# Craigslist deception at it's best



## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

I had no idea Scot was selling his blower on Craiglist MA. Some people right!!!


Ariens 8hp snowblower


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## Ray 1962 10ML60 (Oct 14, 2011)

I was the target two weeks ago. I was selling a plow for a troy built tiller, and some guy tells me he will pay me and extra $50 to hold it for him because he an oceanographer and out at sea. Then he tells me he is going to send me a check with extra money for movers that will pick up the plow, so he wants me to deposit his check, then go get a western union to send to his movers. Once they get the western union the movers would contact me. I said no thanks Mr. Oceanographer. Craigslist deals must be face to face cash deals always.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

?? Call the number and see whato's going on. Could be interesting. Unless Scot may actually be selling it, which I doubt.


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## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

I figure they just don't have any good pictures of their blower and are too lazy to take some good ones. I see alot of pictures from his site land on craiglist. I just think it is deceptive to ask that much money for a blower and not give an honest representation of what is being sold.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Ray 1962 10ML60 said:


> I was the target two weeks ago. I was selling a plow for a troy built tiller, and some guy tells me he will pay me and extra $50 to hold it for him because he an oceanographer and out at sea. Then he tells me he is going to send me a check with extra money for movers that will pick up the plow, so he wants me to deposit his check, then go get a western union to send to his movers. Once they get the western union the movers would contact me. I said no thanks Mr. Oceanographer. Craigslist deals must be face to face cash deals always.


This is one of the oldest c'list scams going. I can't count how many of these I've recieved over the years.
It would pay everybody to read all of craigslist do's and dont's and get educated. 
I'm right there with you on cash money face to face. Sold a 2 yr old oil fired boiler a couple months ago and not only did I ask for cash ($1000.00) but I told him the money is in my hand before he even touches it. The thing weighs 700 lbs and was in my basement. He asks why and I says now I have the $$ and if you drop it you still own it. Wasn't going to have him break it and then say sorry, and drive off.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Nope, its not me..
but I have seen this before, several times actually..
people will scam photos from all over the internet..
my webpage happens to be an easy source..

Scot


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## ajpleblanc (Dec 9, 2013)

It might not be a scam, per se. I've definitely seen people using stock photos when they are too lazy, or don't have a camera to take a picture. However, this was FAR more prevalent before every new gadget had a camera built into it..


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Yea, this happens quite often. Occasionally you get someone who will put a note in their ad saying they found a picture of a similar machine online, but mostly they just try and pass it off as their own.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

ajpleblanc said:


> It might not be a scam, per se. I've definitely seen people using stock photos when they are too lazy, or don't have a camera to take a picture. However, this was FAR more prevalent before every new gadget had a camera built into it..


I have used stock photos when I *was in search of* something. It could possibly be legit but dang, like you say, everything has a camera now. This little Android I'm using at the moment does it all. Ne sense in using a stock photo for a sale.
I had an old 77 Harley shovel on the local cl here, and my brother calls me a few days later saying it's on the Minneapolis and Wisc. Craigslists.


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## Misti Harford (Mar 10, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> This is one of the oldest c'list scams going. I can't count how many of these I've recieved over the years.
> It would pay everybody to read all of craigslist do's and dont's and get educated.
> I'm right there with you on cash money face to face. Sold a 2 yr old oil fired boiler a couple months ago and not only did I ask for cash ($1000.00) but I told him the money is in my hand before he even touches it. The thing weighs 700 lbs and was in my basement. He asks why and I says now I have the $$ and if you drop it you still own it. Wasn't going to have him break it and then say sorry, and drive off.


Good thinking. My friend was the target of a moving company scam. He didn't listen to me when I was telling him to just find a mover off moving guru or yahoo. Instead he goes to Craigslist and BAM...these people try to make him pay ahead of time (how stupid do they think people are?) and then when they realized he wasn't they still agreed to move him but never showed up and stopped answering his texts and calls.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Ray 1962 10ML60 said:


> I was the target two weeks ago. I was selling a plow for a troy built tiller, and some guy tells me he will pay me and extra $50 to hold it for him because he an oceanographer and out at sea. Then he tells me he is going to send me a check with extra money for movers that will pick up the plow, so he wants me to deposit his check, then go get a western union to send to his movers. Once they get the western union the movers would contact me.


