I recently had listed my Customized 07 Scion TC Turbo on sale on craigslist in Chicago about 2 weeks ago. I got plenty of calls and plently of potential buyers willing to purchase my car. So one potential buyer calls me from Miami that had alot of intrest in my car. So we agreed on a price of 14K that was contingent upon wheter or not he liked my car. He also asked me if I could write the car as a gift by putting $0 on the Bill Of Sale and the Title so he could avoid paying sales taxes in Florida. He said that this is a general legal procedure which people follow when doing a private sale this would help him save money by not paying taxes since he is paying his travel expenses to see my car. I talked to my tax advisor and he said this was fine and I can also deduct this sale off my taxes. So last thursday the buyer flew into Chicago to pick up my car. He gave me a Pentagon Federal Credit Union Auto Loan Check for 14K in which I went to my bank to verify funds. My bank said the funds were good and its basically a Certified Cashiers Check. So I gave the buyer a Bill Of Sale and IL Title with $0 on it, and he drove back to Miami. So I go to my bank today and they tell me the 14K PFCU Auto Loan check had a stop payment issued on it. We called PFCU, and they said they issued a stop payment because the buyer told them he lost the check so they voided the check and issued him a new one. So I call the buyer today and no answer. Am I screwed ? I think I might have to go down to Miami and pay him a visit. It appears that I am out of my money and car since I dont have any funds. Is their anything I can do legally ? I think my car is stolen. Please help.

 

Help Anyone ?

 

damn... did you try the cops?

 

i hope you got this guys real information and if so make sure the cops are waiting for him in miami...otherwise without his info your car could be anywhere and i think you are screwed

 

Cops wont help, bc i signed my title, and gave him a bill of sale. So they say car is not stolen. I cannot report it stolen.

 

Whoa... yeah looks like you just got scammed hardcore... With some effort and time you should be able to recover the car or the money. Court is the only thing that will solve this. Also possibly the FBI Fraud division.

 

i would go with FBI fraud division tell him the story and what that bastard did... i hope you get your money or the car back.

 

yea, hope all the info you got from him was legit, if i was selling a car i would only accept cash on the spot and one of those markers to make sure the money was real.

 

That really sucks. Sorry to hear that.
Just out of curiosity, if you varified funds before you signed the title over, why didn't you just deposit it at the same time?

 

wow... this is sux... could you include a pics? if i see the car i will kick the drivers ___!

 

cops can help because of the fraudulent check.

 

It's a pretty common scam. You should have cashed the check prior to delivering the car, and you should have put the full sale amount on the title.

I feel for you, but this was a fully executed con-job. This is why you can't trust anyone these days. Sad...

Hope you got his information, but if he's a con artist, that was probably fake too.

You can try to go after the bank to honor the check, but that's a long shot. As for going after him, like you said, he's got a bill of sale for $0 dollars signed by you. He owes you nothing.

-THE DON

 

yup got to FBI, you still have that number and with his account.. serious scam right there should take it to court

 

Im going back to my bank now.

 

Holy sh*t.. you need a lawyer - you DONT want to loose this one, this isnt one of those- I can do it by myself jobs.

 

keep us updated.. man, i've heard a lot of scams on craiglist

 

Dude, Listen. You need to act fast. Report this ASAP. Make sure you get a copy of the cancelled check. Acouple of things might have happend. One, This guy took your car to a chop shop, and your car is no more, otherwise he might leave it as is and try to register in in his home state. If the vehicle and the guy are found you might be able to take him to court. (Where he can always argue that you gave it to him as a gift) (Otherwise you can use the cancelled check to help prove your case.) Otherwise if never found you might be out of luck.

 

definately got scammed. sorry to hear man.

 

Yeah, truth be told, all he has to do is show the bill of sale where you put down it was sold for 0 dollars and he isnt in the wrong. He can then procede to say well since it says it was a 0 dollar sale, I dont need to have this 14k check floating around anymore.
Next time dont sign the title over until the money is in your bank acct.

 

yo homie.. shoot me a picture of your car, the guys name, address, any kind of info my way... ill try to search for him locally... since i live in miami... and im pretty connected down here with ppl...ill also try to search the local boards in case he tries to part stuff out... LMK ASAP!

i dont mind paying someone a tcpete visit...and get you any info u need HOLLA ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!