Gumtree Scam.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi to you all out there. I have just been contacted via a Text Message after posting an advert for my Z3 on Gumtree. I could not reply to that message and it came in from Neon.

BE AWARE & BE WARE the name of the scammer is tonycooly@hotmail.com

[Lancsbob]

Why are you selling.

Bob

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Why are you selling.

Bob

Hi Bob. I have been having trouble putting the hardtop on and then removing it again. Since buying the car in May 2014 I am troubled with arthritis in my elbows and left hand and the other half has a damaged right shoulder and is finding it increasingly more difficult to lift and support the weight.

Fitting the hardtop is a two handed job and needs to be done when the opportunity arises and ideally when we have had a dry day with a bit of a breeze to make sure that the Mohair is not damp,friends have offered but it needs doing as and when a window of opportunity arises and sods law - they will not be around to help.

I am seriously contemplating either a BMW 3 series as a 330 Ci albeit an electric soft-top but with a glass rear screen as opposed to the acrylic one in the Z3.
Alternatively it could well be a Mercedes SLK Auto which of course has both a folding metal roof and the rear screen in glass.

My other option is replace the Mohair Hood (it is still OK but 15 years old) and store the hardtop,trolley etc. until I eventually do decide to move it on.

[lightning]

What was the Gumtree scam exactly?

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

What was the Gumtree scam exactly?

Hi lighting. I had put the Z3 onto their site and within 45 minutes I received a text message that read :- Hello is your car on gumtree still available? the condition and service history? reply me back via email tonycooly@hotmail.com

At first you would think :- in a hurry - bad spelling/grammar BUT then I noticed that it had come in from Neon and no way of replying or ringing a number.

I replied but sent it to a wrong E'mail address but still got a reply (it went to .co instead of .com

It said that it was for a present and that he would handle the surcharge set by PayPal,an agent would arrange shipping and that he was a marine engineer and phone calls were restricted and with no means of accessing his on-line back and that the deal would be carried out through an agent once my PayPal details were received,the money would be paid in and that the agent would arrange for collecting the car etc.etc.etc The typical type of scam on both E'bat and Gumtree.

I rang the Lancashire Police and they gave me a number to ring Action Fraud but they are not there until tomorrow morning. Gumtree seemingly does not have a means of contacting them and the reporting procedure is a typical royal run-around.

[BladeRunner919]

What is Neon? Anyway, as you say, it's an obvious scam.

Out of interest, why not just sell the hard top and use the car with the soft top?

[Vince70]

I can see some scam baiting coming on...
Every time in the last couple of years when selling my car I've had one or two of these emails... You can tell them you've stolen the car and its lost its engine and wheels and there's a dead body in the boot and he will still buy it plus tell him the price has gone up by 50% and you want payment in Welsh Dollars...

But honestly if you sold the hardtop this time of the year on its own you will get good money for it.. I've seen hard tops go for a price of a cheap decent BMW then you can buy yourself a winter car with the proceeds....

I think hard tops generally sell between £500 to £800 and I've recently bought an absolutely mint one owner low mileage BMW Ti compact for my daily driver while my Z3 is put away for the winter months and it even has an electric sunroof for if we do get any sunny days and basically it's the same car as the Z3.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

What is Neon? Anyway, as you say, it's an obvious scam.

Out of interest, why not just sell the hard top and use the car with the soft top?

Hi BladeRunner. Neon appears to be a "Gateway" or carrier of text messages but unlike regular text messages it cannot be replied to,it is one way only.

The retaining of the car is one of my options but I am not keen on putting everything back as it was before the hardtop was fitted and besides the hardtop is costing nothing and eating nothing and would/could only appreciate in value as the car gets older.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

I can see some scam baiting coming on...
Every time in the last couple of years when selling my car I've had one or two of these emails... You can tell them you've stolen the car and its lost its engine and wheels and there's a dead body in the boot and he will still buy it plus tell him the price has gone up by 50% and you want payment in Welsh Dollars...

But honestly if you sold the hardtop this time of the year on its own you will get good money for it.. I've seen hard tops go for a price of a cheap decent BMW then you can buy yourself a winter car with the proceeds....

I think hard tops generally sell between £500 to £800 and I've recently bought an absolutely mint one owner low mileage BMW Ti compact for my daily driver while my Z3 is put away for the winter months and it even has an electric sunroof for if we do get any sunny days and basically it's the same car as the Z3.

Hi Vince. I have a car for the bulk of my winter use it is a low mileage Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic,the Z3 is given an outing during the winter just to keep the oils and fluids in circulation and to avoid flat spots on the tyres. I don't have a garage were it can be put up on blocks and polish it up until you can see your face in it - more than usual.

I am well aware of how much the hardtops are fetching and that is even without the genuine and complete fitting kit,wiring loom and switch.