first, I'd like to thank whoever manages/supports/owns "Team Camaro" website for providing a great site ! I am a member of a Corvette website, and this one is far-superior to it ! so a big :thumbsup: to you !!
secondly, (and the reason for my thread) is to warn/wonder about your ads-section, and if anyone has had any ramifications from using such.. example: I have placed my '96 Corvette for sale in your ad section. (again, thank you for that feature), and this morning, I receive an e-mail from a (supposed) evelyn france, whose e-mail address is "yahoo.co.uk".. I assume that "uk" means United Kingdom. her message is short and simple, and I will copy it here: "Good day,
I am interested in the purchase of the car for my
personal use.
I have been directed to contact you on the purchase of
the car by camaros.net
Kindly let me hear from you affirming the deal and
cost of the car so that i can arrange for payment.
All pickups will be handled after payment..
kindly let me hear from you in earnest.
Thank you"
now, not only does that appear suspicious, but ironic (for me) as I have only as-of recently ridded myself of a long distance phone scam which I was billed thru my long distance carrier for internet porn calls to the United Kingdom !
don't laugh guys,, it ain't that funny :angry: it has been a genuine P.I.T.A. to rid myself of these charges. the scam was originated by a college kid in New Hampshire, and it was called the "Premier Premium Communications" scam.. you can read about it on Ripoff Reports.Com website. They third-party billed me thru two other phone carriers for the call (which I DID NOT make) and it's been a real hassle.. and I wasn't the only victim,, there were many others..
anyway, the reason I'm posting this thread is to advise others of my misfortune, and to pass-along a warning. I have posted (on my ad) for her to contact me thru this website if her interest in my car is genuine: if I simply reply to her e-mail, and the intent is bogus, by replying I give her the IP address of my computer. she has my IP address, she has my computer. it's that simple. Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid this morning and suffering from too many :beers: last night !! however, it's better to be safe, than sorry !!
mainly I was just wondering of others' success/misfortunes with the ad section..
thanks again Team Camaro.
Chris E.
(new member; wannabe Camaro owner)

Chris welcome to the site. My rule for emails like this, is if they are overseas and do not reference the car/parts, questions about condition, options, etc, that a normal buyer would ask, then it is an automated scam email and to just delete it. Sorry to hear about your previous scam problems.

Hi Chris. Thanks for the kind comments. We recently moved to a new classifieds where you do not have to enter a displayed email address. That way only registered users can contact you. We left the option to have a public displayed email as well but recommend not doing it that way.

This sounds like a scam and they will offer to pay you more than your car is worth and you pay the difference to some shipper. It's a ripoff. They troll all the auto classifieds sending these emails.

http://www.camaros.net/classifieds/scamalert.html

Chris, welcome to the site as well.

about your IP address getting to "her" and your system being taken advantage of. I am assuming you are using XP or somekind of "mic0$oft" product.

If you are using a cable or DSL modem to connect to the net, just turn off your modem when you are not using your computer. It is easier than having you install allkinds of programs to track intrusion on your system. Most of the virus companies have "firewall" programs that may help and slow down an intrusion.

Then if you are using Dial-up your IP address will change every time you dial-up to your ISP ( internet service provider) So they will not be getting the same computer if they get an ip from you.

But If you would like some information about the email. You can send me a copy of the email i can look at the "Header" of the email from her. It will tell me a few things about where and what system she is using. and give you a reply on what i have found. Its all legal to trace the "header" information of an email.

Below is an article on email headers some good reading.
http://www.stopspam.org/email/headers.html

Welcome to the site Chris, I've gotten the same e-mail response on my '69 SS I have listed, I've gotten others as well. Sellers need to learn to recognize scam responses just as buyers need to recognize scam ads. There really isn't a sure fire way for any medium to guard against these idiots in a proactive manor. Anyone can take out an ad in the local newspaper and anyone can answer the ad... What we see on the internet is nothing new in most parts of the world. It is something a lot of us have not really been exposed too until the internet.

Use your e-mail as an example and go from there. Also check out this page and the links on it http://www.camaros.net/classifieds/scamalert.html

Things to watch out for:

anything from overseas (unless your car is truly a rare collector item, is it worth it to a buyer to pay freight to get the car to their location?)

anything where they ask facts already stated in the ad and it seems like they don't know what they are offering to buy.

any time they offer to send more money than price and want you to make change and send it back or to their shipping agent.

agents representing their customer (much like the first one, unless you have a very special vehicle would your target market typically use a broker?)

thanks guys,, I REALLY do appreciate the help.. I've already sent the headers and complete e-mail to my ISP. thought it looked like a scam, but I was as much concerned with the UK/phone connection thing again. (I use cable modem) never have really figured-out how they scammed me on that one.