Craigslist SCAM! Nothing new...just a heads' up

07-15-2009, 10:45 AM

I once tried to sell a motorcycle through an online ad service (not CL) and had a similar experience. The guy offered me $1000 dollars over what I asked for the bike, and an additional $2500 to have it shipped. I wound up getting a huge check that the bank wouldn't clear because it was fake (had major suspicions long before I got the check in my hands). The guy called up, through an operator he was typing to, and threatened to find me and do me harm in order to get his money back. He didn't like it too much when I told him I didn't have the check anymore because the local police had taken the check and passed it on to the FBI. He hung up after that.

07-15-2009, 10:55 AM

Nice! Jeez, sorry about that Joe. That sucks. Hope they caught the f'er.

07-15-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

Nice! Jeez, sorry about that Joe. That sucks. Hope they caught the f'er.

The whole thing smelled kinda funky. The guy was supposedly based out of South Africa, the shipping company was based in Ghana, and the Cashier's Check was from a bank in the UK. Requested that they clear funds before I left the bank and it came back as being fraudulent. The routing number was correct, but the account number didn't exist. Crazy deal, but I didn't lose anything other than a little time. The entertainment I got was well worth that much.

Noodles · 07-15-2009, 11:08 AM

Anytime you post something in Craigslist you are open to this kind of Scam. Here's the usual modus operandi:

You are the seler

1. Response to your advertisement.
2. Email back and forth. They say their representative/secretary/relative in the USA will send you payments.
3. They send you a check for more than what was originally agreed upon. They say take xxx amount for your trouble but refund (via wire transfer) them the remaining money.

Ex Cost of what you are selling is 1000 dollars
They send you 3500 dollars
They will ask you to cash the check, take 300 dollars for your troubles but send them/advance them 1200.
4. Your bank will make the 3500 available to you. You wire them 1200.
5. A few days later your bank calls you and informs you the check is no good. You are now out of 1200.

You are the buyer - This is easy to spot since most of the time, the same advertisement is plastered in different craigslist cities.
1. You email them about the item they are selling.
2. They said it's available. However, he is out of country right now but, lo and behold, he has a solution for this problem.
3. They will suggest to use a shipper company; in one of my bait, they suggested TNT.
4. Same deal with above, take xxx amount for your trouble, but wire them the rest.

07-15-2009, 11:18 AM

At least they're polite.

Volt · 07-15-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

At least they're polite.

07-15-2009, 10:45 AM	#1
SchizoFilly Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Craigslist SCAM! Nothing new...just a heads' I once tried to sell a motorcycle through an online ad service (not CL) and had a similar experience. The guy offered me $1000 dollars over what I asked for the bike, and an additional $2500 to have it shipped. I wound up getting a huge check that the bank wouldn't clear because it was fake (had major suspicions long before I got the check in my hands). The guy called up, through an operator he was typing to, and threatened to find me and do me harm in order to get his money back. He didn't like it too much when I told him I didn't have the check anymore because the local police had taken the check and passed it on to the FBI. He hung up after that.

07-15-2009, 10:55 AM	#2
mrreindeer Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Craigslist SCAM! Nothing new...just a heads' Nice! Jeez, sorry about that Joe. That sucks. Hope they caught the f'er.

07-15-2009, 11:08 AM	#4
Noodles Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 412 Trading: (2)	Re: Craigslist SCAM! Nothing new...just a heads' Anytime you post something in Craigslist you are open to this kind of Scam. Here's the usual modus operandi: You are the seler 1. Response to your advertisement. 2. Email back and forth. They say their representative/secretary/relative in the USA will send you payments. 3. They send you a check for more than what was originally agreed upon. They say take xxx amount for your trouble but refund (via wire transfer) them the remaining money. Ex Cost of what you are selling is 1000 dollars They send you 3500 dollars They will ask you to cash the check, take 300 dollars for your troubles but send them/advance them 1200. 4. Your bank will make the 3500 available to you. You wire them 1200. 5. A few days later your bank calls you and informs you the check is no good. You are now out of 1200. You are the buyer - This is easy to spot since most of the time, the same advertisement is plastered in different craigslist cities. 1. You email them about the item they are selling. 2. They said it's available. However, he is out of country right now but, lo and behold, he has a solution for this problem. 3. They will suggest to use a shipper company; in one of my bait, they suggested TNT. 4. Same deal with above, take xxx amount for your trouble, but wire them the rest.

07-15-2009, 11:18 AM	#5
mrreindeer Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Craigslist SCAM! Nothing new...just a heads' At least they're polite.