Use common sense and good buying procedures at all times.
- If you can't inspect the trailer personally or a trusted friend inspect it for you, don't buy it! We repeat - Do not part with your money on a trailer you or a trusted friend have not viewed in person. Photos don't count as "seeing" the trailer. They could be stolen photos off of the Internet.
- If they want to ship it to you through a service sight unseen, don't buy it! They will assure you that some type of shipping service like Amazon or Ebay Motors (read detail post on this below) will ship with a guaranteed money back offer. You will NEVER see your money again! Another ongoing scam is the "I'm out of the country for a wedding, or some type of crisis, and will need to use a shipping service." Many times they pose as a U.S. Military person to gain your trust.
- Never send money in advance of any amount, not a deposit and certainly not the entire trailer price. You risk losing it. Most all legitimate sellers will allow you a day or two to drive to their location to inspect the trailer before payment is expected. But please understand legitimate sellers also have the right to refuse to wait for an out-of-town buyer and choose to sell it locally.
- Verify the VIN on the trailer matches the VIN on the title. Otherwise, don't buy it! (Some states don't issue titles on trailers this size, so be extra cautious if dealing with one of those situations.)
- The name on the title should match the valid picture ID of the seller you are dealing with.
- Verify title and title procedures with the state motor vehicle department prior to purchasing, both in the seller's state and title requirements in your state.
- Familiarize yourself via our Sold Archives with the current market values of these highly sought after, collectible trailers. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is! Molded Fiberglass RV's bring very good resale prices based on condition and usually sell very well. Make sure you are an educated buyer before pursuing the "deals." There are occasional super deals, but there are so many seasoned molded fiberglass hobbyists, restorers, etc., pursuing them that they are usually gone within four hours of listing if they're legitimate.
- Another buying tip and this is a BIG ONE: Do not ask the seller "Is this still available?" or "Is this still for sale?" or any version closely related to that. We know this seems like a harmless question, but when you are trying to sell a trailer and every single contact you get asks "Is this still available?" it becomes very annoying to the seller. Some sellers get so fed up with it they won't even respond to a buyer who asks that question. Trust us on this one!!! So just proceed in your email or phone call like the trailer is available. If it is not, the seller will tell you then.
- Directly Contact Seller! If you see a trailer you are interested in purchasing, we recommend that you never waste time with posting comments on the ad. We have seen time and time again that while a buyer messes around with posting a comment and waiting on a response, another buyer is directly contacting the seller using the contact info posted in the ad and they get the jump on you. If you want the trailer, please directly contact the seller.
- Familiarize yourself with our Scam Alert section to you can begin to see how scammers work. https://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/rv-scam-ad-alerts
While we're not responsible for the content of seller or buyer posts (See our ad disclaimer), we are part of the Molded Fiberglass Family and we want this experience to be as legitimate and as enjoyable as it can be for each and every one of you. We won't tolerate illegal or objectionable postings and will take action as quickly as we can when we become aware of these type of activities.
Again, please be careful in your transactions and make sure they are legitimate sellers before proceeding. If you have questions about a transaction, please feel free to ask us about it.
Happy camping, and we hope to meet each of you out there in your new "eggs" over the years ahead.
eBay's Vehicle Purchase Protection* covers only certain vehicle transactions that are completed on eBay.com. If a Craigslist or non-eBay seller 'promises' you the eBay protection plan, this is false and almost certainly a scam and you should walk away. The following are buying tips and warning signs that all customers should keep in mind when considering any vehicle purchase. Vehicles include, but are not limited to, cars, trucks, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, campers, RVs and trailers.
*Restrictions apply. See terms and conditions.
Common warning signs:
Know the approximate value of the vehicle you are interested in buying by using trusted resources on the internet such as Kelley Blue Book or Nada Guides.
If it appears too good to be true, it probably is.
FACT: Criminals will make the vehicle very appealing and tempt you with a price you don't want to miss out on.
Western Union (see example)
Direct Bank Transfer where the bank account is provided (see example )
Moneygram (see example )
PayPal MyCash card (see example )
eBay gift card (see example)
iTunes card (see example)
Walmart card (see example)
RELoadit card (see example )
OneVanilla card (see example)
GreenDot (see example )
FACT: Common payment methods used in legitimate purchases are cash in person, credit card, PayPal, Bill Me Later, money order, cashier's check, financial loans, or personal check.
Escrow accounts can also be used to securely transfer funds to the seller (providing that you set up the escrow account, not the seller). eBay recommends using our approved escrow service with Escrow.com. Learn more about using an escrow service.
Direct bank transfers and wire payments may also be requested by the Seller. Please proceed with caution with these payment methods and remember it is always a good idea to inspect the vehicle in person before sending any money.
With all transactions, we want to encourage you to work with the Seller. In addition, you may want to consider providing payment at the time you pick up the vehicle.
Seller is being/has been deployed by the military
Seller is going through a divorce (or getting married)
Death in the family or a health issue of a relative
They work on a boat or are out of town for an extended period of time
Received through inheritance and not needed
FACT: Legitimate sellers are motivated and will make every effort to meet with all potential buyers immediately. If the seller cannot meet, they will designate another person to show the vehicle on their behalf.
Similar to being priced below what it is worth, this typically is a tactic used to entice potential buyers
FACT: On eBay, as the buyer, you typically are responsible for picking up the vehicle or hiring a shipping company. Some eBay Motors Dealers may offer free shipping on our website.
To determine if the listing is from a Private Seller or Dealer please refer to the field labeled "For Sale By" within the description tab under the Item specifics section.
You found the vehicle on another website and the seller tells you eBay will protect the transaction, such as:
Extend eBay warranty, eBay guarantee, or a buyer's protection plan
Offer a return policy in case you are not satisfied (like a 'cooling off' period)
Process the payment directly or hold/secure the funds
FACT: eBay provides Vehicle Purchase Protection only for transactions that start and are completed on the eBay Motors website (other terms and conditions apply). In addition, eBay does NOT hold payments or extend protection for non-eBay conducted transactions.
The only way to buy a vehicle on eBay is by logging into your eBay account with a user ID/email address and password. One of the following needs to be true:
You were the winning bidder on the auction
You clicked 'Buy it now'
You sent a best offer and the seller accepted it
In these cases, the item will always appear in the purchase history of your eBay account.
Emails have poor grammar, broken English or have other distinguishing errors (e.g., misspelled words, incorrect punctuation)
Communications may be overly formal or sound very mechanical. The responses are not personalized and could include general terms like 'Dear Sir' and 'Good Day'
Emails are not sent from the 'eBay.com' domain. Criminals may have a recognizable word in their email name or as part of their domain name, such as 'eBay' or 'VPP' (e.g., eBay@vppinsurance.com) but these are NOT sent from eBay.
Email contains false information like invoice numbers, transaction case IDs, or VPP case ID #s