I'm adventurous and I'm willing to take a chance by giving them my real address. BUT . . . that's all the real info they get. I love getting the checks in the mail and then telling them it hasn't arrived yet and I'm really getting anxious to get rid of the (whatever) and I hope the shipper will wait. I enjoy getting them wound up trying to push the deal but no check and leaving them wondering what happened. Some will send a second but usually they "time out" and just move on to someone new.

Any time they start talking about giving me a penny more than I'm asking I already know it's bogus and when it moves to me paying a shipper I just want to make them waste the time and stamp.
Sorry, I'm just cruel. But it couldn't happen to a better person.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

People... When a deal seems to good to be true it probably is. 99.9% of the time it's bogus. But, I have made two purchases that were fantastic. You simply need to develop that "6th sense" about people. I sometimes go through my local craigslist and delete those stupid posts advertising something like a Kubota tractor or a Bobcat in mjnt condition *with lots of attachments* for something like 5 grand. You KNOW it's bogus. I just got doing it about an hour ago.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

A "6th sense" comes in handy but just common sense. Don't let go until you are paid, in the bank paid, deposited and cleared paid or better yet cash. Same with buying it, don't pay without the product.
Above all don't get emotionally attached to an item and always be willing to walk away if the process starts to take unusual turns.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> A "6th sense" comes in handy but just common sense. Don't let go until you are paid, in the bank paid, deposited and cleared paid or better yet cash. Same with buying it, don't pay without the product.


There is a problem there though..with an item ordered through the mail,
If the seller wont let go until paid, and the buyer wont pay without the product, then the item will never change hands! 

Its the buyer who takes the risk..pay first, receive second.
99% of the time it works out fine of course..

Scot


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

True but usually if you're ordering through the mail it's from a company and that can be checked out through the BBB or just a web search. I was thinking more craigslist transactions where you're face to face.


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

I don't mind when a "representative" photo is used, as long as the description of condition is honest and accurate. Many sellers are not very mechanical; I always ask a few questions to get at the meat. Is it rusty? Does it run? Does it move forward and back? Is it missing any parts? Is anything broken? Is there any flexibility in price? 
You can still be in for surprises, but it's always a bit of a gamble. MH


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> A "6th sense" comes in handy but just common sense. Don't let go until you are paid, in the bank paid, deposited and cleared paid or better yet cash. Same with buying it, don't pay without the product.
> Above all don't get emotionally attached to an item and always be willing to walk away if the process starts to take unusual turns.


I just sold an item on Cl that someone had advertised they were iso. I responded. Guy is 3 hours from me and said no deal. Been burned before. I told him I had nothing to offer him other than my word. Long story short. Guy paid in advance and I mailed him the item. He was absolutely wowed. Said it somewhat restored his trust in people. All this came from that "6th sense". I absolutely will not take a check. Ca$h or paypal. If I buy I pay ca$h. Two guys drove an hour last fall to buy one of my Toro ss blowers. Wanted to pay w/check. I says cash only. They said they might just leave. I says that's cool. It'll sell anyway. They show up half hour later and buy *two* of my blowers I had for sale. Paid *ca$h.*


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## lclement (Jun 23, 2014)

I had possible scam last week as, I was the buyer, found a 32 inch ariens but the pic was so dark I could not make out the model… called and asked guy said he couldn’t read the model, I said I really would like to know what the model is before I drive all the way there. I also asked for some better pictures and he finally sent those but still couldn’t see what model it was. I finally said okay ill drive over and take a look for myself and then he wouldn’t give me his address, told me to meet him at the gas station on the corner and that he would lead me to the location. Wrong answer! I said forget it, this whole deal doesn’t smell right. For all I knew he was leading me right into a robbery or maybe something worse… If he would have said he would bring the blower to the gas station I would have been fine with that since that is a very busy public place but he said he didn’t have a way to transport it. So I said I’ll look elsewhere. If he even had a blower it was probably stolen which would explain why he was being so carful on what information he was sending. Last thing I want to do is buy a stolen item… or get baited into some type of ambush. 

