Hay selling etiquette

[D2Cat]

Someone would have to be related to the village idiot to fall for something like that this day in age.

 

[kthompson]

Never send money to someone you don't really know.

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

 

[GLyford]

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

If they call on the phone and insist on being paid today, with gift cards, then yes. (also a current scam)

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

Especially them...

 

[TheMan419]

This is a common scam. As described above you send the money to the hauler and the original check bounces. There is a whole segment of society that baits these scammers. See 419 Eater - The largest scambaiting community on the planet!

 

[Bigfoot62]

Someone would have to be related to the village idiot to fall for something like that this day in age.

Not necessarily.
Friend of mine who is a retired attorney, almost bit on a similar scam.
He wasn't selling hay, he was selling a boat. Advertised on C/L, had a "buyer" call him from way up north and wanted the boat. Asked for his PayPal email address, and sent him an official looking email that showed the money was in his account. He called me all excited that he had sold it so quick. When he told me the details and said that all he had to do was pay the shipper when he picked it up and sign the title. I said, "Wait a minute, it's a scam. You'll give the shipper $750, and a signed title, then he'll leave here with your boat. You won't have your boat or the money, and you'll be short the $750 out of your pocket too." He couldn't believe it. I told him to close his browser, go to PayPal and sign in. Sure enough, no money in his account. In his defense, he's in his 70's, so he didn't grow up in the computer age. I'm just 15 years younger, and didn't grow up with computers either, but I guess I'm a little more wary. I guess that you could say that I have a healthy dose of skepticism.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've been approached several times by these Craigslist scam artists. I knew about those previously but was sorta surprised by the quick response and no haggling on the price. Sends up red flags real quick. My mother is 86 and I understand how these folks can take advantage of trusting older folks. Very difficult to find out where these scams originate from. Bad people do bad things in lots of ways. This is just another example of the depravity of man. Sad.

 

[oosik]

I think I ran into the same thing but with a twist. CL listed a person selling a piece of agricultural equipment in Idaho. I contacted the person and they wanted $XX to give to the shipper. I said - NO, I'm close enough to drive to your location, inspect the implement, pay for it and bring it home myself. End of conversation - phone disconnect - not able to ever make future contact. Much the better.