Craigslist Scam Taco

I was messing around on Craigslist browsing through the Tacomas and I found a killer deal on one. The ad is gone now, but It was a Black 2003 Xtracab V6 with a 5 speed and 4X4. I don't remember if it was TRD or not, but it had 73,000 miles and the lady selling it only wanted $2790 for it! I was skeptical but I figured an email couldn't hurt. Anyway here is all of the emails we exchanged:

From me, January 18

I just saw your Toyota Tacoma on Craigslist and I have a few questions about it. How many miles does it have on it? Also, why are you selling it? Is there anything wrong with it?

Thanks
Matt

No reply, sent it again and she replied January 20

Hello,
My car is still available 2003 Toyota Tacoma, 73,700 miles is in great
shape, no engine problems, damages or hidden defects with clear title.
I`m a single mother with 2 children... the car belonged to my late
husband, who rarely drove it. I want to sell it asap because it's
useless to me. I don't have a drivers licence and the kids are too
young to drive. The price is $2.790 and it's final. We will use
sellmycar for our safety because I moved to my mother with my children
in Kalispell, Montana. I will start a case with sellmycar with no
further obligation or fees from you. Have a nice day!
P.S : Please reply only If you agree to my condition and you're a
serious buyer..and I will give you more details

I thought that was a little weird, but hey if the truck's still in KC I can go look at it without them even knowing my last name.
Anyway, here's my reply later that night

Hello Ms. Adams
I am a little confused here. If understand you correctly, the truck is here in Kansas City and you live in Montana? I would be interested in looking at it, but how would I do that? Does this Sellmycar have the truck?
Thanks
Matt

Here's her reply January 21

Thank you for the quick reply, because I moved to my mother with my
children in Kalispell, Montana I had to leave the car in Miami, FL in
the custody of SellMyCar. They will handle the delivery, It will be
delivered with all the papers and you will receive the title along
with the car. The Shipping and all taxes have been payed by me So
that's why the transaction will be made through sellmycar for our
safety protection. You will receive the car and you can test-drive it
for 5 days or do whatever you want with it, except ruining of course.
If you're not happy about the smallest thing about the car you can
send it back to SellMyCar on my expense and you will be refunded. You
make the payment to Sellmycar. After they check the payment they will
start the shipping process. You will receive the car and see that is
ok, you have to announce sellmycar that you have it and accept it.
Only then, sellmycar will send me the money. I will not receive any
money before you will receive the car. In order to start this process
I will need your name and address I will send them to sellmycar and
they will contact you with more information after our details are
processed by their system.

If you decide to buy the car ,please include the following information
in your next email.

1. Ship to name and address ( the complete name and address of the
person receiving the car ).
2. Motor vehicle registration name and address needed for title
transfer, this would be your complete name and physical address (or if
the car is to be registered on someone else's name the name and
address of the registrant is needed).

After this I was out. It's just way too sketchy sounding so I sent her this

Hi Ms. Adams
I apologize, but am going to have to respectfully decline your offer. I have a great truck right now, and I don't believe I could sell it very fast. Having 2 trucks at once is not an option for me. Good luck in finding another buyer
Matt

After all this, I determined that either
1) It's a scam and someone is just posing as this lady to steal an identity or something. That would make sense, because the dead husband would make you think she's just a poor old lady stuck with a truck and feel sorry so you'd buy it. Also would explain the vast distances the truck is from me so I couldn't see it without giving out some personal information.
or
2) This lady is some kind of fugitive (moving to Montana for "her safety") and needs some cash fast for god knows what. Maybe the husband was killed by a rival gang and the bloods are looking for the truck ?
or
3) The truck is hot and she's looking to dump it quick so the cops can take it from me and I'm out 3 grand.

What do you guys think would have become of it? If I would've gone all the way through with it, how would she have robbed me, or was it legit?

Also, if a black Taco show up on your local Craigslist and it's insanely cheap, don't even bother.

 

Doesn't make sense that she hadn't yet opened a profile on sellmycar.com since it's free for sellers...

Has a lot of the usual marks of a scam.

 

nothing new here.. scams on craigslist in every classified category..

 

im looking at the tacoma now on craigs list under fredericksburg VA near where i live the same one you talk about

 

This sh*t is all over the place on craigslist. The title should have said enough!

 

Do a search on Google with the ad title. Same ad will show up all over the country. Scam. They do it with all sorts of stuff, not just vehicles.

 

I guess what I was wondering is what she had planned? Identity theft, drain the account?
Also, unless they are used to dealing with absolute idiots, how would they expect to get enough info out of a person to steal from them?

My guess is she would've said that sellmycar needs a deposit for shipping or something and then away all my money goes...

 

http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/1572026145.html thats crazy cause here is one for a price like that..

 

before i got my taco. I saw a deal like that on craigs list. I forgot the details but it was something like $4800 for a 2 year old truck and it had a really detailed response with a story very similar to yours. I didnt even bother after that and I just left it alone.

 

I've noticed that almost every craigslist scam these days is within a few dollars of $2800. I don't know why thats the magic number but my mother in law was almost scammed on a tractor for $2800, and I came across an obvious scam on a street bike for $2800 on craigslist that the poster immediately withdrew when I emailed him saying I would drive where ever the bike was to check it out.

 

If it's sounds too good to be true.... IT IS!!! No way you buy that Taco anywhere for that price. Even if someone were down on their luck and needed money REALLY bad they would be able to sell it for a lot more with no problem...