Do you think this lemail I have received is a scam?

Dear Sirs

We would like to buy a few replica/kit cars and get them imported to Hong Kong. We are arranging for all the import licence and legal documentation at the moment. However, would it be possible for you to send us pictures of your best selling models at the moment together with the prices and specifications and other information that you feel are relevant and important for us to know.

Please let us have the information as soon as possible because we want to import these cars before Christmas this year.

Many thanks

Manisha Hemrajani
For and on behalf of Mr Sunny Kam
Skycity International Holdings Ltd
Suites 801 & 818, 8/F Elite Industrial Centre
883 Cheung Sha Wan Road
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Email: skycity1@skycityuniversal.com.hk
Website: www.skycityuniversal.com.hk
Tel: (852) 2831 9942 Mobile: (852) 9757 8087
Fax: (852) 2833 6913

Bewarned - or not

seems it to me... i would mail back something to the effect of 'piss off muppet.'

Sounds innocent enough so far I guess but I'd still be wary. If they ever ask you to give them any money I would steer well clear.

Funny how these cons seem to be people wanting to buy something off you, yet involve you giving THEM money. I always thought that the traditional way of buying something is to give the seller money...

Pete

Faint possibility it might be legit bu the gut reaction-ometer is screaming SCAAMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
Unless they are gonna front up some real cash, ignore

Well it could be.
If you look at their website you can see that they are seling other things then cars.
They have stated their bankaccount and other details their. It should be easy to check if that account exists.

Why not send an email with prices and other details to see their reaction.

It doesn't look like a scammers' letter. There are too many different details you can check up on. I would contact them back explaining that the cars are exported as kits which have to be built and registered. A few years ago there was a big market for the original shape Mini over there, someone was exporting them I remember reading.

Send them info, it could be a good money making sceme! There was a kit car manufacturer (Tiger I think) who made loads of money importing cars to Japan.

Adam

Hellfire - Proceed with max caution!!

Dave Ashurst's point, in his reply above, seems to be well-targeted. Suggest you ask your prospective customer for some idea of his market research results. You'll need to know what alterations will be required by local C&U regs.

Also bear in mind what happened to the Madison project. It re-surfaced in Australia, as the Bufori. There was a site (www.bufori.com.au), but this may now be defunct. They appeared to be in trouble, after setting up a manufacturing & assembly plant in Malaysia. I reckon that the project instigators' dreams outweighed common sense, and they lacked sufficient local mkt research.

Keep us posted on developments.

I got that email too ,and I've only built one kitcar!!

They found me via my build website...................

I think the reply should be 'I was born at night, but it wasn't LAST night!'

Watch out for the "I'll send you 10k for your 4k car, but can you send the other 6k to a mate"... who they owe money to.

Just be dead cautious.. ask them to come and visit and look the car over.. and bring cash sterling. Also beware of Fake / Stolen Bankers drafts / cheques etc.
Its dead easy to set up a bank account anywhere in the world, that could be real, but with a maze of fake holding companies behind it! Are you going to fly to HK to track down some Local HK crooks all over a few grand..

You could loose everything.
Personally I would ignore them, as there are plenty of buyers in the UK who will pay with folding readies.

The old rule applies...

"If it looks too good to be true, it usually isnt (true)"

Best Regards

Geoffw

id follow a simple line of reasoning. Where did they get your email address from? have you ever advertised that you want to export kit cars to China? does your website suggest you are interested in rice rockets? if they got your address from your site, why do they say nothing specific about your car?

i'd say its a dead cert scam, unless you have given people a reason to think you are interested in exporting kitcars. Glaringly obvious to me.

However, maybe follow it thru to waste some of their time and have a laugh. Ive read about a few people who have lashed the lashers.

It seems a bit like a standard message and not a request for specific info.If the buyer is really interested in your car he would not have used words like "what are your best selling models"
Ignore them i would say and if they really are interested they will contact you again and again and again.......

SCAM


no matter how genuine it may seem, its just not right. think if you were going to approach a company about exports how would you word it? not like that. i t smells fishy


its specific enough to warrant interest but too vague to be genuine

[Edited on 3/10/04 by liam.mccaffrey]

Personally I think it's a barefaced scam.

I'm not considering either buying or selling... though anyone else is more than welcome to use the details given to me!

as this person clearly wants to buy many kitcars, and hellfire is not a business and only has a single car.....

this is all a waste of time cos there isnt any point responding!

atb

steve

I think you should reply and start making up kit cars that you have in your "possetion" then when you get some money from him dissapear with it, and scam the possible scammer!!!