Craigslist Scam Question.

[Ken_CT]

A friend asked me about an ad on Craigslist for a BX Kubota for sale cheap. As I have been a member here for a long time, I asked "around $4800? He said yes. I told him it was a scam. Then he asked me how the scam works if it is local, and you can go see the tractor (supposedly). I didn't know, so I am asking that question here. How does a local sales scam, or any scam, work on Craiglist?

Thanks

 

[/pine]

I seriosuly doubt that the trctor will be available for inspection...they (the scammers) almost always say the tractor is "already crated for shipping" etc... and is with the shipping agent etc...

they usually try to get you to use something like "e-bay motors" or another transfer agent to get you to send them money...

 

[beenthere]

You can tell your friend to make the contact, to see if the tractor is local and it can be seen/driven. He/she will learn right fast.
Just don't send anyone any money or release any private information.

Some people just need to learn with a hard knock or two. And it is good experience too.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I followed up on a backhoe that was priced at about 20% of normal market value to see if I would get a reply.

I did get a reply the BH was far away and belonged to her late son that was killed in Iraq and she and her husband lived in Canada. BUT she would shipping it FREE after full payment because her husband worked for a trucking company so he could get it shipped at no cost.

Things got busy and I forgot to wire her the money.

I like CL because it is more local than Ebay typically. If you can not see it then just keep looking. :thumbsup:

 

[MarkV]

If your friend can physically put his hands on the tractor and drive it then maybe he is lucky. Like the others I'll bet there is a reason that can't be done. Careful about personal information like e-mail and address. Some of these scammers are into to it for nothing more than a list of info to sell.

MarkV

 

[lostcause]

somewhat off topic, but i always get a chuckle when i see a craigslist ad where the poster specifically says "no scammers". the only thing accomplished by taking the time to type those two words is that you wasted a few seconds of your life. i mean, if i was trying to pull a fast one on somebody, i don't think i would be deterred by someone saying that.

i guess i'm not really sure how you would "scam" someone when trying to buy anyways. maybe try the popeye/wimpy technique of: "i'll gladly pay you tomorrow for a hamburger today"? whenever i contact someone i always tell them cash only - no checks, and to be honest, that's generally how everyone i've worked with already operates. i'll let anyone who wants come look at whatever i'm selling. if they have cash, they go home with it. otherwise, they just end up burning a few dollars worth of gas for nothing.

 

[Ken_CT]

Thanks for the replies. I can always rely on TBN for some good answers. I guess another way for the scammer could be to say cash only. I think if someone was to agree to that, it might be advisable to exercise your second amendment rights, or have a couple of friends with you when going to a location with a lot of cash in your pocket.

 

[Bird]

i'm not really sure how you would "scam" someone when trying to buy

It's actually not too unusual. Perhaps this story in today's newspaper describes the most common scam.

 

[lostcause]

Thanks for the replies. I can always rely on TBN for some good answers. I guess another way for the scammer could be to say cash only. I think if someone was to agree to that, it might be advisable to exercise your second amendment rights, or have a couple of friends with you when going to a location with a lot of cash in your pocket.

actually, i was saying that the only way i will do business when selling is cash only and that's to make sure that i don't get screwed. do you mean that you have bought things form craigslist and paid by check? i've hardly ever seen anyone who will accept a check from a total stranger on a private sale. if we're talking many many thousands of dollars, i wouldn't expect cash, but it would have to be a bank check. never a personal check. since many craigslist deals take place on the weekends or evenings, bank checks are never available, so the norm for small deals is always cash.

here's a bit of the theory. many years ago i bought my first used truck from a small used car dealer. the total was $2000. i gave him a $200 deposit on the weekend and then on monday i transferred the rest to the checking account and went back. i was just going to write an $1800 check to finish it off, but he said he wanted the full $2000 and gave me back the downpayment check. i asked what the difference was and he told me that if i bounce checks for $200 and $1800, then they were small time crimes - negotiating a worthless instrument. if i bounced the check for $2000 it was over the limit to be come a felony - grand theft. i always assumed this would be a reasonable way to deal until this year. if anyone were to bounce a large check with me, they'd end up with felony charges, but i guess there's a loophope to that too.

a neighbor sold a vehicle with a few known repairs needed (as-is, no warranty). the guy bought it, paid by check, registered and insured it, and went to have the known issues fixed by a mechanic. the mechanic found another problem that nobody had known about at the time of sale. he was mad, and went to his bank and stopped payment on the check a day or two later. the seller's bank had already credited his account, and then they pulled the money back out, which ended up causing him to have insufficient funds issues on top of all else. from what i understand this isn't a case of grand theft when done this way. there was money to back up the check, but stopping payment creates a different situation. the neighbor has had to hire a lawyer now. doesn't look like a speedy result will happen.

 

[MikeD74T]

I got a letter yesterday from a fine Chinese gentleman in Honk Kong. Seems an unknown relative of mine left his bank with 9.3 million to invest & has since been killed in an accident. This conscientious bank officer wants to be sure I get the balance, now over 10 million, before it's taken over as unclaimed money be his government. He supplied two overseas phone numbers by which I can contact him along with a warning to maintain the utmost secrecy. For his generous offer he seeks only 1/2 of the 10 million.
I'd like to start the bidding for the 2 phone numbers and the other $5 million at 50cents........
MikeD74T

 

[lostcause]

It's actually not too unusual. Perhaps this story in today's newspaper describes the most common scam.

all i can say is... wow. i don't want to elaborate any, because i'll just say things that aren't very nice and probably end up offending someone's delicate sensibilities.

maybe for the newer generations who only know paypal, credit, debit, and atm these things can happen, but back in the old days (this is kinda sarcastic, cause i'm not terribly old) i remember buying many things through mail order and paying by personal check. anyone who remembers this will also remember that any time you paid by check you had to wait until the check cleared before the item would get shipped. this was standard practice everywhere.

if i got a check for more than 5x what it should have been and they asked for a refund, i'd probably have just mailed the check back, or taken the check and envelope to the police, cause it's just absurd. if i had cashed it due to some lapse in judgment, i'd have said sure, i'll refund you the money once your check clears, or you can pick up the balance when you get the couch. at some point we've got to rely on common sense breaking out and not waiting for people to pass legislation to protect us from our own stupidity.

 

[lostcause]

I got a letter yesterday from a fine Chinese gentleman in Honk Kong. Seems an unknown relative of mine left his bank with 9.3 million to invest & has since been killed in an accident. This conscientious bank officer wants to be sure I get the balance, now over 10 million, before it's taken over as unclaimed money be his government. He supplied two overseas phone numbers by which I can contact him along with a warning to maintain the utmost secrecy. For his generous offer he seeks only 1/2 of the 10 million.
I'd like to start the bidding for the 2 phone numbers and the other $5 million at 50cents........
MikeD74T

i'm in... you'll take a personal check, right

 

[merrickvilleguy]

I know a scam they do around here for rural type items (tractors/atv's/snowmobiles) is often the residence they are at is not visited frequently by the actual owners, so someone would collect money for the sale of the item they don't actually own, sometimes from more than one person. Since the actual owner may only be there weekends or seasonally, there is noone there to notice buyers visiting.