I was just looking through craigslist and saw a 2005 jaguar for a crazy low price. When I saw the pics I realized I have seen this car before. It sold recently on ebay and lucky me I still had it saved.

What do you guys think?
Is it a scam?
How do I report it?
Nice!!@#@!##2005 JAGUAR S TYPE V-8 Model 4.2 LITER

Jaguar : S-type - eBay (item 170608368282 end time Mar-04-11 09:36:01 PST)

 

These ads are on literally every single craigslist city. Usually there are a dozen or more as they do the same with boats, electronics etc. Just flag it and move on. If you want to have fun just create a bogus e-mail address and mess with them.

 

I saw several of those when I was looking last year. One was from a guy living on base and was being deployed to Iraq and had to sell quick. Too damn quick ...

Once I asked some pertinent questions that were going to lead to his unmasking the ad disappeared and there was no further contact.

Lots of crooks out there. How do they live with themselves?

 

I live about an hour from Charleston WV. I may respond to it just for laughs. I bet I'll get an answer back that the car is actually in Guam or some such nonsense.

Mike

 

Wow, Can I order 5 in different colors?

That happens on Cragilist all the time.. One guy was selling a "2000 Jaguar S-Type R" Wow... It had a Big S-Type R sticker on the top of Wind Screen and price was ~$9000...

I sent him a message just of laughs and asked if Jaguar Made one special R for him in 2000 or that big *** sticker makes it an R? And how he justifies the price?

As expected, I never got a reply back...

Read them and have some fun nothing more

 

Watch out for a guy that goes by: Mike Barson, aka Michael Charles Barson, aka Mike Charles, etc.
Based out of Florida. Guy buys cars at auction, replaces the VIN on cars that have been parted and resells pieced together cars as the original on eBay and Craig's List. Problem is that you've already bought the car and had it delivered by the time you find out. Make sure you match the Serial Numbers and buy reputable.
Here is a link to his business it is in his wife's name:

www.sunbiz.org - Department of State

This guy is a pro con-artist. Here is a link to one case where he went to federal prison:

72 F.3d 128: United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Michael C. Barson, A/k/a Dusty Rhodes, A/k/a Skip Town,a/k/a Michael Charles, A/k/a Bill Daley,defendant-appellant :: US Court of Appeals Cases :: Justia

If you have doubts just google the guys name and see how many court cases come up. This dude has been caught ripping off old ladies to the tune of over 20k.

Also if you want to see the car he will send you nice photoshopped pics but if you want to see it in person it is in his garage and he is always out of town. Apparently his wife is in on it too because she's never home either.

Also if you decide to pick the car up in person he will have someone who claims to be his "son" pick you up at the airport because he is out of town and have you drop him off just up the road. By the time you realize you were had its way too late. Get in line to collect from this guy. He has bigger fish to fry than you.

Another trick he uses on eBay is going on and buying a number of low cost items with a new account to get his rating high to look reputable. That way you feel it is trustworthy. This guy knows because he sets up multiple accounts in other business names and when he is finally caught lying or Shill-bidding they shut it down and he moves on to the next. Always look at the items in someone's history. It can tell you alot.

I have spoken with a Doctor in Mass. and another gentleman in Florida who have been "had" by this guy.

I hope this post helps people to see how important trust is. Make sure you do your research. Also if you have been taken by this dude please pm me.
Thanks,
AJ

 

The best I saw was the mid 90's "AMG BRABUS PRESIDENTIAL EDITION MERCEDES S500" I emailed the guy and told him there was no such thing, and he told me I was stupid and didnt know ***** etc.

He also insisted that it was bulletproof because it had the standard w140 chassis double pane windows. He wanted like 16k for a 6k car LOL.

Take care,

George

 

Hey George, You didn't ask or he offered to test this before you buy it?

Thanks,
Rizwan

 

FWIW, I saw a couple rediculous ads right here in the classifieds.

 

I'm with you on that one, but I've learned to keep my mouth shut cause apparently the most cocky people seem to get their feathers ruffled the easiest...

Take care,

George

 

Those can be quietly reported to a moderator via PM.

 

Last month, I got the hots for an XK convertible of 2008 vintage.
Went on the Autotrader and found a private party..very rare...as
the majority of these cars are leased, turned back in after the lease
period, and sent to auction. That's why 100% of the Jags you see
at Jag dealers are picked up at auction; don't believe that? Check
the CarFAX reports and you'll find everyone was purchased at auction.
Same thing with Texascarsdirect.com.

Anyway, I called this guy and he sent me additional photos, etc. His
story? He was a retired GM dealer from the mid-west who had moved
to California, had a wholesalers licence, and picked up cars from time
to time to help supplement social security. Yeah, O.K. The price was
not bad for a 27,000 mile car; about 10 grand under what a dealer
would ask. It was the color combo I wanted so I called him and
indicated I would be down the next weekend to look at, and possibly
purchase the vehicle.

