Craigslist Scams

[area51]

Is it just me or has craigslist gone down the drain over the past couple of years. I have used CL for buying and selling before, mainly back in 05-08. I've sold an XBOX 360, PS2, Guitar, Bike as well as bought one of my cars off of it.

Anyway, recently I've wanted to sell a few things I don't want to sit while I deploy and the only responses I have gotten have been from scammers.

I'm interested, and consider it sold, I'm buying it for my father and
payment would be through ******, my agent will come for pick up,
actually I'm working in a ship and most time I am off shore. Expecting
your prompt reply, with the name and email address on the your ******
account so that I can make the payment and please provide me with
recent pictures including this item so I can see the condition before
we proceed since I would not be seen it in person so I can make a
payment right away, and pick up would at your residence. And lastly,
I'm offering additional $100 to your final price for you to keep it
off from other offer. If you don't have ****** account yet, it is
very easy to set up, go to http://www.******.com and get it set up..
looking forward to your response.
Regards.

or

I appreciate your prompt response, I am offering $600 USD for the item
and $80 USD for postage, payment will be made through ****** as soon
as You get back to Me with your ****** email id so i can forward
payment to you right away, I will also like some pictures of the
item.Many Thanks.


What gives? Do real people just not use CL anymore or what? First world problems...I know.

[mosesbotbol]

try telephone only, no email for serious items.

[T.G]

Maybe no one wants what you are selling...

[area51]

Originally Posted by T.G

Maybe no one wants what you are selling...

That is a possibility and I'm fine with that, but I hate having to sift through now 10 emails and decide whether they are fake or not. I did however receive a real response so I guess CL still kind of works.

oh and for those fake emails...well I'm going to have some fun with them.

[Poronico]

I am using CL as we speak. Trying to Barter some of my firearms/street bike and gear for hunting gear and other rifles but getting nothing worth while... lots of low balling scum!

[area51]

At least you got that much. No joke the first 10 emails were basically the same thing just rewritten BS.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by area51

That is a possibility and I'm fine with that, but I hate having to sift through now 10 emails and decide whether they are fake or not. I did however receive a real response so I guess CL still kind of works.

oh and for those fake emails...well I'm going to have some fun with them.

It's hard to say if the number of scams have increased on CL or not, I'm actually getting less scam responses these days, but I also think that it has a lot to do with what one is trying to sell.

Craigslist has grown so much over the last 5-8 years that it's hard for someone to just read through the ads, everything is found by searches and whomever is at the top of the search results tends to win, so timing has a lot to do with it.

A few months ago, I had a brand new lawnmower up for sale, something I had bought the year before on clearance and then ended up fixing my old mower instead. Couldn't get any hits on the ad for weeks. Took it down, then reposted it on a Saturday morning, within 30 minutes it was sold.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by T.G

Couldn't get any hits on the ad for weeks. Took it down, then reposted it on a Saturday morning, within 30 minutes it was sold.

Good Idea Adam

[irratebass]

Same thing happened to me Ken, a couple of years ago I tried to sell a living room couch and love seat (brand new...just didn't have the room for them, was overzealous when getting the home loan) anyway I got a response from some "lady" stating she was going to buy it for her husband, but wanted it to be a surprise so she was going to send some men over to my house to get is (yeah right)

2nd was at least entertaining, I was looking for a fridge to go on the garage, I found one for free and this "lady" emailed me stating that she had such a huge response to the ad that the only way to fairly let it go was to play a game, and she wanted me to guess something....I can't remember what now, but yeah I will never use CL again.

[area51]

Originally Posted by irratebass

Same thing happened to me Ken, a couple of years ago I tried to sell a living room couch and love seat (brand new...just didn't have the room for them, was overzealous when getting the home loan) anyway I got a response from some "lady" stating she was going to buy it for her husband, but wanted it to be a surprise so she was going to send some men over to my house to get is (yeah right)

2nd was at least entertaining, I was looking for a fridge to go on the garage, I found one for free and this "lady" emailed me stating that she had such a huge response to the ad that the only way to fairly let it go was to play a game, and she wanted me to guess something....I can't remember what now, but yeah I will never use CL again.

That part blew my mind. Some people man. I'm waiting on a response from these people, so I can post it here so others know what to look out for.

[area51]

And as I typed that I got yet another scam offer.

[area51]

Me: When can you pick it up

Them: Don't worry about the pick up,my shipping agent will be coming to pick it up as soon the money had been credited into your account . I'll like you to send me your address so that my shipping agent can figure it out and come for the pick up and other necessary things....more so,send me your ****** details(****** email) so i can pay in.

Await your response.

Me: Do you want the puppies?

[markem]

The scams were there from the beginning, they just didn't get to you then. It is a variation of what used to be called a 419 scam (Nigerian scam,etc) which have been around what we now call the Internet for a long time (at least since 1976 when I saw my first one).

I always list as buyer is responsible for pickup and that all non-cash transactions will be handled via an online escrow company. Cuts down a lot for the one's who actually read the post, but many now just have bots that troll the whole of craigslist and other places automatically.

Easy to spot, easy to ignore, no worries.