on 26-10-2019 03:34 PM - last edited on 26-10-2019 06:33 PM by gewens
I found a listing for a Maxda CX-5 at the following address: REMOVED
It is listed at $5000 and only travelled around 78000kms. I sent a message to email REMOVED and got a response from a Samantha Kelly claiming to be in the Australian Air Force selling the car she was awarded in a divorce settlement. She said she is being deployed and selling car to give money to her mother who is going to be looking after her kids.
She says she has a deal with ebay where they'll ship the car to me for 5 day trial and she won't get the money until I'm satisfied with the car at the end of the 5 days at which point ebay will release to her the money I have paid.
Is this a scam? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
on 26-10-2019 03:41 PM
on 26-10-2019 03:49 PM
on 26-10-2019 03:55 PM
As kopes said - scam.
eBay/Paypal do not use escrow services in Australia. If you pay the money the scammer will get it. It might be put on hold, but that is not where they make the money. It's the shipping that they will require you to pay directly.
26-10-2019 07:03 PM - edited 26-10-2019 07:04 PM
The first time I heard of the "selling the car cheap after a marital break-up" scam was when my old man told me and mum in c.1960; he heard it from a bloke down the pub.
I suspect it was old even then.
on 06-11-2019 01:52 PM
I've had exactly the same story from a Gyna Thomson regarding a Mazda 3. She says she's in the Australian Air Force, divorce settlement, mother looking after her kids, eBay and 5 day trial etc... so I think it's fair to say it's a scam and stay away.
I will be reporting this to Scamwatch.
on 07-11-2019 01:59 PM
just been offered the same car, if it's to good to be tryue 99% of the time it is a scam!
on 04-08-2020 06:52 PM
on 19-08-2020 11:48 AM
I have had 2 of these this week. There must be a lot of divorced RAAF staff being deployed this week that have been awarded custody of their kids that will be staying with the sellers mother lol...... These were both listed in FB Marketplace.
1st one:
Hello,sorry about the late reply busy with work!
on 23-08-2020 11:00 AM
hey i got literally the same email. so is this a scam? damn i nearly bought into the bull**bleep**.