Posted on 01/01/2016 1:14:41 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
I put some furniture up for sale on Craigslist. Now I have someone texting me from Vermont (I live in Georgia) wanting to buy sight unseen, claiming to be a flight attendant who is away most of the time but will send a pickup agent as soon as we complete the transaction via PayPal. It seems pretty obvious that it's a scam but it must work some percentage of the time because they keep trying it.
My first thought also. Laughed myself sore the first time I read that!
My son sold his 911 and his 92 Dodge Dually Cummins via CL. Both to out of state buyers. Told them show up personally with cash or early enough in the day to go to a bank for cash. Both buyers wanted them bad enough to do just that. Whenever I sell via CL, horses or vehicles, cash only, in person.
And then wait until time has passed to clear.
Or just have them pay in uS gold/silver eagles.
Yup, serious honest buyers will do just that.My items sell between $8K-$12K range, I sell on both CL and ebay and it is always for cash money. Even on ebay I stipulate no Paypal, cash on pick up only.
LOLOL!!
Except that one really does "freeze" your screen. What's the cure?
Even if you put the money in your account, Paypal will still come after you and take it out of your account if the transaction is reversed.
I get one of these messages every time I post something on Craigslist. Just ignore them. Jeez.
The check they see you will bounce. You can ask them to wire money but they won’t.
If you were gullible enough to yo wire them money they can pick it up at any western union terminal in the us.
Because of this and other spamming issues at Craig’s list , I always start my ad by asking to respond to the ad with a phone # to call or text. And emphasizing I don’t respond to email addresses. It’s done away with the spam and scams.
Wait till whatever they send you clears and then some. If they come for the goods, give them it. If not don’t use Craigslist again.
Yes, they will.
I’m on Roe’s “special” list I guess :)
If you want to take the time to make things difficult for them, have them overnight you a check. The check will be fraudulent, but you can contact the actual bank and business being defrauded. This will burn that one checking account they have taken the time to get information for. It will also cost them the overnight fees.
This may seem small, but if everyone did it, they would quit using this scam. Let other people know that is a common scam, and there are many different versions of it. Also, do not be misled that you can deposit the check and when it clears everything is okay. It is not. Once the fraud is detected, the bank will reverse charges and take the money from your account even if this leaves you with a negative balance.
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Thaks TS for posting this classic thread by lowbridge.
Cannot belieeve it is 11.5 years ago already—I rememebr laughing so hard while reading it.
Lowbridge is definitely the man for the job!
Now I have had buyers do wire transfers. Had a guy about 700 miles away buy one of my machines sight unseen other than the ones I posted in my ad.
Had to give him a few references but other than that it was a good sale.
Last year the “FBI” demanded money & froze my screen. I took it to Geek Squad at Best Buy (the contract pays for itself) and they said, “been seeing this one for a month now” & cleaned it out.
Yeah, I’ve gotten those call, too. After the first one, I just hang up. I like the ones who call and use an American-sounding name.
Any CL ad I answer I tell them that we meet in a bank, where there are many cameras and where the cash is stashed; I don’t carry it with me.
I Only had one guy back out of a deal.
I got all these emails from Cruz as well, as my neighbor was dying of cancer. Wrong messages at the wrong time.
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