"Hi Joe,
I don't know if this is a story for you or not, but I was scammed BIG time this weekend. I have talked with you via email a few times about my family and how hard times have been for us the past few months. Well I had a van that we were no longer using because I lucked out and got a newer (1998) truck. In order to buy gifts for my children this year we decided to sell the van. All seriousness without the sell of this van we would have nothing for Christmas. Any how, I listed the van on craigslist and within 2 hours I was contacted about it. The guy "Rob" gave me this heart wrenching story that his motor had just blown in his car right here before Christmas time and he really needed a way back and forth to work, he had been using a cab and was desperate for a vehicle. He wanted to know if we could take $400, I said no, no way I could go that low. So I said $550, I was asking $700 which is already $500 below BBV. He calls back in desperation "Would your husband please take $500 its all I have and I really need this car, it's just been a run of bad luck with my motor blowing and everything right here at Christmas time." Now I have told this guy I need this money in order to buy my children gifts this Christmas, so he is very well aware of that fact.
Feeling sorry for this guy, I accept the $500, because I know what its like to be without a vehicle and I figure it's better to help someone out who is in need than to hold out for the higher (asking price) bidder. So the guy comes here to get the van and he is still sticking with the his motor blew up story. I am a bit disappointed because I know I will not be able to buy my children the things they wanted but I am feeling really good about helping this man right here so close to Christmas time. Ok, all that being said I look on Craigslist, the original listing place, and there is an ad "MUST SELL 1994 Plymouth Voyager Mini-van" $1500. So of course I open it to see, because that is the same exact make model and year of the van I just sold. What I was already fearing was true, it WAS my van. The thing that just ticks me off is he could have cared less about the fact this money was for my children's Christmas and was greedy and selfish. I guess not all people are concerned with others, if nothing else I can say at least I showed I have a heart! The following link is his ad, seems to me by the look of his house and things, he surely could have sprung the extra $200 I was asking for. Oh and one more note the van isn't in excellent shape like he claims, the distributor needs to be replaced, the water pump may possibly need to be replaces, it needs tires and a side mirror, the gas gauge is broken, and the windshield may not pass inspection. Also there is a short in the electric wiring that interferes with the windshield wipers, causing them to wipe when the switch is off. The only way to stop this from happening is to remove the fuse. This guy not only swindled me but is attempting to swindle someone else. What a crook!" http://easternshore.craigslist.org/cto/966186149.html
WAS HIS NAME Della Penna?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Looks like he'll be in for the big surprise when the van doesn't sell at that price for him!
ReplyDeleteSorry this happened....it is a shame there are these selfish people in the world, especially right before Christmas.
Just know you made the right decision to try to help someone out.
That's terrible. I'm glad you posted this story, Joe. Maybe it will help someone else this holiday season.
ReplyDeleteGoogle his phone number, looks like you may have not been the only one. FYI it appears that he is a Realtor:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vflyer.com/home/Listing.jsp?acctId=1377011
Gotta Love those Used Car Salesmen, eh?
ReplyDeleteYes, Nobody @ 8:31AM... that IS the guy! The nerve of him, well no one buy anything from this guy he is not only a crook he is the grinch too!!! Oh the things I could say to him, but I think exposing him for the con that he is will do all of us good people much better!
ReplyDeleteOur country does not face a political problem, it faces a moral collapse problem. As a culture we are corrupt, not all, but to many.
ReplyDeleteRob Patterson....isn't his father the one who killed his lover "Bunny" in her own driveway and then killed himself? This happened about 13 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThat would be Don Patterson,(Gen Lee)...
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth does a transaction involving two private parties have to do with used car salesman? Why do you allow the title to this post to mislead your reader's?
ReplyDelete9:13 Go back and read the post...it's about selling (getting scammed) a used car and the resale of the same used car at a higher price. Look at the other web sites you will see the scammer also has other used cars for sale. Wake Up/Drink some coffee.
