Scams and more Scams

[lightman]

Many of you may have seen some of my recent post about cleaning up in my shop and finding lead that I forgot about having. Well, I put some tools and some electrical material up for sale on Craigslist. Within minutes I had an offer for one of my tools, offering 4 times my asking price. Some weird deal about taking my cut and paying someone to move it. It was by text, in pretty broken english. I responded that his offer sound like a scam and thanks but no thanks. The area code was from California. Within minutes I got another weird offer on the same tool, this time from an east coast area code. I hate a scammer! You Guys be careful!

[dverna]

I had that happen when I posted an antique cash register for sale.

[labradigger1]

That's been going on for a while. I had a gravely listed once and same bs story. I played along and even had them mail me a rubber check. I never responded to them for several days and when they finally contacted me I told them I had gotten on a drunken binge for several days and spent their money on liquor and had no money to send back to them.
I ask them for another check and the ftards sent me another one.
Don't cash them by the way, I tore them up and threw them in the trash.

[Moleman-]

Ever found something for sale on CR with a pic that doesn't match the climate where you live? Love the mowers, tractors, atv's and trucks listed for sale here locally that the only pic they had to post was one with palm trees in the background when we've got snow on the ground. Half of the compact tractors I called about a few years back were blatant scams.

[snowwolfe]

Easy fix. When you post an ad on craigslist mention you will only reply to phone calls.

[GRUMPA]

Ever found something for sale on CR with a pic that doesn't match the climate where you live? Love the mowers, tractors, atv's and trucks listed for sale here locally that the only pic they had to post was one with palm trees in the background when we've got snow on the ground. Half of the compact tractors I called about a few years back were blatant scams.

We get those all the time up here. Wife and I kinda have contests to see who can find the most scams. Odd thing is we've found some honest deals off craigslist, though rare, they are there.

[Beagle333]

Some really are deals. I found some realtor lady in Atlanta who was selling 13# of lead-free solder for $30+ship, and when I emailed, she said she was showing a place that was supposed to be cleaned out, and one of the subs must have left it behind months ago. So I fired off a check and sure enough, 13 new rolls showed up on a MFR box. Happy here!!!!

[bob208]

craigslist is like life you have to really be on your toes. we got burnt on one s10 blazer. but did get a good deal on a s10 pickup for the wife a year ago. 2 mouths ago we bought a k1500 wt it is a nice truck been doing great since we got it.


but then I have nothing to worry about I just got a email saying I have 2 million dollars in a bank in Africa.

[marlin39a]

I had a truck for sale once on cars.com. A woman called me speaking broken English. She asked for my bank account information with my PIN number so she could deposit the funds. I gave it to her, all false of course.

[MaryB]

The ones who say they will pick it up and ship it for you are really fun to mess with, I told one to sure go ahead and had the town cop answer my door when they got here... ended a scammers run!

[454 shooter]

I had a used garage door for sale on craigslist and got a text from a texting app traced back to Chicago, 300 miles away offering to send me money and have his people pick it up on the way thru. I couldn't lose as I would have the money before the door was picked up. Everyone else that has contacted me wanted pictures; this guy didn't ask, just wanted my address to send the check. I didn't give it to him. Maybe I missed a sale, but I wasn't comfortable at all. By the time you pay two people to drive 300 miles and pick up a used door you can buy a new one and have it professionally installed for less money.

[BrassMagnet]

One of my buddies here on CastBoolits texted me about a guy selling his Dads moulds. The brothers weren't interested, they just wanted cash. So many nice moulds with texted pictures!
I couldn't buy them all! So I settled for a Saeco 8C in #325 (32 Cal SWC) and a few others, RCBS, rare Lyman, etc. I requested he close them, put them in plastic baggies, and then tape them. I even paid Paypal Family and Friends.
That Saeco 325 is nice!
So are the others!

[Tackleberry41]

Just the nature of the internet, scams are everywhere. Look thru comments on a news story, your gonna find someone pushing a get rich quick scheme. List something for sale on CL, you have to wade thru the scammers. Some I have no idea how they manage to screw anybody as you would have to be pretty dumb to not see thru it. Personal ads and dating sites is full of it to, if the site itself is not the scam. That whole Ashley Madison thing, come to find out there were no actual women, it was all guys scrambling over fake profiles.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I have a bass amplifier on Craig's list now. I got a email last week from a guy asking the usual "still got it, how much, etc". We agreed on a price and he asked where/when he could pick it up. I told him the local Police Dept parking lot, (they had offered this service) and later in the week since I was suffering from the crud that's going around. I never heard back from him.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[cheese1566]

If they send a check, it's usually a fake.
They hope you take it and ship off the goods before you or your bank finds it's a fake check.

[kingstrider]

I have bought and sold a lot of stuff on craigslist and always insist on a FTF deal. You just have to weed through the BS.

[BrassMagnet]

I have bought and sold a lot of stuff on craigslist and always insist on a FTF deal. You just have to weed through the BS.

