[Chrysler300] Fraud in the weed patch...

["Bob Brown" <rwbrwn@xxxxxxxx>]

For all bargain seekers (I guess thats all of us!):     

A few weeks ago we attended the auctions in Phoenix, and of course the big Saturday car show---The Pavillions.  Our friends decided to take a couple of fin wonders, so we helped them trailer two very beautifully restored Dodges (Polara CVT, etc.) and a newly restored DeSoto Firemite Childrens Car for display.   As you can image it attracted a lot of attention!

What you can't image happened next.    On Sunday (one day later) our friends came over for dinner and we checked "Craig's List" to see what was available.  Much to everyones amazement,  an ad with PHOTO of these cars was listed with a telephone number and hocky named "company" and much hell-ablue about being cautious of scams, etc.etc.   Supposely these three items were being offered for sale in LA!   Later I received a telephone call from Tom White asking if I knew anything about this sale---as he had contacted the buyer about the Firemite,  and didn't like the story.   Seems the "owners representative" wanted $1500 cash, immediately paid to "complete the transaction for a pontential buyer"---ya right.    So I told Tom how to contact the real owners, and that, to my knowledge,  the cars were NOT for sale including the little Firemite.   After several days of exchanges with Craig's list, the ad was finally pulled but we have not heard what happened (likely nothing) to the LA "owners representative".    Craig's list was VERY SLOW to respond to this fraud!

The scam went like this, he offered the cars, which obviously he photoed at the car show,  for a very cheap price (about half of the actual restoration cost alone).  He told any respondents that he was the "owners representive".   He needed a "fee" of $300 to $1500 immediately paid to him, and then he would act as there "agent" for the cranky old owner to make the purchase at the stated price.    God knows how many people sent this bozo money thinking that they were going to buy three wonderful Chrysler toys for cheap money...   And so it goes, remember, "caviet emptor" let the buyer beware.

If you want a C300 to restore, the same one we passed on because of price is still available in Iowa as far as I know.  The owner was asking $20,000, the car needs a restoration but is complete.
Likely it has now been long enough that the owner will take a more reasonable offer.   I believe these cars are now sitting outside (thru the second Iowa winter)!    I saw this car, along with the two others we passed on in the "lost and found column" of Hemmings recently.  They were asking if anybody knows the exact location---with a photo I took when we were there and didn't buy them!

So if you want a real C300, its located in Davenport Iowa, the owner is Marlean Welke, her contact is Dariel (son)---and yes they did advertise these on "Craigs List" about a year and a half ago....  Only one word of advise---don't send people money for cars---period----go check out the details and the title to know that they are the actual owners before you part with your cash!      Happy hunting....    bob brown  


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