Head up my derriere time...his ad stated the car had a Jag certified
warranty to 100,000 K. That should have been the tip off; only a
Jag dealer can certify the car, and, he had purchased it at auction.
I asked if it had any damage, had both keys, all manuals, etc. and
he assured me no, yes, and yes. He also told me the car was previously
owned by a lady in SoCal. Details, details; the mark of a good con.

Off I flew to John Wayne airport in SoCal. I'm an airline pilot, so travel
costs me zip. I get to the airport, and he picks my up in an aging Caddy.
We get to his apartment and there sits the XK. From about 100 ft away,
not bad. The closer I got, the worse it looked. He excused himself to
go to his apartment to get the key. I did a walk around noticing curb
rash on all four wheels, and, get this, the right rear quarter was repainted
replete with grinder marks in the finish, and, the bozos who did the work
didn't use metallic paint...just tried to match as close as possible.

I opened the glove compartment. Surprise, suprise, no manuals! Here
comes the best part; the idiot had left the receipt from the Mannhiem
auction in the glove compartment indicating he had paid $36,050 for the
car plus an auction fee of $425. He was asking $43,900.

I closed the compartment before he returned. At that point, I was ready
to have him drive me back to the airport. Out of curosity, when he
returned, I asked him to activate the top. While doing so, I noticed about
3 inches of water in the top compartment. When I pointed this out to
him, he feigned no idea how the water could have got there except
that "he had just washed it". I pointed out the repaint and grind marks
in the aluminum rear quarter. "Geez, I never noticed that before", says
he. A con man will lie like a rug, and, when you call him/her on it, get
upset as if you are attacking his/her integrity.

On the way back to the airport, he reduced the price 2 grand, then
3 grand, and, before I stepped out of his car, the price went down
another 4 grand. Heck, for 4 grand I could have that rear quarter
repainted, get the curb rash on all four wheels fixed, buy another
key and manuals, etc., sez he. High end vehicles that have sustained
damage are a bitch to resell.

The car is still listed on Autotrader; however, he did take out the
reference to it being a Jag Certified Vehicle.

 

My feeling exactly George. I've been hanging around forums long enough and don't care to get in pissing matches.

Plum, nothing fraudulent to report just rediculous. What I get a kick out of is when some obvious junk is advertised for 4 times what it's worth and the person keeps bumping it to the top like someone is eventually going to be stupid enough to buy it. That's all I'm gonna say.

LOL, I just realized you referenced a rooster and feathers in the same sentence.

 

As expected, a total scam. I got this response after some queries:

At least it wasn't in Guam.

 

Read the same scam for tractors and 4-wheelers on E-Bay and Craigslist.

 

I am looking at C4 Corvettes on ebay. One is in Florida a clean 95 with low miles that I would expect to bring at least 9 grand here. So the guy has a starting bid of $3500 and buy it now of $7200.00!! So I send a message asking why so cheap, what's the catch? He responds that he started it low but has a reserve and he's new to ebay. OK so I go to look at the ebay listing again and the buy it now is gone. So I ask him what happened to the buy it now. He repeats that he is new to ebay and listed the reserve wrong. But he says he will sell me the car at $7200 if I want it. BTW, his seller score is 0. I'm thinking he made a mistake and posted his reserve as buy it now and I drew his attention to it.

So anyhow, Lauries sister lives an hour a way from the car and we figure they could check it out for us. Guy says no problem, have them call me. Freely provided his phone# and the address. Says he has a bunch of Corvettes and couple boats and his wife says he has to get rid of one of each. So it seems kinda strange but maybe he just doesn't know how to sell very well. He's not asking for any money up front and is willing to have my people inspect it.

If it pans out I was thinking of sending the money to her sister and have them collect the car & title till we get there. Does this sound reasonable or have I lost my mind?

 

There's nothing inherently bad or good about buying a car seen on eBay. No different than finding in the classified ads, an ad on the supermarket board or in Auto Trader. Is it a gamble buying anything sight unseen and especially something old(er) and used.

Have somebody knowledgeable inspect it and if it checks out, go for it.

 

Yeah, they are gearheads so I think they know what to look for. They were into dragracing and have an airboat so they know about toys. Actually Laurie's sister had a black S type but it got wrecked. She is knowledgeable enough to know the shop did a lousy job and she got rid of it. The husband was concerned about the paint and upholstery. Down there it better live in a garage or it gets burned up.

BTW, I just noticed that you can order an independent inspection through ebay. $130.00 I think that could be money well spent if you don't have someone in the area.

 

I have a feeling ^that guy doesnt like Michael Barson. Why would I want to contact him if he is a con man?