Many people are trying various scams on Autoscout and Autozone by stating they sell a car that in reality does not exist. The cars are usually fairly new, have low odometer readings, have many options and are very cheap - so it looks like a deal of a lifetime. One common story is that a person was living/working in Europe and have now moved to the UK together with their car. They have to sell it because the car is a left hand steering wheel car which is opposite to those used in the UK. However, the car is either with a shipping company already or will be shipped to you in 2-3 days. The catch is that you must first make a deposit to this shipping company by Money Gram or by Western Union. After the deposit the car will be sent to you. They make this sound attractive because they:
1. will pay all shipping expenses
2. give you 5-10 days to inspect the car
3. If after this time you do not like the car, then the shipping company will return it after they return your deposit in cash.
However, do not try to make a meeting with them. Even if you are in the same city they claim to be in, a deposit is required with the shipping company for you to see the car. Suggestions of not going through the shipping company which will save the expenses of the owner in shipping the car to your doorstep do not work. They either stop communicating with you or state that deposit is required before seeing the car. Very often an address is not given, or if it is then it is false or does not exist or is of a legitimate company with a name very similar to the one they give.
Some examples of fraudsters on these 2 sites are:
[Martin Kunnst (marku@live.com)] [Address: 22 Jermyn St, St James's, London, England, SW1Y 6HL United Kingdom]
[William Trogdon (don1cars@googlemail.com)]
[Mariam Chahrour (abcdeef72@gmail.com & wendt.w@gmx.de)]
[Michael H. (Michael221175@gmx.de)]
[Esther Alfano (ealfano1921@hotmail.com)]
[Ana Rusty (ana-rusty@live.com & Patragon-Ellena66@112-auto.com)]
[Michael Meier (michael.meier@hotmail.com)]
[Lisandro Hernanes (lisandro.hernanes77@hotmail.com & sancoodon34@gmail.com)]
[Martin Fletcher (martinfletcher0@yahoo.com & foder05@gmail.com & http://mdhtransport.com)]
[Amelie Van Borren (vanamelie@live.fr)]
[Mark Tender (lovinu78much9@yahoo.com)]
[Cars Europe International Customer Service (europecarsdealer@live.com & http://www.europecarsdealer.co.uk.tt)]
[dnlcolins01@googlemail.com]
However, this list is incomplete. New fraudsters are appearing on Autoscout 24 and Autozone daily. But by keeping people aware and up to date, hopefully less and less fraudsters will appear on these sites to give honest sellers and buyers a chance to do some legitimate and safe business.
I try to update the list when I can. If anybody wants to add names feel free to. Updates are placed at the bottom of this post.
Good sites to visit to check if some sites a fraudulent are: http://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php AND http://www.domaintools.com/
Other fake names:
pkwhandle@gmail.com
STEVE.THOMPSON89@YAHOO.COM
Hanrry-Ukerpoll@112-auto.com (a.k.a. Ana Rusty)
versace [versacemaribelle@yahoo.fr] 75001 (Paris) tel: +33(F) 6791/00656
SPARKS CARS LIMITED [sparks.car.ltd@googlemail.com & kfz.auto@web.de] [Company Number: 03417287, Address: 39 Sackville Road Hove, East Sussex BN3 3WD United Kingdom]
Secure Cargo Ltd. [secargo@gmx.com & Secure-Cargo.uk.pn] - Agent Name: Luke Stevens [Address: 26, St. John St, London EC1M 4AY, United Kingdom]
kfz-verkauf@web.de
http://www.car-delivery-systems.co.uk
Mr. Tony Castan,117 Crawford St, W1H2JL London, United Kingdom
thomasrichert93@hotmail.de
Tyberiu.Andros@web.de
gio.leo_yvo@yahoo.de
Nandini Leer [Nandini_leer@web.de] [21 Euston Road, N6 AP London, United Kingdom]
info@team-autoscout24.com [this is a fake company trying to imitate AutoScout24]
Doug F. Chambers
Alex Sankte (5 Hanover Street London W1S 1YH United Kingdom) [axsankte@yahoo.com & akoland7@gmail.com] use company: Cargus Mediteranea (PVT) LTD <support@cargus-mediteranea.com>
William Trogdon [verkauf.auto@web.de & williamtrogdon73@yahoo.de] - this guy is also mentioned above (don1cars@googlemail.com)
William Trog (Trogcars) trogcars@googlemail.com (same as above) also uses company: Autoscout24 Shipping <autoscout24-ship@safe-mail.net>
lkwhandle@gmail.com - asks for WU money transfer to yourself
Best Cars [besttt.cars@googlemail.com] & asd fsd [bestt.cars@gmail.com] - Gioner Rashid 481 Cambridge Road, London UK SW6 1NG
uses: DHL Transports LTD (or) DHL Express (or) DHL Transport INC [www.dhl-mover.com] & [www.dhltran.com]
IRINEL DOBOS (DHL Transports LTD Payment Agent) - 210 Ealing Road, Wembley London UK HAO 4QG - IBAN: GB16 BARC 2096 6043 7141 36; BIC/SWIFT: BARCGB22; ACC #: 437 141 36; SORT CODE: 20-96-60; BANK NAME: Barclays
William Trogdon (TrogCars Limites) is now also using autogmbh@web.de - this person is mentioned several times above using several different email addresses.
