Potential scam
 

I'm a fairly new Model A owner (August '25), and recently was looking for a gas tank. A forum user suggested that I contact Jo Shi, email: [email protected], as he's sold parts before. I contacted Jo (think that's a partial actual name), he said had one with these pics. Granted, he could have pulled these pics from anywhere and passed them as a tank that he had. I then sent him a cashier's check for the amount, (sent to his "wife"s work address, which turned out to be in an apartment complex) and he received the $ on January 13.
To date, I haven't heard from him after multiple attempts by email. I did find out that the check was deposited, of course.


So, this is probably a $ scam, and it's on me, unless he suddenly provides a reason for the long delay with no response. Should have been suspicious when I researched the address to be in an apartment complex, and not his actual address. Everyone be watchful, if you see his name or email come up regarding Model A parts... :o


I do have (2) other sources for tanks, which I will carefully vet.

Re: Potential scam
 

not necessarily. you do know there is a storm going on. you do know that the usps is getting slower and slower?


give it a chance.


I ship car literature all over the country and sometimes it takes a month to go 300 miles.......... just sayin for a friend

Re: Potential scam
 

It could be a scam, or not. As Ronn said, there is bad weather here. I got got to the store after a week. There has been no mail or carrier deliveries for a week. Which part of the country is it coming from?

But, the fact that he has not responded would indicate a problem. Is there a way to cancel a cashier's check?

Re: Potential scam
 

It was supposed to have come from the Houston metro area. Seller stated that he received my check on 1/13, prior to the last storm, with no subsequent email with shipping details...yes, too late to stop a cashier's check once deposited, per my credit union...

Re: Potential scam
 

Never, ever send a cashier check. I hope not but I suspect it is a SCAM.

Re: Potential scam
 

MAYBE? I have a FEDX package five days late that just spent the week in Memphis that I am still waiting on? Chap

Re: Potential scam
 

Curious, what is wrong with sending a cashier's check?

Re: Potential scam
 

A cashier's check is like sending cash: anyone who can sign the name on the front can technically endorse the check and receive the payment.

If you HAND over the cashier check - it's like giving them the green stuff.

If you mail it - it's like putting cash in an envelope - anyone who can break open the envelope can sign and get the money.

On my relocation from Cape Cod to New Hampshire, I closed out my bank account on the Cape and had them give me a certified check for the amount. It was a sizable amount, like $25K.

On my arrival in NH I started a bank account and handed the teller the check. "Oh you're all set - here are your checks and you can start drawing on this account immediately." (i.e. think "cash.")

And I went on my merry way bouncing checks for the next four days - the bank instead of taking the check as cash (and assuming the risk) instead used "normal channels" to move the money - about a week. No risk to them but meanwhile no money for me.

That was not the point.

So even certified checks are not necessarily what they used to be.

But avoiding risk IS.

Joe K

Re: Potential scam
 

As to delay in the delivery, I ordered a "utility cart" from a seller on Ebay. It was the low price anywhere on a "Velux" plastic cart. Delivery promised on 1/22.

The vendor apparently uses Amazon Shipping. I started getting notices on shipping arrivals/departures which suddenly ended on 1/24 - stuck in Teterboro NJ.

No more notices.

Yesterday 1/29 I get notice now in Uxbridge, MA - 5 days stuck in NJ.

Now delivered as of 8 p.m. last night. The delivery man (amazon magnetic sign on car) barely spoke English.

It was a tough storm - but I've seen tougher.

Joe K

Re: Potential scam
 

A cashiers check issued by Wells Fargo requires valid identification in order for the recipient to cash the check.

As an aside. I have and still do send personal checks in the mail regularly (Oh, the horror.) and have never had a problem. :)

Re: Potential scam
 

I hate to say it but Spud has without question been the victim of a scam. The circumstances that he describes is the exact way that this type of scam is done (a dead giveaway is “I know a guy, has what you want, need to use his email address, blah blah blah”. FWIW I was a victim of this myself (Model A Synchro trans) ($350, not proud of it). The scum bags cruise all the ”Want To Buy” ad’s they can find. We get fooled because most of us grew up in a different world, prior to the internet and internet scams. I myself was scammed in large part because I naively assumed that only “Model A guys” would be on a forum intended for Model A guys.
As an example of how good the scammers are at this I will share another experience I had (didn’t get scammed again at least).
I am a gun collector and was looking for a very specific revolver. I placed a want to buy ad and got the “email this other guy he has what you are looking for. So I emailed this new guy and told him that I needed pictures which he supplied. Then I told him I needed a picture of the gun showing the serial number. This one took longer but he did send what I was asking for. This is how good they are, he was able to send a picture of the exact gun I was looking for and with the serial number shown (and no, this time I didn’t get suckered).

Re: Potential scam
 

I have never had to do this but I believe that you can cancel a regular check even after it has been deposited. I think that is why the bank has a delay until the funds can be used.

I know on eBay you can cancel a payment if you do not get the goods, but there is a time limit. On one occasion, years ago, the vendor ran out the time with a bunch of emailed excuses and I lost $300. Scammers are everywhere. I don't know what the solution is. It is not like you can hand the cash to the seller as he hands you the part when you are on opposite ends of the planet.

