problems and I need money very soon. I have to tell you that I'm currently at work and I left the car in Little Rock at the shipping company, it is already packed and waiting to be shipped anywhere. If you decide to purchase it, you will receive all the documents of the car (owner's manuals, keys, clear title, bill of sale) in order to register it under your name. Regarding the payment, I will use only eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection program. If you are interested, this is how eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection program works:
1. You send me your full name, complete address (I need for shipping) and your phone number.
2. I open a transaction with eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection.
3. eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection will contact you with an invoice regarding our transaction.
4 You will send the payment to eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection and they will notify me to ship the vehicle to your location.
5. After you will inspect/drive the vehicle and decide to keep it, eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection will forward me the funds and the deal is done.
Basically, eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection will secure the funds until you will receive and inspect the car. You will have 5 days inspection period. If the vehicle is not like described, you will have to ship it back on my expense and they will give you a full refund. This way, you will be able to inspect the vehicle before committing to buy it and I know that you have the money and you aren't just fooling around. I will wait your reply.
Thank you!
Patrick

Thankfully, she asked us to look at this and these were my red flags:

Car is priced to good to be true (rims alone are worth 1200)

Blue book is 13-18k by my estimates. (also similar cars for sale in that price range)

Seller is conveniently not around (cruise ship casino dealer, really?)

His conditions are too good to be true.

He says he wants to use ebay vehicle purchase protection but this car is not for sale on ebay, but per their own website this is not correct.

Seller says car is in Arkansas but selling a car in mlive.com?

Add was posted on 3/5 and this “super deal” has no been swept up yet.

eBay vehicle purchase protection does not work like he has said in his email

Then I found *this*.

So I guess it really is Caveat emptor. It pays to be skeptical and my suspicious nose sometimes pays off. I guess we were lucky, we were not too greedy to see the signs, but I wonder how many people he got (or will get) to send money. In the end I did all I could: I reported this as possible scam.