I saw an ad for a place that, after you give them 40 bucks, promises to give you a car, pay for all your gas, insurance, and maintenance, as long as you drive it around (a certain, undisclosed number of miles). The car is covered by an ad for various companies. Is this business for real?
Yes, but there is a catch. I always worry about the “catch” so I would not take these ads at face value. Forewarned is forearmed. Check this out: http://www.leaseguide.com/articles/freecar.htm
A Place That Can Afford To Give You A Car, Gas, Insurance, And Maintenance Can Certainly Afford Forty-Bucks. It Doesn’t Pass My Smell Test.
CSA
Anytime they ask for money up front, it is a scam.
missileman’s link is a great source of information.
I would also offer that the company you saw advertised should have a land line phone number and a street address so that you know how to locate them. If they only offer an email address or web address, beware. If you can’t find them, your $40 is easily lost. But they could be legitimate. Charging the up front fee can reduce the prospective drivers to a more manageable level.
The industry (for lack of a better term) is real, but it’s important to be sure that the individual organization you deal with is legit and that you protect yourself in anything you sign.
I’ve seen these cars. For someone who doesn’t mind parking in their company parking lot or picking up their date with a giant tampon ad on the hood and dairy adds on their sides of their car, and they’re willing to comply with the minimum mileage requirements…come heck or high water…I suppose they’re okay.
Be aware of one other thing. Those I’ve seen pay you to drive your own car with the stickers on. While the stickers are totally removable without paint damage, the areas where the grapics are can in a sunny climate fade differently than the rest of the car. You could end up with a ghost image of a cow on your paint.