Arlee, Mont. — An Arlee man saw scam attempts start within minutes after he listed his 1993 Honda Gold Wing for sale on Craigslist.
David Paris said several out-of-state numbers called and texted him after he posted the motorcycle. He said each person asked for a vehicle history report from websites he did not recognize.
Paris said the messages focused less on the motorcycle and more on getting him to use one of those sites.
“They got disinterested in the motorcycle and kept pressuring to get that lab [report]. Even when I offered to take the motorcycle and meet them somewhere so that they could see it, they were not interested. All they wanted was that lab report,” said David Paris.
Paris said more warning signs appeared when his wife Sandy started checking the websites online.
One site, vehiclehistorylab.com, looks legitimate at first glance, the site has inconsistencies throughout and was only registered in April of this year.
Chase Scheuer with the Montana Department of Justice says the situation matches a phishing scam. This is when scammers pose as a trusted person or business to get money or personal information.
Scheuer says the Parises were right to be cautious.
“Slow down, take your time, figure out what exactly you're being asked to do. What exactly is being asked of you? If it's too good to be true, it probably is. Take a step back, assess the situation, and then move forward,” said Scheuer.
Paris said he also noticed texts from area codes tied to New Mexico, Seattle and Missouri. Some of the messages were nearly identical even though they claimed to come from people in different parts of the country.
“I was confused at first. I didn't understand it. It is very aggravating to know that there's people out there right off the bat trying to scam you,” said Paris.
In the end, Paris said spotting the warning signs and asking questions helped him avoid getting scammed.
Originally published on montanarightnow.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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