Overhaulin'

trying to sell a car and avoid scammers...advise?

Hi, my husband and I are trying to sell his Acura on craigslist and Vehix. This is the first time we have ever tried to sell anything online. We get email responses of people saying that they are to busy to come look at the car or some excuse and that they are satisfied w/ the posting and they will send a mover and a cashiers check or regular check to us and pick up the vehicle. Is this a scam? They request all of our info like what state zip code address and all that and say they want the car?? and some of them sound foreign because they don't spell words correctly in english. Can anyone offer any advise please. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. YES ITS A SCAM. Anytime they say they cant come look at it or would you take a cashier check or are out of state/foreign. do not respond
2. whoever it is that is planning on buying your car, you will have to MAKE them come to pick it up themselves. There should be preferably a cash transaction when you sign the title over, and if they are genuinely interested in BUYING your car, then they would want to inspect it first... almost nobody buys a car from a private seller without inspecting it.. keep that part in mind. Attach a phone number to the listing, and have people call you. If they are not willing to come get the car themselves, forget about them... Personal hand-to-hand transactions are the only way to avoid a scam.
3. Just tell them that they can have the car when the check clears with their bank. Usually the scammers will be on their way. I would have thought you would have had better luck just advertising locally.
4. Yes, don't even bother responding to any BS responses about someone having their "shipping agent" come pick up the car. Require cash or a cashiers check drafted at the buyer's bank in your presence.