I also remember he also said he used to use this blower as a side business removing snow on the side the last few winter but when I asked why type of engine it had, etc… he was clueless. Just another red flag.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

good call.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

lclement said:


> I had possible scam last week as, I was the buyer, found a 32 inch ariens but the pic was so dark I could not make out the model… called and asked guy said he couldn’t read the model, I said I really would like to know what the model is before I drive all the way there. I also asked for some better pictures and he finally sent those but still couldn’t see what model it was. I finally said okay ill drive over and take a look for myself and then he wouldn’t give me his address, told me to meet him at the gas station on the corner and that he would lead me to the location. Wrong answer! I said forget it, this whole deal doesn’t smell right. For all I knew he was leading me right into a robbery or maybe something worse… If he would have said he would bring the blower to the gas station I would have been fine with that since that is a very busy public place but he said he didn’t have a way to transport it. So I said I’ll look elsewhere. If he even had a blower it was probably stolen which would explain why he was being so carful on what information he was sending. Last thing I want to do is buy a stolen item… or get baited into some type of ambush.
> 
> I also remember he also said he used to use this blower as a side business removing snow on the side the last few winter but when I asked why type of engine it had, etc… he was clueless. Just another red flag.


Smart move on your part. Sounds like a real setup for a disaster or something much worse. Is a sweet deal worth a terrible risk? No way. There'll be other deals on other days.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Another thing that drives me nuts is an email only reply option. Really? If you want to sell the item at least give me a text option so i don't have to wait a day or two for a reply. Email only? I move on to the next item on the list, chances are you are too high anyhow.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

gibbs296 said:


> Another thing that drives me nuts is an email only reply option. Really? If you want to sell the item at least give me a text option so i don't have to wait a day or two for a reply. Email only? I move on to the next item on the list, chances are you are too high anyhow.


I have the opposite problem! 
I have seen ads with a text only reply option..
I dont have the ability to text..so I have to pass on that one.

Scot


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## Whitebassbenny (Apr 8, 2014)

I was able to get a 10hp craftsmanship for $200 because everyone wanted him to deliver it. This guy has a trailer.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

sscotsman said:


> I have the opposite problem!
> I have seen ads with a text only reply option..
> I dont have the ability to text..so I have to pass on that one.
> 
> Scot


Look up Google voice. It is free and you can send texts to land lines right through your computer. Even if you can text it is nice for things like craigslist because people don't get your real phone number, they get your Google phone number. You can also have it forward texts to your actual cell phone.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Any time they start talking about giving me a penny more than I'm asking I already know it's bogus and when it moves to me paying a shipper I just want to make them waste the time and stamp.
> Sorry, I'm just cruel. But it couldn't happen to a better person.


Not always the case. I just sold my old Wheel Horse and had LOCAL folks posting and emailing me that they have ca$h in hand and will come right now and give me $200.00 more than my asking price. I sure wish I hadn't promised someone I'd hold it for them but since they were to first to contact me I had to honor my word. I think I had three or four different folks offering me $100- 200 more than my asking price and they were right here in town.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Shryp said:


> Look up Google voice. It is free and you can send texts to land lines right through your computer. Even if you can text it is nice for things like craigslist because people don't get your real phone number, they get your Google phone number. You can also have it forward texts to your actual cell phone.


thanks Shyrp!
I have never heard of that..good to know!
Scot


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

look what i found on cl today. honda hs35 only $475. this guy knows **** well its more than 30 years old and is worth only $200


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

:bump9:opcorn::images:
thought there was some good reading here!
Reminded me of one of my craigslist experience.
will start a new thread.
:smiley-confused013:


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