I'm selling a small trailer on CL and got this response to it. I don't know...my spider senses just went up. Seems too generic. I responded to the 1st email and said cash only. Then he comes back with this

 

Thank you so much for your response, sorry the first email was for my friend that help me to make inquiry as i am new to craigslist.I've been working really long weeks at work so I won't be able to meet with you before purchase, but am ok with the price and condition as shown on the advert, I'll proceed in issuing a check to you and when you receive the payment and it clears, I will make  arrangement for pickup. So get back to me with below details asap.

 

Full name :

Physical Address (Only,not po box):

City, State, Zip:

Your cell Phone Number:

Deal Price:

 

As soon as this is provided, payment will be overnight to you through UPS next day delivery and I will let you know then tracking number of the package. I will also add an additional $50 for keeping other buyers off till my check gets to you, also please delete the posting or mark as sold.

 

Thanks and I hope we handle this in good faith while waiting to hearing from you

 

---

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 11:45 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re:

Wed, Jun 10, 2020 2:41 pm

Craigslist [email protected]Hide
To	[email protected]

I saw your Craigslist post. it is very necessary to me. I want to make a deal for the price of it. Contact me.. [email protected]  

 

On Wed, Jun 10, 2020 at 12:40 PM Craigslist <[email protected]> wrote

No deals..cash is king

9 minutes ago, SmittyMHS said:

it is very necessary to me. I want to make a deal for the price of it

The improper language makes me think it's a scammer in Africa. Run away!

1 minute ago, JohnnyB said:

The improper language makes me think it's a scammer in Africa. Run away!

I think thats what worried me. Haven't used CL in years so it's "seller beware" now too I guess.

I think your spider senses are good.  I've gotten similar replies several times on Craigslist, and have marveled at how often people trying to buy some old $10 item from my basement have to get their 'assistant' involved in an unnecessarily complex financial transaction.  Very often the check scams involve a cashiers check, which is always a red flag, but perhaps the check referenced here would end up being a cashiers check.

List of common scams is here:  Common Craigslist Scams

I'm looking threw some of them now. Some sounds familiar. I'm not gonna respond to his email and see if he goes away.

You said cash only, stick with it. Don't get caught forcing a sale on yourself, stay in your comfort zone. I sold a hundred things past few months on CL for my move to FL and stay true to my instincts. Broken English, gone. Anything other than cash, poor communication, no shows, gone. Just a footnote I just learned is my wife started cross posting on her FB marketplace and it puts CL to shame. Stuff moves fast and a better clientele.

I was thinking of posting on FB..Thanks!

It's a scam.

You will get a fraudulent check for way over your asking price. Then you'll get an " oh gosh darn it, I made a mistake getting that cashiers check. But I'll tell you what, if you send me the difference, you can keep an extra few hundred for your trouble". 

You being the trusting guy you are, deposits that check on your account  and  sends the scammer a legit check/ money order/ iTunes card/ target card, whatever he asks for.

A few days latter your bank notifies you the check was no bueno and is reversing the deposit. 

And that's how you just got scammed. There's nothing you can do, there's nothing the bank can do, either.

"Cash means cash and the exchange will done in the parking lot of the local police department " use that reply and you'll hear the rats scatter away.

I hate scammers

 

1 minute ago, WP22 said:

"Cash means cash and the exchange will done in the parking lot of the local police department " use that reply and you'll hear the rats scatter away.

I hate scammers

 

Perfect response.

Its a scam.  Have him send bitcoin. 

Very old scam mostly designed for the elderly.  Check is always bogus as noted above.  Come in person with cash in small bills, or else pound sand  (unless you are  forum member  )  Go on youtube for 1000 videos of people having fun with these guys.   They are not very bright.  But in a way, I sort of feel bad for them because they have no other avenue to make a living where they are.

But then again, I come to my senses and say go die in a ditch.  Hey Billy, get the vaccine!

I'd fuck with the guy, pretend to go along and erase your craigslist add, immediately make another one of course and keep stringing the guy along. Waste as much of their time as possible. I do the same thing with telemarketers, I answer and push 1 or whatever to get a live person on and then tell them to "hold on for a minute" then I just wait to see how long they will stay on the line. Or I let my 4 year old kid talk to them but sometimes they get angry and curse 

I've sold a ton more through Facebook although I did sell a car in January of 19 through Craigslist.

That response is a scam.   Put it up on FB and you'll get responses, most will be in your region.

My issue is that I am close enough to Newburg that I get a lot of Spanish inquiries, right up until they realize it's over an hour to get here.

 

 

The only thing missing from that response was "... and if you don't get back to me I will upload all the videos of you pleasuring yourself at your computer watching hot movies."

Counted 6 red flags there, probably better to look elsewhere.

I ignored the email and haven't heard back. POI- I did list it on FB and started getting responses right away! Guy coming today from Pa to look at it.

When I was selling my daughters car on CL lasy rear, I got exactly one actual buyer who showed up and lowballed me big time because his mechanic said the oil pan had rust on it and the brake pads were low.  $2000 under asking because of that.  I told him that those things would cost  about 200 if he went to any indy shop.  Then he says well his budget maxed out at his lowball.  I said well maybe you should shop for something you can actually afford next time.

By his logic, I should be able to waltz into a Bestbuy and tell the salesguy I want that $1000 TV for $400 because thats all I have.

I avoid Facebook just on principle, but t sounds like I'd have to sign up to sell things in the future.

Just now, AlDente67 said:

I avoid Facebook just on principle, but t sounds like I'd have to sign up to sell things in the future.

I too avoid FB...but my wife is on it. I have her list things for me on FB Marketplace.