The 2006 Caterpillar 304CCR as advertised
The listing on truckequipmentsale.com offered a 2006 Caterpillar 304CCR Mini Excavator described as used with 7,129 engine hours and an asking price of $8,000. The seller marked the unit condition as "Used" and gave those hours in the public listing.
The listing page carries the site brand Truck & Equipment Sales and shows contact details the operator published: a phone number and an email address. The site homepage title is Truck & Equipment Sales and the domain uses HTTPS.
What the buyer reports
According to the buyer's account filed with this publication, they paid the full $8,000 asking price by bank wire for the 2006 Caterpillar 304CCR shown on truckequipmentsale.com. The buyer says no excavator was delivered after the wire transfer.
The buyer supplied the amount and the payment method in their report to this publication. The listing the buyer used matched the advertised model, hours and price that appear on the listing URL.
Checking a Caterpillar 304CCR before you pay
A compact excavator like the 304CCR has a permanent equipment identification number, usually called a PIN or serial number, stamped on a metal plate. On Cat machines the plate is commonly fixed to the upper structure or the left side of the chassis; some examples show stamping on the boom or swing frame. Before sending funds you should obtain clear photos of the serial plate and at least three identifying images that match the plate location to the machine in the listing photos.
Ask the seller for a bill of sale that names the seller, the buyer and the PIN. Take that PIN to an authorized Caterpillar dealer and request a PIN check and available service history. An authorized dealer can confirm whether the PIN matches Cat records and whether the machine has an active registration or documented service history.
Compare the advertised hours to wear visible in the photos. At more than 7,000 hours you should expect visible frame repairs, worn bucket and link pins, and track or undercarriage wear compatible with heavy use. If the photos show near-new components but the hours are very high, treat that as a mismatch and request closer inspection or video of the running machine.
Run a UCC lien search in the state the seller lists and in nearby states if the seller's address is close to a border. Ask the seller for a clear copy of a title if the machine is on title in the advertised state. Search local stolen-equipment registries and the NICB database using the PIN. Keep the seller's published phone number, email and postal address handy for these checks and for any paperwork you will receive.
If you cannot inspect in person, arrange a neutral third-party inspection and require that inspection before funds move. Do not accept shipping promises or escrow arrangements without verifiable tracking and signed documentation from a verified carrier account.
How the payment was taken
The buyer's account says payment was sent by bank wire. A settled wire transfer removes the buyer's normal chargeback options because wires are final once processed by the banks. That makes a successful recall or bank-level intervention the primary route to attempt recovery, and such actions depend on the cooperating banks and timing.
What we have and have not verified
Verified from the public record: the listing text shows a 2006 Caterpillar 304CCR Mini Excavator advertised at $8,000 with 7,129 hours; the operator published the phone number, email and address on the site; the domain truckequipmentsale.com is reachable over HTTPS.
Unverified and outstanding checks: independent confirmation that the specific machine exists at the published address; a serial plate or PIN match verified with an authorized Caterpillar dealer; a UCC lien search on the seller's name or the listed address; the seller's banking details and the wire trace from the buyer's bank; and any delivery or carrier tracking documentation.
This record presents the buyer's account as filed. The operator may provide additional documentation and we will update the entry as verifications arrive.
If you have already paid
Contact your bank promptly and ask the bank to attempt a recall of the wire transfer. Provide the bank with every receipt and message related to the transfer. Submit a report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and contact your state attorney general's consumer protection office to register the loss. Preserve every email, text and invoice from the seller and any screenshots of the listing and the payment confirmation.
If you engaged any inspection or escrow service, provide those contracts and receipts to both your bank and law enforcement or consumer authorities when you file reports.
Additional notes for this listing
The domain truckequipmentsale.com was registered recently and the registrant is using a privacy service. The listing included the operator name Truck & Equipment Sales and a Tea, SD address as published by the site. Those published details are the operator's own claims and have not been independently authenticated by this publication.