ReplyDelete9:31-Listen genius, I did read the post and totally understand what took place. The title of the post reads: "I Tried Warning All Of You About Those Used Car Salesmen". Once again, perhaps you can explain to me what Used Car Salesmen have to do with private party transactions.
ReplyDeleteJoe knows exactly what's going on here and is simply pushing buttons. I think he may have an axe to grind with someone in the car business and this is his perverted way of getting back at them. Joe's comments about used car salepeople somehow being involved and/or responsible for the auto industry bailout makes about as much sense as me being responsible for the financial bailout because I have a checking and savings account.
I'm not exactly sure what the law is in the state of Maryland any more but it used to be you could only sell a few vehicles a year before you had to get a license. From the looks of it, this guy is searching people out and reselling vehicles, possibly illegally. The person who sold his van to this guy in the first place should report them to Motor Vehicle and have them track the sale. The next time you sell a vehicle to someone, make them sign the TITLE along with you. If they refuse to sign it right then and there, they're going to resel it, making it look like YOU sold it to their customer and they won't have to pay taxes on the transaction. If they sign the title they'll have to go through quite a bit more and these snakes can't get away with it as they'll be recognized for seling more vehicles than they're allowed to without a dealer license. So, IMO, this guy is a Used Car Salesman, private or dealer, it doesn't matter. The dealerships should ALSO go after a guy like this without a license. As you can clearly see it makes them look bad in the end.
ReplyDeleteJoe, They are called "curb stoners". (guys hustling without a dealer license) Its frowned upon and the MVA doesn't want any unlicensed individual to exceed five selling transctions a year. That was the law ,in the recent past, anyway. There is nothing wrong with making a profit but there is everything wrong with deception. Bad Karma always returns!b
ReplyDeleteWell I left that d-bag a nice comment on his website.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the original owner who was so kind so the buyer could purchase Christmas gifts for his children was doing a little scamming himself after he finally admitted all the things wrong with the vehicle. Aren't there supposed to be some inspections along the way???
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me that the guy buying this peice of crap car got took in the first place. With all that was wrong with it, did the seller tell him of all the problems the car had? If it was a junker why did you sell someone else your troubles in the first place? After all it is christmas is it not? Then to go bash him for doing exactly what you did to him, whos zooming who?
ReplyDeleteUsed Cars are sold in As Is Condition all the time.
ReplyDeleteIF you purchase a vehicle for $500.00, you know what you're getting, period. Anyone who thinks they're getting a vehicle that would go through Inspection for $500.00 is a nut.
Again, leave it to those Used Car Salesmen to make this into something that it's not. Thanks for the entertainment today.
I should add, IF the vehicle you purchase is more than 20 years old, it does NOT have to go through Maryland Inspection. It is considered a Classic Vehicle or an Antique. The insurance is very low and the tags are realy cheap too. I believe it has to be 25 years old to follow the same kind of rules in Delaware.
ReplyDeletethis post has nothing to do woth the car business it was a private party sale between two individuals it was not done at a dealership and it appears that the rules and regulations were not properly followed. If you want a real legit transaction do it with a real legit salesman when you conduct business on craigslist, what do you expect? i mean seriously? what do you expect?
ReplyDeleteWhatta ya think your gonna get for $1500 ? I'll tell you....A over priced $500.00 car.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have a $500.00 car for sale. Just because you can't compete, don't get so upset.
ReplyDeleteAs a professional real estate agent for many years, married to a car dealer, the for sale by owner, property or cars, are outside of the realm of licensing laws, and under the "caveat emptor" rules. If a dealership lies to a buyer or a seller, they may be held accountable, just like a real estate agent must disclose anything that they know is detrimental about the property. When you try to save the commission and sell something yourself you're on your own, as is your buyer.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for this lady, but unfortunately the old adage "buyers are liars" is sometimes more true than not.
