More eBay Scams – 1968 Mustang

This story appeared in the Haywood (NC) County News. Instead of receiving a candle-apple red 1968 Mustang from a seller on eBay, a Haywood County man got taken for $5,000.

Police are trying to track down the money the man, a Canton resident, wired by way of MoneyGram to a supposed eBay representative in San Jose, Calif. on March 13 and March 17.

The man originally bid on the car on what he thought was an official eBay site. He was not the highest bidder when the auction ended, but later received an email that said the winner backed out of the deal and the seller wanted to know if he was still interested.

After a few more email exchanges the Canton man and the seller settled on a price of $5,000.

The man told police that he contacted eBay for instructions on purchasing a vehicle and later found out that the instructions he received by email were not official eBay instructions. The man agreed to send a first installment of $2,500 to San Jose, and after confirmation of the wire, the seller would begin the shipping process, according to a police report on file at the Canton Police Department.

The victim then received another email instructing him to submit the final installment, and he would then receive the shipping information. He sent the final payment in on March 17 and has not heard back from the seller since then.

The man called eBay and found out that the car he bid on was not listed on an official eBay site. Canton police also contacted MoneyGram to get information about who received the $5,000, but a company representative told investigators that the information was confidential and could not be released. – by Jennifer Uhl-Ford, STAFF WRITER (Haywood County News)

Be sure to read our FordMuscle Editors Corner into internet automotive scams and how to avoid them.