dan.tappin.ca

I could go on and on about this one but you just need to see it your self (it’s safe for all audiences):

http://www.youtube.com: Leprechaun News Story

An old picture I found from a pipeline project I did a few years ago. We were concerned about starting a grass fire so my chief inspector found this old firetruck for rent. It was cheaper than a water truck and looked much cooler.

So I have my car listed in the Autotrader in print and online. It’s really the best place to sell your car. It is the biggest site and the Autotrader is sold everywhere. So on Friday I get a call from Motorworld / carsetc.net. I am told that they have a buyer for my vehicle who will pay full price if I pay a $150 finder fee.

Right away the scam bells are going off in my head. It sounds like every email lottery and foreign money transfer scam that is out there. As soon as some one says you need to pay money upfront to make even more money that’s the first sign that some thing is wrong.

So I take the guys name and number (Adam @ 1-877-207-4696) and tell him I will think about it. By think about it I mean research this on the internet. So this is the only hit I can find on this company:

http://forums.beyond.ca/

A sign that something is not right here. So I check out the Tony Tighe (local consumer reporter) reference:

http://www.canada.com/

Same idea different website… or is it? The two domains greatcarsandtrucks.com and carsetc.net are registered by separate companies and hosted by separate ISP’s.

But look at the two sites: greatcarsandtrucks.com and carsetc.net. They both use the same cheezy map and the ‘money back guaranty’ they both offer is exactly the same. If they really are separate sites one of these sites needs to sue the other for copyright violations.

The Motorworld / carsetc.net guy had another claim which is a bit fuzzy. They make reference to being in the Better Business Bureau. Well they are… sort of. Search the BBB site for ‘carsetc’ and ‘motorworld’. You will find two listings. Motorworld is a member since 2005 and has a clean record. Carsetc is NOT a member but is in the database. They have only been in the system since Jan of this year (2006). How long does it take for a complaint to get onto the BBB system?

So I get a second call on Sunday from another Motorworld sales guy. I was a bit charged up now so I forgot to get the guys name. He gives me the same pitch. This time I confront him with all of this information. I try my best to get him to confirm or deny that he actually has a buyer for my vehicle. He won’t. I’m pretty sure all I would be doing would be paying $150 to place an add on their site (which only has 800+ listings at the moment - hardly close to the Autotrader). I then point out that carsetc.net looks alot like greatcarsandtrucks.com at which point the sales guys hangs up on me.

I guess I had him on that one. If I was a reputable company and was entangled in a conflict with another shady company I think I would do what ever I could do to clear my name. I would even have gone as far as to give away a free listing / finders fee to build a customer base and have some references. I honestly would have no issue with paying a commission if they indeed have a buyer for my car. Bring me a buyer with a cheque, we will sign a purchase agreement and you get your cut - just like a real-estate deal.

Anyway I am looking forward to another call from these guys. I just wanted to post this so anyone who Googles on this will find some more info concentrated in one place. I can’t say for sure that this is a scam but when it sounds too good to be true it usually is.