FTF can be physically dangerous. Robbery, rape, and/or murder have started with CL adds. Whether you are the buyer or seller you are at risk. Meeting a stranger with something of value to sell or to purchase something of value makes you a cut above the average potential victim.

Be careful!
I like the idea of the Police parking lot!

[MUSTANG]

Off the path question; but at the heart of the thread. Where are the Law Enforcement officials on cleaning tis up? We have vast numbers of different law enforcement agencies who should have a finger in these scams such as: Local Police, State Law Enforcement, USPS Inspector Service (Mail Fraud), US Justice Department (Wire Fraud & Fraud Division); FBI (RICO), Treasury .....

Years ago there were BUNKO Squads in cities and County Sheriff's were involved in arrests for writing Fraudulent Checks or Scam operations. It seems that no Law Enforcement cares anymore. Attitude seems to be "Nothing we can do", or worse - "You Should Have Learned a Lesson". I find it hard to believe that it could not be drastically reduced with some effort by Law Enforcement.

Of course international enforcement because of the Internet is more difficult; but those scams are not new; my wife remembers as a young girl her family got a letter from Germany saying that they had inherited a Castle in Germany (her family is derived from Northern Germany) and all they needed to claim the Castle was pay some legal fees, they trashed the letter. Given that I receive a dozen of these types of Scam E-Mails daily; I am sure that the US Government could partner with foreign governments to curtail the numbers if they had a desire to do so. Seems that the banks and Credit Card companies also turn a "Blind Eye" to the scams as they seem not to work on the Check Fraud much; and for Credit/Bank card scams they simply write it off without pursuing the thieves and increase their fees/rates to cover the losses (Cost of Doing Business Attitude). In my mind a significant indicator of the collapse of US Social order. A hundred years ago, a Scammer coming to town risked being caught and Tarred and Feathered by the local citizens, since Law Enforcement seems to ignore it, maybe some "Bounty Hunters" with Tar and Feathers should be considered.

[bedbugbilly]

A few years back, I used CL for the first time just to see how it worked. I had an extension ladder and an aluminum trim brake for sale. In my ad, i was very specific that I would only accept phone calls and not text messages, etc. I couldn't believe how many text messages I received - it was just crazy and you could tell that they were all scammers. I texted them back telling them phone calls only and they still persisted and many wanted to know my address which I refused to give them as I figured it was a case of them getting it and then a visit in the night to come steal the items. I know a lot of folks use CL but personally, I doubt I'll ever use it again just because of all the scamming that does go on. And yes, I even received texts that they would mail me a check, etc.

[RogerDat]

FTF can be physically dangerous. Robbery, rape, and/or murder have started with CL adds. Whether you are the buyer or seller you are at risk. Meeting a stranger with something of value to sell or to purchase something of value makes you a cut above the average potential victim.

Be careful!
I like the idea of the Police parking lot!


Yep just like a FTF sale of a firearm best place it right there in the old police parking lot. Scammers don't want to come near that deal, robbery on police department cameras, plus the injured pride aspect pretty much guarantee strong police response, so only the legit show. I used that for camera gear before, not going to meet in a gas station parking lot to exchange $300 item and cash.

The scam with the OP's being offered way more money is they need to get the price up where they can easily send 1,300 hundred rather than 130.00 they will then contact you about the "mistake" with the money order or cashiers check and suggest you deposit the whole amount and send a cashiers check or money order for the over payment. You deposit the 1,300 and send them the $1,170 difference and the item only to find out two or three days later that the money order you deposited is fake and bounced.

Big scam with used car buyers having a cashiers check for a set amount over the price of your used car. They show up Saturday morning. You go to your bank and sign title and deposit their "payment" and then give them back the difference in cash. They leave with your car and cash, you find out Monday or Tue. that the cashiers check was fake. You are not only ripped off for the car but you paid them to steal it. Grrrr! Hulk Smash! They deserve no less.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Neighbor listed an antique baby pram once. Got an offer of much more than asking price, but would pay with a MO. The MO was to be cashed and the difference sent back via a POMO. The neighbor politely responded with a `NO` and asked how the weather was that day in India?Robert

[54bore]

Better name is Creepslist

[richmanpoorman]

When you do a FTF, just bring 4 pals all carrying 870s locked and loaded.

[frkelly74]

We bought our house in Florida from a Craigs list add. It was a little unnerving but turned out good. I have sold a bunch of stuff on Craigs list and give it about a 20% positive rating for getting good results. Still it is free and you can sell stuff if it is cheap and you need to get rid of it. Just weed out the 80% chaff and go for it. We have received a couple outright scam offers involving a check either mistakenly made out over the amount of purchase or offering a premium for extra services. I respond " cash and carry only" and they go away.

[lightman]

Thanks for the stories and advice. I got a real text from a local area code this morning, and have a FTF set up for tomorrow on one of my items. I'll have some back up with me. Some hardware and another warm body. I listed some of this stuff a year ago and got some tire kickers and stood up a few times, but no obvious scammers. Makes me wish I could reach through the phone and KO them!

