Craigslist, overseas call

[FallbrookFarmer]

Anyone run into this by chance?

Got a call yesterday while napping which did not make me at my best.

Guy with a heavy presumably Australian accent speaks with the wife a moment, she gives me the phone. He seems very nice, says he is from Melbourne and would like to buy the welder I have advertised on Craigslist.

All the little red flags shoot up for me that I am going to get a million dollar check to compensate me for selling him this welder etc. etc. but he said no such thing.

He said by the time he worked in shipping etc. it would be a similar price to new, what was my bottom price. I tend not to drop the price of an item after speaking for a minute on the phone maybe after some negotiation face to face and them looking at the machine but not right off the bat. I said the price was the price and he said thanks and hung up.

As I woke up a bit more, I wonder if it was a legit buyer and I blew a potential sale of a fairly expensive piece of equipment $2750 or was it a scam I ducked out of?

Anyone been farther down the road with this?

Have you read the info posted on Craigslist about scams, from what you have said, it almost surely sounds exactly what they are warning about(out of town buyer, etc. etc.)

 

[whitworthsocket]

It would be interesting to hear the thoughts of some of our Austrailian members.

I agree that shipping a genny would be a PITA. I don't know if UPS would handle something like that or not...I doubt that USPS would. Too big, too heavy. Even if it wasn't a scam, I have to agree that it would take more effort than it was worth.

I totally agree. Craigslist is not big over here. Or not nearly as big as ebay.
The UPS shipping fee's would be astronomical on something that heavy.
UPS wanted over US$100 to ship a pair of chainsaw chaps.Only US $40.00 with USPS.
Regards Whitworthsocket
Western Australia

 

[whitworthsocket]

Well..

I also wonder-- Isn't the power in Australia a little different too?

J

It sure is we have 240 -255v single phase 50 cycle
415volt three phase.
Regards Whitworthsocket
Western Australia

 

[AlanB]

Just to follow on, sold the welder last night to a guy a couple of hours away. Saw the add, knew what he wanted and what it was worth, talked a couple times on the phone, drove down, verified it was "as advertised" and loaded it in the back of his truck after deflating his wallet of a bit of cash.

Craigslist works for me, even if you have to weed through some scams and hassles.

 

[EddieWalker]

Good to hear.

I like Craigslist and have had good luck with it so far. There are allot of horror stories, but I just think they get all the attention instead of all the good stories.

Eddie

 

[Mousefield]

Just to follow on, sold the welder last night to a guy a couple of hours away. Saw the add, knew what he wanted and what it was worth, talked a couple times on the phone, drove down, verified it was "as advertised" and loaded it in the back of his truck after deflating his wallet of a bit of cash.

Craigslist works for me, even if you have to weed through some scams and hassles.

Glad you managed to find a cash buyer. :thumbsup: I have purchased a few items from Craigslist and been satisfied.

 

[Cat_Driver]

...You are the seller and you think you were getting scammed?...that's a new one...

NEW ONE????


That's how all the phone scams start WITH THE SELLER. The scammers say I will buy you "thing" but I will pay you 5K more than you are asking with a certified check and take that extra 5K and hand it to the guy who comes over to pick up that " thing".

Plenty of people have been scammed this way, sorry to say. The SELLER is out both the "thing" they are selling PLUS and additional 5K to boot.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

NEW ONE????


That's how all the phone scams start WITH THE SELLER. The scammers say I will buy you "thing" but I will pay you 5K more than you are asking with a certified check and take that extra 5K and hand it to the guy who comes over to pick up that " thing".

Plenty of people have been scammed this way, sorry to say. The SELLER is out both the "thing" they are selling PLUS and additional 5K to boot.

No, usually the "Thing" never goes anywhere. The ploy is always switched to "My guy can't come. Will you wire transfer the extra money?"

No one will show up because then there is a person in the flesh to be arrested, interrogated, prosecuted, pistol whipped, or shot out of pure spite. I'd love nothing more than to come face to face with some scammer or even his henchman. I'll risk a few days in the slammer to beat the living daylights out of one of those lowlife scum.

Also, to Slashpine: Calling the bank about the funds is not good enough. I've collected a few of these checks (scambaiting), and they are all drawn on a legitimate bank and a legitimate account. You'll be able to cash the check, and it will even clear. A month later the accountant realizes that fraudulent checks are being written on the account and not only are you stuck with the bill for the full amount of the check, but you risk being prosecuted for passing a counterfeit.

Craigslist is for introductions that lead to face to face transactions. Anything else is a scam.