ALERT: Please ignore all communications from a person who is going by the name Mac Todd, Mat Todd, or Mat (spelled with one "T"...I, Matt Davis, am the owner of RVClearingHouse.com, and spell my name with two T's, just to clarify), or has ANY email address @cooltoad.com. This is a scam and we are doing all we can to block this person from emailing anyone who has an ad on this site, using the built in email form, but we would recommend you add @cooltoad.com to your email block list.

Here is a sample email that he has sent to people:

"Hello,
   I have forwarded the features of your vehicle to my client for
   evaluation and confirmation. Due to time constraint on the fact
   that we are running short of time , I am delighted to tell you
   that my client has commended your vehicle and he has instructed me to
   carry on with this transaction at the price of $176,000 He said he
   will be going on a vacation soon and will rest virtually all the
   transaction on my shoulder and assign a shipper likewise that I
   will work with and he further stressed that he will be issuing out
   a certified check of ($186,500) which was a refund payment of a
   canceled order earlier made by him but will be filled in your name,

   Companys policy only allows a refund payment on one certified
   check.You are only required to deduct the cost of your vehicle
   ($176,000) and send the difference ($10,500) when payment gets to
   you, to a shipping agent whose information will be given to you as
   soon as he approves a reliable shipper. The agent will need the
   funds to offset shipping charges, taxes, any cosmetic repair cost
   and miscellaneous expenses, and the agent will be responsible for
   signing, transferring of title paper and also pick-up.

   For the payment to be made out to you as soon as possible, Confirm
   this and forward your....

   LEGAL NAMES.....
   ADDRESS.......
   PHONE NUMBER................

   All other information needed in completion of this transaction
   will be
   given to you in due course.
   Your honesty, understanding and co-operation will be highly
   appreciated.
   Respectfully,
   Mat"

How to avoid scams and fraud

As the old addage says, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".

Take any cashiers check you receive to your bank and ask them to cash and clear it where they cannot come back to you for money if the check if fraudulent.

 Here are some various scams that are common place on the Internet, or any other means of advertising:

• Anyone who asks you to wire funds for the vehicle they have listed is most likely a scammer.

• Some scams involve sending the seller a fake cashier's check or money order to pay for their vehicle, but once the bank has cashed the bad check/money order the seller is held responsible.

• This should go without saying, but NEVER, I repeat, NEVER give anyone your financial information. This includes any of your account numbers, social security number, account logins, etc. You're just asking for trouble if you do.

• Please be careful if a buyer who is interested in your vehicle lives in a different country than you do. We're not saying that everyone who lives in another country is attempting to scam you, but do your homework to make sure it's a legitimate buyer before making the sale. Obviously, you want to protect yourself with any potential buyer (or seller for that matter), but transactions between countries may make it more difficult to take legal action.

• If the seller asks for a partial payment, upon which the vehicle will be shipped, it is most likely a scam.

Here are some real examples of scams that have been seen:

•  "If you open a Home equity line of credit account and email it to me, I will deposit $250,000 for the RV and shipping. Then, I need you to ship 4 or 5 cars for me, using the extra money I deposited"

• "My father's RV is in (Pick a state), and I flew back there last week to sell it, only to find out the supposed buyer didn't have enough money. I'm not flying back to meet you to sell my RV unless you send me (some large amount of money...$2,000 to $5,000) to pay for my trip. I can't afford to pay my own way at this time, and don't want to waste my time if there isn't a sale."

•  A so called "agent" for a buyer wants you to accept a cashier's check from them in excess of the price of the RV - so they can receive money back.  Some of them may even want you to take out a home equity line of credit and send them the bank and routing number!

• "Am okay with the vehicle after i accepted on your price at which you accepted on selling it out; apparently,i will like you to know that the earnest payment $1,000.00 NON REFUNDABLE will get to you in a Money order which will include an excess fund.
   
  The $1,000.00 NON REFUNDABLE you are deducting from the excess fund is for you not to accept offers from another interested buyer's due to the fact that i do not want to lose this vehicle,the remaining balance which is the difference of the excess fund should be wire to my agent via western union money transfer after you must have deducted your own share $1,000.00 NON REFUNDABLE.
  
  THE $1,000.00 IS NOT PART OF THE SALE ASKING PRICE IT ONLY A NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT TO HOLD THE PROPERTY FOR 14 DAYS FOR MY AGENT TO ARRIVE IN YOUR LOCATION TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE EARNEST PAYMENT $1,000.00 FROM UPS COURIER SERVICE.
  
  i want my agent to come to your location and inspect the vehicle in person with you.
   
  Note: you are required also to deduct the cost of money transfer charges from the balance and send the rest to my agent as advice.All the information needed in this- transaction will be forwarded to you after you must have received the payment from UPS,my agent -information as soon as you received the payment package. After payment has reached you and balance sent to my agent.
  
  Your sale asking price will be paid to you via bank transfer.
   
  
  Please confirm this and provide payment information for Money Order payment to be delivered to you via Courier..Payment Information:
  
  1,Your legal name,
  2, Full contact address
  3, Cell Phone#"
  

There are various ways to report fraud, by phone or online:

Federal Trade Commission toll free hotline: 877-382-4357

Federal Trade Commission online complaint form www.ftc.gov

Internet Fraud Complaint Center www.ic3.gov

If you see any other scams, please feel free to email us by clicking here and let us know about them. We'll add them to our list to help keep people informed. Thank you.