Over the years I've bought and sold a lot of bikes, cars, and trucks. Back in the day classified adds, then Auto Trader, now there's a local internet sight that allows a free listing - with a few offers to upgrade for $$.
The past 2 years as soon as I list something I'll get a text from PA or NY, asking condition, bottom price. Yes they are SCAMS. I got burned buying on Ebay, for a Night Train, but eventually got my money back.
I don't sell on Ebay and to date haven't shipped anything. I have to have CASH in hand or a Certified check that has cleared before property and titles swap hands.
Have any of you seen the same, been scammed, or busted a scammer?

 

I haven't been involved in any scams, but back when I was searching for my Fatboy last year on craigslist, I would always sort the results by price from highest to lowest, or refine the search to show only within my price range. Anyway, regardless of what area I searched, there were these same bikes with the same pictures that kept showing up for about $2000.00. They were usually 2011-2014 models and they were always photographed in front of the same brick building.

 

I recently started with Craigslist to sell a motorcycle but started receiving scams. I pulled the add and placed it on Cycletrader. No scammers contacted me and I sold the bike pretty quickly with no issues. I always meet with the buyer. I have never tried to sell a vehicle over the internet.

Phil

 

How did you get scammed on ebay ?
Curious cause I've looked at bikes on ebay,but cautious.

 

Every Time I've listed something on egay or craiglist the scammers come out like fly's to a watermelon, I hustled harley stuff at swap meets for a living for a couple years in the midwest during the old school pre evo days so my bullshit meter is very sensitive, no problems for me sorting them out quick.

 

I don't know if I'm lucky or not but I've never been scammed on anything I've bought or sold online. I recently sold a Softail tank and fenders to a young guy who lived over 100 miles away. He was going to custom paint and sell them. I had to leave so I left the stuff on the porch and told him to leave the money under the mat. When I got home the parts were gone and the money was there.

 

I'm with Twizted on this one. I've seen them as both buyers, and sellers. I can tell right away what's real and what isn't. It's the world we live in.

 

Only got scammed once, I tried to buy a G-body dash from a member on a car forum. I sent the money and he disappeared. $100 lesson..

 

Went through a similar experience.
Buyer sent a certified check, said to cash it immediately (which was a Friday) & his son would pick up the bike over the weekend.
Got the check and it was made out for the wrong amount. Actually $500 more than the agreed upon price. I called the buyer and he said he made a mistake, just give his son the $500 in cash when he picked up the bike. He really wanted to get the deal done during the weekend. Little alarms went off in my head. So I told the buyer I was going to be out of town over the weekend, and he could pick up the bike & the money at the end of the following week or the next weekend. Never heard from the buyer again.
Long story short, the certified check was a fake. Looked real. Bank deposited the amount in my checking account. About 4 days later they notified me the check was a fake. The bank & account the certified check was drawn on did not exist. It was just a good fake print job, including the routing numbers.
If things had gone according to the buyer's plan, he would have got a Harley for free, plus $500 in cash.
Beware, even with the so-called certified checks. They still have to clear, which is something I misunderstood. I thought being certified meant the funds were there, being held for this check, check was automatically good and a done deal. Not so.