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Hermes S.p.A Escrow is a Fraud - beware!

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  • 18-05-2008 11:25pm
    #1
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭


    Not all cars on Carzone and autotrader are what they seem. I nearly got stung for €13000 but extensive research helped me get to the bottom of a flawless scam that we could all fall for.

    http://howdidyoufixit.com/hermes-s-p-a-escrow-is-a-fraud-beware-t165.html

    anyone else looking to buy a honda integra type r 04 MH 8369?

    Please feel free to ask any questions.


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    #2
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    Not all cars on Carzone and autotrader are what they seem. I nearly got stung for €13000 but extensive research helped me get to the bottom of a flawless scam that we could all fall for.

    http://howdidyoufixit.com/hermes-s-p-a-escrow-is-a-fraud-beware-t165.html

    anyone else looking to buy a honda integra type r 04 MH 8369?

    Please feel free to ask any questions.

    No offence, but these just scream scam from the get go.


  • Options
    #3
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    Golden rule number one:

    Always only buy a car that you can actually lay hands and eyes on personally.

    As soon as the seller mentions that he/she (and/or the car) actually is in some foreign country ...just walk away and look elswhere.


    And report the ad to the site where you saw it!


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    #4
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    True, but when you see your dreams in front of you and it seems like you can't lose, you believe you can't.

    howdidyoufixit.com seems a little slow at the moment...


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    #5
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    True, but when you see your dreams in front of you and it seems like you can't lose, you believe you can't.

    Golden rule number two:

    If it looks to be to good to be true ...it usually is :D


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    #6
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    peasant wrote: »
    Golden rule number two:

    If it looks to be to good to be true ...it usually is :D
    not necessarily true as my girlfriend owns a kick ass 2.0 hyundai coupe that she only paid 13k for. It's a 03 with about 3k worth of aftermarket.


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    #7
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    not necessarily true as my girlfriend owns a kick ass 2.0 hyundai coupe that she only paid 13k for. It's a 03 with about 3k worth of aftermarket.
    peasant wrote: »
    Golden rule number two:

    If it looks to be to good to be true ...it usually is :D

    Perfect example of what peasant's talking about. The coupe looks like a sports car but...... :D

    If it looks too good to be true, it usually is. :D


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    #8
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    lol, the 2.0 is a lovely car, and it's quick enough :D

    I just updated the post on howdidyoufixit.com with a screenshot and the original advert of the car:

    http://howdidyoufixit.com/hermes-s-p-a-escrow-is-a-fraud-beware-t165.html


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,621 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    not necessarily true as my girlfriend owns a kick ass 2.0 hyundai coupe that she only paid 13k for. It's a 03 with about 3k worth of aftermarket.

    Aftermarket gear rarely adds any value to a car. Quite often the opposite is true!


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    #10
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Incidentally, these scams tend to be Nigerian based. While the Czech Republic was mentioned in the advert, it could well have been any other country.


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    #11
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    ronoc wrote: »
    Aftermarket gear rarely adds any value to a car. Quite often the opposite is true!
    we're talking alloys and lights, front and rear. you can take them off quite easily and sell them on...


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    #12
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    very good point


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    #13
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    eoin_s wrote: »
    Incidentally, these scams tend to be Nigerian based. While the Czech Republic was mentioned in the advert, it could well have been any other country.

    very good point


  • Options
    #14
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    Just added the document i received from motorcheck.ie which further backed up the 'fact' that this guy was telling the truth...

    http://howdidyoufixit.com/hermes-s-p-a-escrow-is-a-fraud-beware-t165.html


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    #15
    Cionád
    Registered Users Posts: 2,000 ✭✭✭Cionád


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    Just added the document i received from motorcheck.ie which further backed up the 'fact' that this guy was telling the truth...

    http://howdidyoufixit.com/hermes-s-p-a-escrow-is-a-fraud-beware-t165.html

    You might want to take down the document showing your name and address.

    Other scammers might see you as an easy target :p


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    #16
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    How could anyone fall for this?

    In all sincerity it beggars belief that anyone would even consider sending a lot of money away for a car that they've never seen, nor driven.

    p.s. Same applies to an Ebay auction. Huge risks involved.


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    #17
    fletch
    Registered Users Posts: 7,380 ✭✭✭fletch


    Thanks for letting others know but I am shocked that, for even the slightest moment, you fell for this!


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    #18
    S.I.R
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭S.I.R


    how would anyone be this stupid ??


    honestly.... this has to be among the worst scams ever , the guy isnt even making an effort .


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    #19
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    It's all well and good proclaiming that you are wise and know about the tricks, but this is a very good scam, and everything to do with it (down to the actual motorcheck.ie document) corresponds to what the 'seller' was offering...

    And i didn't 'fall' for it as you say, but i did believe it for 2 days. This is an easy scam to fall for and you could be caught too if this post didn't VERIFY that it's a scam...

    There's no point in being a smart-ass know-it-all because great deals on cars DO exist out there.

    Productive comments only from now on please...

    Also for the record, i buy lots of stuff on ebay and it's all exactly what it says on the tin. Even expensive items....


