Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I have been reading the various blurbs you have posted about the Nigerian scams, and thought I’d show you another one that is going on. Recently, I noticed on cycletrader.com that there was an incredible amount of late-model sportbikes for sale at ridiculous prices. Like a 2002 R-1 listed (from London) for $3200, or another R-1 with custom paint, (again in London) for only $3000. There are many more examples I could quote here, but for brevity’s sake I will not.

Knowing full-well that anything that sounds too good to be true usually is, I thought I would send an e-mail to a guy that listed a 2002 R-1 for sale for only $4000. The ad said the bike was in the western part of the U.S. so I sent the guy an e-mail asking why he was selling the bike, and why was it so cheap? I received the following e-mail back from him:

“Hello,

“My name is Marco Mazonne and I’m from Rome, Italy. I am 35 years old. I am a private doctor and my wife is a nurse at a local hospital here
in Rome. I am the first owner of this bike. I sell it because I want to buy another bike and I need cash. About the bike I have to tell you that it’s absolutely perfect, never had any accident and never been repaired. The bike have USA specs, so is not a problem to register this bike in USA!Please send me your shipping details,so I can talk for the shipping of the bike! I want to use for shipping DHL services because they work fast and safe! The bike will be in your town in 4-6 days! Please let me explain to you how I want to make this deal in the following steps: First if you decide to buy the bike you must deposit the total price in USD using an Escrow company! This deposit it’s a guaranty for me that you are a
reliable person and really want to buy this beautiful bike. When the payment is confirmed the bike will be shipped to your location and
when the bike arrives in your town I will be there and personally meet you to set up the deal. If when I will arrive with bike at your place and you will decide not to buy it, I will give
you your cash back! Hope this option it will not be necessary! Please let me know if you want to make this deal with me because I have many offers and I want to make this deal fast and easy. So I will wait for your answer ASAP! Thank you.”



As you can see, anyone who believes a man would fly from Rome to my hometown to “set up the deal” probably needs to have his money taken away! I just wanted to point out to you what is going on here, and I think it would be a great idea for you to do an investigative article about this rash of fraud schemes that seem to abound around here lately. Thanks for the ear, just wanted to bring this to your attention. Check out cycletrader.com and see what I’m talking about. It’s simply crazy.

Stan Simmerson, RN
Holly Springs, North Carolina



And another…

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

It is important for everyone to know that credit cards are not sure payment for international sales, either. I was lucky enough to be late in a delivery to Indonesia or I would have been out some $2000. I just held back on an order to Mexico that apparently was fraudulent. A sure clue is anyone you have never dealt with, or heard of, in a real big hurry.

Jim Lindemann
Lindemann Engineering
Campbell, California