This is ridiculous; this woman should have never let her vehicle sell if she is going to complain about it later. This is how our economy works. You needed the money right? You got 500 dollars right? You say that your vehicle is worth more then that, then why did you not get it? Oh, that’s right, the value does not mean anything unless you turn it into money, which you did. You should have taken a portion of that 500 dollars to buy "how to sell a car" book. When he started telling you those sob stories, you should have realized that you had the leverage instead of feeling sorry for the guy. I am supposed to feel sorry for you because your kids only have 500 dollars worth of toys instead of 700.
ReplyDeleteListen, times are tough, you can't blame people for trying to make money. Also, that clown is not going to get 1500 for anything that needs that much work done to pass inspection. This is probably why he is trying to sell it now; he can’t get it to pass. I hope you have a Merry Christmas, not for what your kids receive but for why we celebrate it and the meaning behind it. Where are your morals? This is a business to business transaction, complain about that and then turn around and be ungrateful for having 500 dollars to spend on your children for Christmas. Many people are struggling to have 50 dollars. This did not seem like a scam to me but simply strategy (A bad one at that). If this was a scam, he would have criminally benefited from this, which he has not yet. By your description of the vehicle, it does not sound like he even benefited legally from the purchase of your crappy van.
“I tried to warn all of you about those used car salesman.” Please Joe, you should know how business works. A real salesman would have never bought a liability like that. Post a real story instead of eastern shore ignorance. This is a story of a typical consumer trying to make a dollar in sales and figures out that Buyers are Liars! You sit there and complain about how much you did not get when you sold the vehicle and can turn around and devalue it in the same breath. This is what a real car salesman goes through every day. Welcome to our world, next time TRADE IT IN!
Merry Christmas to all the salesman out there in the retail market. I am not hoping you get your kids gifts this season, but that you can keep your house for them to sleep in.
If you don't have to then do not trade in your car...that's the worst advice I've ever seen. My 02 accord was only worth $2500 trade (years ago with no problems just some dirt and a missing knob) for a local dealer, but I was able to sell it for $3800 on my own, obviously the dealer wants to recoup some of his overhead, but they will rake you over the coals with a used car.
ReplyDeleteLady got what she could for her van, that's it...end of story. the guy who bought it may have been a sleazeball but your van is his problem now.
I followed the link to the item for sale and it looks like he has removed it.. I wonder why?!?!?Unfortunately there are people like this that don't care about nothing but their own pocket..
ReplyDeleteWhats the KBB on the van to begin with?Because $500 is extremely low.
ReplyDeleteSure they accepted $500 for it, but they accepted the offer under false pretenses and the creep obviously is a pro at "flipping" vehicles for profit.
I'm pretty sure that there is no law written that you have to be honest in a private auto transaction. He fed you a line and you bought it. Simple as that. I commend you for giving in because you were trying to help another human out, even in your own time of need. It shows that you are thoughtful and a giving person. However, you can't blame this guy for trying to make more money off the car. I know he lied to you to get the car cheaper. But this is apparently the way he does to get things cheaper to resell them. It is done very often. The transaction that you had is no different than me selling a guy 20 dvd's for 30 bucks at a yard sale and then him sellig the 5 bucks a piece at a flea market. Don't feel duped or wronged. It is unfortunately just business. Be glad you have food and heat and presents for you kids. F*** him, he will be judged in the end.
ReplyDeleteDoes Della Penna mean genitalia?
ReplyDeleteWOW
ReplyDeleteI have been out all day tied up in depositions.
Must have been a slow news day when a private used car transaction makes this much noise.
Bah Humbug
Wow, You're complaining about the price you accepted. That car on a retail lot has no real trade in value and how about those multiple undisclosed defects you stuck the guy with . I think the gentleman deserves a mail-in rebate, a three day trip to Vegas with a side trip to Hoover Dam, as well as a week of his choice atthe time share you have at Del Boca Vista.
ReplyDelete