Paul Jackson
PATRON
MN
I had a customer call me and forward info on a set of Wipaire 3000A floats. He said they were priced right and he would like me to acquire them for him. I reached out to his seller who purports to be from PHX. He said he has them in storage and when I tried to set up a showing that day he ghosted my rep in the area (red flag 1). I passed it off as possibly bad timing and continued on with him and came to a price. He had pics and serial numbers of the floats and even had the lingo down such as answering with the term "pork chops for the mounts to the aircraft.
I will not buy any item without a Purchase Agreement and escrow so I confirmed price verbally and generated a simple PA that had another attempt at a visual inspection as part of the deal, deposit to an aviation title and escrow agency, shipping and delivery. He said he would pay for shipping and would use a private shipper (red flag 2). I was clear I would not release any funds until they were delivered.
Monday morning came and he had signed PA and sent it back with no additions or conditions. He noted via text after sending the email that he wanted full amount in escrow before shipping them, I was bothered but not enough to call of the deal and noted that I would not release funds until satisfactory delivery of floats. Again, crickets and no push back until about an hour later.
About noon he came with a text that said a Canada buyer had made a cash offer for the floats. I said I have a contract and we have an agreement and all I have to do is view and confirm condition and he can ship and be paid out on delivery. He said OK but that his bank would be the escrow and to wire to his account and they would agree to refund if he didn't deliver the floats. He gave me an info@ email address and this website https://idtcusavings.com
I had the nag of "nobody is buying these out from under me" feeling and let that pass. I decided to dig a bit more and reviewed what he signed on the contract and the address he gave for his residence on the contract was 2707 Clarksburg Park Road Phoenix AZ which comes up as nothing on Google. (Red Flag 3)
Back to the Bank. If you look at the link on initial glance it looks decent. But if you look closer you will see that some of the graphics are off and the alignment of the banners is also off. It is elaborate but it is an elaborate hoax. I looked up the purported address in Washington on their contact page and it comes back to a residence. The email address for info is linked to another host that also appears to be a false web site. There is a CU that has part of the name in it but it is in the UK and not affiliated it appears. (Red Flag 4). I said via text my rep views, I fund escrow, you ship, I accept what you shipped, I release funds from escrow. From him......crickets and no replies as of 5pm.
In the end, you had a sophisticated listing on Facebook with good pics and specs, a knowledgeable (though English challenged) guy who preferred text over talking, willingness to sign a PA and agree on terms, and then an 11th hour a play at not using escrow and directing me to use a bank that appears to be part of an elaborate hoax. Whoever this is spent a lot of time and effort on this and had I not insisted on escrow and contracts I would have been taken for at least a deposit and if I were not careful the whole sale price. I am not dumb, but this would have been one to stretch usual practices given the price point and competitive bids (even if not true).
Use caution out there and if you see a set of 3000A floats in PHX for sale proceed cautiously.
I will not buy any item without a Purchase Agreement and escrow so I confirmed price verbally and generated a simple PA that had another attempt at a visual inspection as part of the deal, deposit to an aviation title and escrow agency, shipping and delivery. He said he would pay for shipping and would use a private shipper (red flag 2). I was clear I would not release any funds until they were delivered.
Monday morning came and he had signed PA and sent it back with no additions or conditions. He noted via text after sending the email that he wanted full amount in escrow before shipping them, I was bothered but not enough to call of the deal and noted that I would not release funds until satisfactory delivery of floats. Again, crickets and no push back until about an hour later.
About noon he came with a text that said a Canada buyer had made a cash offer for the floats. I said I have a contract and we have an agreement and all I have to do is view and confirm condition and he can ship and be paid out on delivery. He said OK but that his bank would be the escrow and to wire to his account and they would agree to refund if he didn't deliver the floats. He gave me an info@ email address and this website https://idtcusavings.com
I had the nag of "nobody is buying these out from under me" feeling and let that pass. I decided to dig a bit more and reviewed what he signed on the contract and the address he gave for his residence on the contract was 2707 Clarksburg Park Road Phoenix AZ which comes up as nothing on Google. (Red Flag 3)
Back to the Bank. If you look at the link on initial glance it looks decent. But if you look closer you will see that some of the graphics are off and the alignment of the banners is also off. It is elaborate but it is an elaborate hoax. I looked up the purported address in Washington on their contact page and it comes back to a residence. The email address for info is linked to another host that also appears to be a false web site. There is a CU that has part of the name in it but it is in the UK and not affiliated it appears. (Red Flag 4). I said via text my rep views, I fund escrow, you ship, I accept what you shipped, I release funds from escrow. From him......crickets and no replies as of 5pm.
In the end, you had a sophisticated listing on Facebook with good pics and specs, a knowledgeable (though English challenged) guy who preferred text over talking, willingness to sign a PA and agree on terms, and then an 11th hour a play at not using escrow and directing me to use a bank that appears to be part of an elaborate hoax. Whoever this is spent a lot of time and effort on this and had I not insisted on escrow and contracts I would have been taken for at least a deposit and if I were not careful the whole sale price. I am not dumb, but this would have been one to stretch usual practices given the price point and competitive bids (even if not true).
Use caution out there and if you see a set of 3000A floats in PHX for sale proceed cautiously.