Shipping Company: Autos Scout (autosscout@yahoo.com), also refered to as: autoscout24.de International GMBH, 30 Leichester Square, London WC2H 7LA, United Kingdom
Payment Agent: Anton Thompson, 30 Leichester Square, London WC2H 7LA, United Kingdom
Rudi Fisch <rudifisch1977@googlemail.com> tel: 00447833026951 (probably a call forwarding number) - ask to send money to yourself by WU and meet in Bergamo after proof of payment.
Alvin Akins <akalvin00@yahoo.it> <likgvgb@googlemail.com> tel: 00447789835562 - exact same story (word for word including grammar and spelling! except for telephone) like Rudi Fisch so probably the same scammer.
Euro Mobile Enterprises Ltd (europe.mobile.ltd@googlemail.com) & (euromobileenterprises@googlemail.com) - Company No: 05803237. Tel.0044 703 188 9958; Fax.0044 870 471 6507
Louis Stewart ( Sales Manager ), Address: 94 New Bond Street, London, W1S 1SJ, United Kingdom
- These people ask to send money to yourself via MoneyGram. New twist to the scam: Repossessed cars sold cheap due to world economic crisis
Jessica Pendi (jesicapen@googlemail.com) Tel. 00447747592864 (Same story as Rudi Fisch/Alvin Akins involving sending money to yourself by WU to Bergamo)
Chris Tichet (chris.t917@yahoo.de)
Pkw Handler / PkwAutoHandler (pkwautohandler@googlemail.com) and (PkwAutoHandler@gmail.com) : Wants transfer of money (deposit) by WU or bank but then says there are problems so only by WU.
Uses fake ID: UK Passport Number: 027282397, Name: Frederic Holsen (although in the passport Holsen is the given name, Frederic is the surname)
Martin Hudson (martinhudson0@yahoo.com) & (ager09@gmail.com). Uses company: UB Transport Ltd (http://ubltduk.web.officelive.com)
jules bodart (jls.bodart@hotmail.com) Tel: +33178401923. Uses company: http://www.vala-transit.com (must contact company at: valatransit@hotmail.com) but the site is not working. Advertises on autozone.be. Claims to have a Belgian car and to be in Spain, but the number he gives if French. Speaks French and English
Steve Taylor (autode100@gmail.com) & (steve.taylor809@hotmail.com). Uses company: http://uktb.web.officelive.com/ (although web site not working at the moment)
15.05.09 Update:
David Griggs (davidgriggs00@yahoo.co.uk) & (auto153@gmail.com). Uses company: http://expressdeliveryltd.auto.officelive.com
NB: Some scammers are now only supplying telephone numbers and don't communicate through email. This is still a scam so be careful! Do not send money.
NB:
DO NOT SEND MONEY BY WU OR MG! ASK TO PICK UP THE CAR AND GIVE A DEPOSIT. IF THEY DON'T GIVE YOU AN ADDRESS OR DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BEFORE DEPOSIT IS PAID THEN THEY ARE NOT GENUINE!!!
DO NOT AGREE TO SEND MONEY TO YOURSELF AND THEN SEND A COPY OF THE RECEIPT!!! FAKE ID's ARE EASY TO MAKE AND YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MONEY!!!!!
CHECK WHERE EMAIL COMES FROM TO DETECT FALSE NAMES.
IF SELLER ASKS YOU ONLY CONTACT THEM BY EMAIL ON PICTURES OR ONE PROVIDED AND NOT THROUGH AUTOSCOUT, THEN THIS IS MOST LIKELY A SCAM!!!! BEWARE