Maryann Bongiorni, a local News-Press reader called in wondering if the classified ad first placed in the Nov. 4 newspaper for a 2006 John Deere 5425 tractor listed for $4,400 is a scam.
It is. The News-Press classified department pulled the ad earlier this week after several complaints. That happens on a regular basis and we encourage people to call the classified department at 335-0335 to report scams.
The John Deere scam is rampant nationwide. The quickest way to learn about it is a quick Google search, which takes you to a link at scam.com, where it details how the operation comes in basically in the same form, with different contact emails, tractor model numbers and prices in newspapers and Web sites around the country. Unfortunately it looks like a few people have been taken.
As with many scams, it eventually requests money be wired. This one is complete with fake pictures of a snazzy tractor and personal communication from someone, somewhere.
Maryann was smart enough not to wire money. When she offered to pick the tractor up in South Bend and pay cash, and the person refused, she knew something was up. Among other signs of the scam:
* The tractor is likely worth around $40,000, but is being offered for about $4,000.
* The phone number listed is in the Boca Raton area and goes to a busy signal, but the tractor is said to be in Indiana.
* The man responding by e-mail wanted nothing to do with a cash deal.
* One e-mail included this sob story.
“… I owned a small farm. 2 months ago I fell off from a scaffold and got semi paralyzed. I had a special insurance for those type of accidents and got $600,000.00 from the insurance comapny. I want to sell this tractor for only $4400 because we decided to make someone happy as we were when we bought it .I’m not stupid and I know the price on the market is higher. For making this a lot more easier and faster I would like to use Yahoo Finance to complete this transaction.This service allows us to complete the transaction quick and safe for both of us. It acts like a third party between seller and buyer, to insure that the buyer receives the item and the seller receives the payment. If you want to buy the tractor, get back to me and I’ll tell you how it works.”
– Ryan Lengerich