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    #20
    Tails142
    Registered Users Posts: 2,103 ✭✭✭Tails142


    Thinking it was a real deal for 2 days = falling for it

    Hilarious - these scams are well known, fair play for posting up the info but its hardly breaking news.


    Motor check means nothing, I could look out the window, pick a car reg and say I'm selling it, please wire me the funds. What's the motorcheck gonna prove on a car you cant see?


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    #21
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    you see that the car has been off the road for over a year and the import record seems right.

    The only thing that's weird is that it has no tax for the last year but is NCTd til 2010. :s

    These scams are not well known... Give me 3 links to posts where people say this is a scam, and don't use the ones i gave you...


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    #22
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Just three?

    All of these results are from the first page of google results for various searches (car scam / online car fraud etc).

    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7


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    #23
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    you see that the car has been off the road for over a year and the import record seems right.

    The only thing that's weird is that it has no tax for the last year but is NCTd til 2010. :s

    These scams are not well known... Give me 3 links to posts where people say this is a scam, and don't use the ones i gave you...

    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=55776676&postcount=30
    Note that the poster mentions that the HPI check will always come back fine.

    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54276903&highlight=escrow#post54276903

    ^That one's based in Czech Rep. too.

    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=51222048&highlight=escrow#post51222048


    Basically stick in "escrow" in the search forum thing and voila!

    Yes there are bargains to be had but the combination of
    • Insistence on escrow service
    • Unwillingness to meet face to face
    • Seriously undervalued car
    • Selling an Irish regged car from abroad
    • Reluctance to give chassis number
    • Quick sale needed

    would all scream scam to anyone who is even reasonably streetwise.

    On the other hand, they wouldn't be doing this if there wasn't money to be made so there must be some people falling for it. There's a sucker born every minute.


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    #24
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    cheers for the random car fraud links guys.

    Some of them are slightly relevant in fairness, the ones about escrow. It's a simple mistake to make to fall for one of these scams, and i don't care what all you smartasses say, you could have been drawn in too especially when you get a shot at getting close to attaining something that you've longed for for years.

    This exact procedure was unkown to me, and i feel it's very important that everyone in ireland knows that it exists.

    have you guys even read the documents and seen the hermes website?


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    #25
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    ldusoswa wrote: »
    cheers for the random car fraud links guys.

    Some of them are slightly relevant in fairness, the ones about escrow. It's a simple mistake to make to fall for one of these scams, and i don't care what all you smartasses say, you could have been drawn in too especially when you get a shot at getting close to attaining something that you've longed for for years.

    This exact procedure was unkown to me, and i feel it's very important that everyone in ireland knows that it exists.

    have you guys even read the documents and seen the hermes website?

    What do you want us to say, that it's not well known? It is well known. The links I posted were after 2 minutes of googling.

    The only time I would consider buying a car sight-unseen is if it was through a recognised broker or supplier - I don't know how you couldn't have sniffed a rat.


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    #26
    Phaetonman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 284 ✭✭Phaetonman


    It's a simple mistake to make to fall for one of these scams, and i don't care what all you smartasses say,

    Not if you have any cop on. These scams rely on catching out the bottom .1% thickest and most naive of car owners.


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    #27
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    eoin_s wrote: »
    What do you want us to say, that it's not well known? It is well known. The links I posted were after 2 minutes of googling.

    The only time I would consider buying a car sight-unseen is if it was through a recognised broker or supplier - I don't know how you couldn't have sniffed a rat.
    hmmm...

    if it was well known, I, and all whom i spoke with would have known about it. There's a difference between googling something when you know what to look for, and googling the actual facts you get from the seller and the car.

    I DID sniff a rat, and that's why i posted here! i didn't actually get caught but others will. This is a clear cut post showing that this shows typical signs of fraudulant activity, and that's why i posted it. I didn't ask to get any of your advice because i know exactly what you know.

    I continued the conversation (follow the link) to show that this could not work out. For instance, check my last email from 2 days ago... He hasn't emailed back, i wonder why???

    Also, the address i used is not my real address but thanks for pointing it out...


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    #28
    PixelTrawler
    Registered Users Posts: 2,299 ✭✭✭PixelTrawler


    Fair play to you for trying to warn others. Well done ldusoswa.
    Glad you didnt get stung. I'd say you'll think twice next time!


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    #29
    E92
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭E92


    I'm glad the OP posted this for the benefit of us all, but tbh I figured it was a scam when the "seller" said the following:"I am willing to arrange the truck shipping to your address. Shipping will take 15 days maximum. I have managed to obtain a low cost shipping, only € 600 and I presume it would be fair to split the shipping cost so, we'll pay € 300 each. Meaning, that the car and the shipping/handling will cost you € 12.920. I think this is reasonable. Let me know."

    It is fairly widespread really. I assumed that the OP then decided to take the seller for a ride though after that and played him at his own game(which is what I would have done) though.


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    #30
    ldusoswa
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭ldusoswa


    exactly...

    I think i asked the right questions and it shows the responses. That's what i want to do here, and i hope it saves someone's dreams from being crushed...


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