Re: Potential scam
 

Thank you!

Re: Potential scam
 

At one time, maybe not now, I sent a cashiers check for some parts. After a couple of weeks, they never arrived. So, I went to the bank to see if there was a remedy. While it was normal for a personal check to first clear the bank which usually is less than a week and act within. The bank manager said for a cashiers check, I had to wait thirty days before their action. So, on the 31st. day I returned. The bank returned my money.(don't remember if they attempted anything toward the recipient) Ironically, upon going home and getting the mail, there was a letter from the seller returning my uncashed check. So, with ten minutes before bank closing time, I made it back to the bank and returned their money.

As a backstory, I read in Hemmings where they recommended six actions when not receiving paid-for parts. I did this in the above situation. I don't remember all six, but there was, tell the seller a specific date for return of your money, if not tell them you will notify the USPS fraud inspector, their state's attorney general, the IRS, Hemmings (in the above case the seller had advertised the parts) and two others I have forgotten.

I have done this a few times and worked every time.

The most bizarre one was a purported seller who was in a Florida prison and received Hemmings there. He would look for parts wanted and have his girlfriend on the outside make the contact. Of course I didn't know this and sent him(her) money. So, I naturally sent the above suggestions when the parts never arrived. She wrote back with my money begging for me to not pursue my "threats". Later an article came out about the scheme.

There was another interesting case but I've probably written too much already.

Re: Potential scam
 

One of the Model A clubs I am in asked for checks for the dues. Now at 51 I don't consider myself to be "young" but even I was like, "Wait, what? Geez I am going to have to remember where our checkbook is, remember how to write one, find an actual envelope, remember how to address it, find an actual stamp, and spend too much of my time traveling to to the post office? (checks get taken from all the mailboxes around us) - it's $25. Here's $40 in cash and let's call it even."

The larger club I am in just started taking dues using Venmo. Granted they have to dedicate a lot of time to bringing others up to speed and making them comfortable with it but it's needed and a great step.

Re: Potential scam
 

My Ebay I buy against a credit card of record. Yeah, I know. Easy to hack and steal your information.

BUT - my recent experience was a seller who apparently sent the item to the wrong address. According to the tracking it came from the mid-west and made it as far as Portsmouth, NH (about 8 miles away) but the USPS saw something "defective" in the address and couldn't (or wouldn't) attempt to make a delivery connection. So they sent the item back to the seller.

Seven days to get to Portsmouth, two days to return. On my complaint to the seller I get back a note saying that if I want the item I'll have to reimburse him for a second shipping.

NOT part of the Ebay deal. By this time the credit card had been charged.

I had fifteen days to make my claim to Ebay. I now was at like the 14th day.

I wound my way through the Ebay claim pages - which are not exactly straight-forward - but I was able to make my claim.

Over the weekend something "processed" and Ebay returned a message saying I was to be reimbursed the full amount. And "We're sorry your transaction could not be completed."

It was very straight-forward once the claim had been lodged and acknowledged by Ebay.

And someone on hearing this story said "aren't you glad you didn't bite on his re-sending proposal?" By the terms of Ebay, mailing is by mutual agreement prior to the deal - or at least the terms announced - and per market.

I don't have the wiring harness, but I still have my $75 plus shipping. There will be other wiring harnesses.

So by prior agreement. Be careful buying an $8 item and the shipping is $132.

Joe K

Re: Potential scam
 

Reading this thread does nothing to encourage me to buy anything from US sellers even though I have done it several times with good results. IMO, the majority of people are honest but it's worth being careful, like doing a reverse search o any photos of the item a seller might send you.
Did we even know the word "SCAM" before things went digital? I think the digital world is a minefield when buying privately. These guys are smart but if they used those smarts legitimately, they could make an honest living and have a clear conscience.

Re: Potential scam
 

I’m very fortunate that I have a know group of sources; I do not buy from unknowns. I’ve only been stung ones for $32…..a very cheap lesson for sure!

Re: Potential scam
 

and likewise synchro- I dont ship out of the US anymore, because a matie claimed he didnt get his item in the outback.


US only guarantees shipments in the US meaning USPS.


I sell a good bit of "literature". I take money orders zelle or cash. if someone isnt comfortable with that, I tell them to buy local at a swap- if they can find what Im selling............ most often they cant.

Re: Potential scam
 

Some people will take PayPal. I ordered some parts (Model A full pressure oil pump plumbing for a pump he makes) from a guy when I got the email the parts were ready he asked payment by paypal. I sent the $. Two days later I got a message from PayPal that the transaction had been cancelled by the seller. I contacted the guy and he said I only take Friends and Family payments. I said he hadn't asked for that and I would have been happy to pay the 3% since to protect myself since I'd never dealt with him before. No reply. PayPal also put the returned funds into a debit account that necessitated me to jump through hoops to get my $ back. Moral of the story even though there is a nice web site you might not be dealing with someone who is legit.