[dbosman]

My beef about Craig's list is they killed off lassified advertising, then refused to handle legal items. First it was guns, then gusn and ammo, then reloading components and now reloading anything. And, they won't go after the people who maliciously flag posts using multiple accounts.

[Handloader109]

Just bought a pristine cabinet for my TV,hi-fi ( am I dating myself?) From a local couple. They initially didn't put phone number in advert we emailed an no response. A couple of days later wife asked and I looked it up again and price had dropped and they put. Phone number in. Wife called and negotiated down a bit lower and we went and picked it up. Daytime only! I've had decent luck overall.

[454 shooter]

My wife sold a piccolo for $500 on CL just last week. The guy contacted her and wanted his daughter to play it to see if she liked it, a reasonable request. A meeting was set up a week out in broad daylight in a public place. I was there and armed( concealed of course) everything went perfect, Daughter played it, liked it, Dad payed cash saying it was for her birthday in two months. Contacted my wife later thanking her for the transaction, He had let his daughter have it to play that night. There is good as well as bad to be had.

[Elkins45]

In the past three weeks I have located my new used boat, sold a tractor and sold an outboard motor off Craigslist. I had one reply on the tractor that seemed pretty squirrelly, but the first guy that emailed included a local phone number. I called him up and the next day he showed up with a trailer and a pocket full of cash.

The boat seemed too good to be true, but it looked as good in person as the ad, he let me take it out on the water, and it actually had a title.

I've had more good luck than bad on CL, if you deduct the guy that wanted to beat me up over a $50 water heater. If you really want to draw out the scum, try selling a handgun on Armslist!

[Elkins45]

My beef about Craig's list is they killed off lassified advertising, then refused to handle legal items. First it was guns, then gusn and ammo, then reloading components and now reloading anything. And, they won't go after the people who maliciously flag posts using multiple accounts.

Yeah. I posted an ad looking for scrap lead and it only lasted like 15 minutes because I was "soliciting for hazardous substances." In Kentucky!

Some little busybodies need to get a hobby.

[snowwolfe]

I'll repeat myself, only deal with people that will call you. That really isn't hard to
understand is it? The ad is free, deal in phone calls and cash only, and use a tiny bit of common sense.

[MaryB]

I have done a dozen deals on CL, n issues. But you have to filter out the junk. I responded to a local ad for husky puppies and the person responded, at first it was "we are older and can't care for them and just want new homes for them", next reply was send a $350 homing fee and we will put them on the bus from NY... I emailed back calling them a scammer and reported the ad which was taken down. Just have to use common sense. All the scams are well known by now. I sold an antique typewriter not to long ago, got the usual broken English scam responses that I reported to CL, finally found a local who was interested, she came and tried it(it needed to be working with only minor repairs needed like lube and ink) and ended up paying me $50 over what I was asking for doing a tune up on it(full cleaning and I lubed all the joints). I was close to breaking it down for the parts because the ivory key caps were worth what I was asking.

[6bg6ga]

Since we're talking scams here I really enjoy the phone scams from someone pretending to be from Microsoft telling me I had a computer problem that I needed to have taken care of. One time I told him I would get my neighbor who worked for the FBI and the caller hung up. Another time I told him I didn't own a computer and was asked if I was poor. The third time I told him I was recording the conversation. It just keep going on dispite being on a no call list.

Yet another new scam a recorded message telling me my Apple account had been hacked and to immediately call a number. I hung up

Craigslist... never had a problem selling anything always mentioned cash only and always carried my Glock.

[lightman]

Well, I survived! Met the guy late yesterday afternoon, FTF, in a Lowe's parking lot and exchanged my bandsaw for cash. I got there early (under estimated the traffic), he arrived on time, we moved the saw from my truck to his, exchanged cash, shook hands and left. I did take a buddy along, had my Seacamp in my pocket and my Glock in the pocket of the truck door. I was not real concerned because I was selling and not buying, but after 2 attempted scams, I was more cautious than normal. Now if the other 4 or 5 things would sell I can see a Master Pot or new gun in the future!:D

[johnson1942]

yesterday i got a scam call, it went like this. someone from this number has called us and there is a person at this number who has a addiction problem to alcohol. we are proffesional in nature and we can help you with that. if you want more information push this number. i did and it was about insurance numbers and all my personal info. so they said push this number if more interested. i did and then when a person answered i went into my foster brooks routine.i dont know why i am good at doing foster brooks but i am and i used to make all my kids laugh like nuts in doing foster brooks. ive even taken that routine a little more out there and added foster brooks drunk and token at the same time. well i demanded to know from this person who at my number called them acting very drunk all the time as i said im going to kick there butt royal when i find out who it is. there was no call to them and it was a scam to get my info and the guy on the other end just gave up and hung up. i sure had fun running him around the block for a while. also someone keeps calling about student loans and wanting info. these scams do any routine. mostly i just pretend i cant speak english and start talking french to them. non of them can speak french. and what i say to them in french cant be printed here.

[richmanpoorman]

Yeah, I get the guy from India all the time telling me I have a computer problem. I ask him "what computer" and he freaks out asking me if I am gay. Fun to torture these dot heads.