Hi,
My name is Albert Escalante. Those who know me say I'm just a friendly, and
generally an all around nice guy with no weird hidden agendas or get rich quick
schemes to scam, scheme, sell, barter or broker. Basically I'm a "what you
see, is what you get" type of fella. But I'm here today to warn everyone who,
like myself, likes to own and once in a while sell a LBC or part that they have
outgrown and decided to sell. Hey, I can't remember how many cars, car parts,
widgets and gizmos for LBC's I've bought and sold in the 40 or so years since
I bought my very first one ~ a 1958 Sprite Bugeye (That I wish I still had!)
OK, I hope were still on the same page because now it really gets
serious...About a year and a half ago I picked up a 1985 Jaguar XJ-6. I was
thinking of
restoring it and either keeping it or using it and my 1977 XJ-6L to possibly
buy a more valuable car that I could really restore. But after a year of
looking
at it just sit there under a tarp. I decided to just cut my losses and let
someone else restore it or piecemeal it out. (The '85 Jaguar XJ-6). Along with
all the parts and pieces I'd picked up getting ready to put her back together.
I really can't remember where I placed the ads but basically they said : "FOR
SALE: 1985 Jaguar XJ-6 $200.00. Plus many spare parts. Does not run...Phone
number blah, blah, blah..." well I got a few "Lookie-Loo" types and a couple of
more serious bites but no takers. Finally I said ah, what the heck and moved
the car to a friends acreage out in the country. Where I just figured out of
sight, out of mind. And things around the house had settled down again. My wife
had succeeded in removing what she considered to be an eye sore, while I now
just viewed it more like "money in the bank". Except now it no longer was in
her way. That was over 6 mo. ago. Then, one day last week completely out of the
blue I received what looked like another harmless e-mail regarding the XJ-6
(complete with a few missplled words and other gramatical errors) The potential
buyer had a Yahoo.com e-mail address and well, at first it felt legit, hokey,
but legit. Like he always reffered to me as Mr. Albert ,and by the second
email (in response to my reply) was asking me how my family was and other
rather
syrupy hints to his "Christianity and honesty" But after his third email reply
I just got tough nosed and asked" Richard, (he said his name was Richard
Janny) do you want to buy the car or not. I only want $200 for it and if you
don't
have the money right now write me when you do. But I can't say if I'll still
have it by then. No guarantees or promises..." A couple of hours later he
writes that yes he does want to buy it but he needs my address and phone
number. I
usually use a P.O. Box for security reasons but I gave him my physical street
adress. (OK I'm a dummy, I know it now!) and my phone number (another dumb
move!) He quickly emailed me back that he was sending a cashiers check that day
and that when I received the check I was to cash it take out my selling
price...PLUS another $300 for helpping him out by wiring the balance of the
check off
to the auto transportation and brokerage that he was also going to have bring
him the car. Right away bells and sirens went off >>TILT x TILTx BOGUS x
BOGUS!!<< Does not compute! Nobody is going to give you double the selling
price
for nothing more than forwarding a message. Later that day I needed some stuff
from the store so I left the house for about half an hour or so. When I
returned I noticed a FED-EX envelope and my wife who is used to me getting
stuff
sent to me from all over for a newsletter I put out for a British Car Club,
says
"Hey, who do you know in Nigeria?" BOOM! Like a flash it all came
together..Innocent reply to ad. Person who says they're interested in buying
what you are
selling gets rather chummy. Tries to get your trust by using certain
familiarities and buzz words "Born again" "honest person" "Trust me" ,etc,
etc.,etc. I
knew it was all a ploy when I opened the envelope. Want to guess how much Mr.
Richard Janny of Lagos, Nigeria sent me for the car I was selling for $200.
It was a CASHIERS CHECK in the amount of $8,000 (eight thousand dollars!) It
was drawn on an Arizona Federal credit Union account. No other name other mine
and an authorized signiture that I could not read because it was so fuzzy.
Well I called out to Arizona and they confirmed it. The entire thing was a
scam.
And too please report it to my local FBI office, which I did along with giving
them the check and some emailings that had preceeded the actual Cashiers
Check!! The FBI lady was very grateful and said that the same crime ring had
been
operating in this area, in Los Angeles-Ventura and Santa Barbara counties
(California) for quite some time preying on mostly Collecter cars and Sports
cars.
Items that tend to vary in the actual price they are worth. AND if I had been
a dealer or person who just deposits the checks into a business or personal
account and then I'd withdrawn or had another cashiers check made out for the
balance I'd have been out both a car and the cash. So beware! If it looks too
good to be true, it usually is a scam. And that adage of if it's a cashiers
check its just like cash is WRONG-WRONG-WRONG! Also beware of anything that
eminates out of Nigeria, yeah like those 25 million dollar "Oh poor me, I'm a
helpless widow of a recently deceased "gazabillionaire" and I need your help in
setting up a bank account!" NOT! No way, if they have that kind of money they
for sure don't need my sorry help. Sorry, but I'm Livid! Most of all because
I've come to view almost everyone I've met in this hobby as family and these
kind
of Sneaky-Pete Buzzard underhanded, low down schemes are evil. Please, please
notify your local FBI and the bank or financial establishment that any
"wierd" or strange feeling check or transaction the check has been drawn on.
Because
the car and money you save may be your own!! Oh and my 1985 Jaguar...well
lets just say It's glad to have an 85 lb Dobie for a roomate!
Beware of Scam artists,
Albert Escalante, Editor
"THE CLEAR HOOTER"
http://ccbcc.org
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