craigs list posting
 

I would like some opinions please. I posted on Craigs list an industrial straight stitch sewing machine for a friend. The price 200 was met and a cashiers check was agreed to. Also that they/he would pick up the machine because we have no way to deliver. two weeks later we get a check from nebraska for 2,500. no phone calls nothing about pickup. the check arrived like an ebay package! Address on the check is a Farm Equiptment Co. I want to call the whole thing void and post it again with alterations!!! This is the first time I've used Craigs list. Opinions Please?

Oh all this was done with Email.

RUN RUN RUN - this is a SCAM!!!

I guarantee the check is no good - take it to your bank if you want but do NOT send them any money or give them the machine. This is the most common scam on Craigslist and these scammers will try it even for a $10 item. They are trying to get money from you - DON'T DO IT!!

If you relist it I would suggest doing without an email contact option. Just a phone number. If you don't want to use your home phone sign up for a Google Voice number, it is anonymous.
Put in the listing, local pickup and CASH only - no scammers please.

Take the check to the sheriff.

its a fraud

Take everything .. the envelope it came in , any e- mails , the check everything to the local police dept.

And do not try to cash or deposit the check. You could end up paying big fines.

This is a scam. It is one of the most popular scams on cl.

crooks are so sad. i got a call yesterday from a man saying he was authorized by our Energy company here to come and look at my roof for wind damage. Now what would my energy company care about my roof? I called them to let them know this type of thing was happening. sad thing is that our phone number is listed. I used to love being unlisted!

Thankyou all! Will take the check to the bank Monday. The Bank has more lawyers than I do. Will call the cops from there. So disappointed. Anyone live near Gretna Va. and want an Industrial straight stitch sewing machine? She only wants 200 for it. Great condition!! will try Craigslist again soon I suppose. I'm sorta spooked now!! Feels like a really close call!!!

notify Craigs list too

It's not Craigslist's fault, it's the people who will steal any way they can. Craigslist isn't like ebay -- you are under no obligations to anyone, even if you change your mind at the last minute and decide not to sell. You can repost it and ignore any future mail/email from that person. You can also meet someone at a neutral place if you don't want someone coming to your home. Oh, and put a picture in your Craigslist ad -- makes all the difference in the world!

– A satisfied Craigslist shopper, lol

Whenever I post anything, it's on a CASH ONLY basis.

To keep those spammers from contacting you, state in the email that a "code word" or phrase has to be entered in the Subject line of the email.

I love to buy things on Craigs list as there is some neat stuff there, but I was also scammed or attempted to be scammed. I have switched to EBay to sell my stuff. Yeah, you pay a llittle, but it is safer, I think. I have seen people putting their phone numbers in letters like.....123-4567 as one, two, three. I do not know if that protects you or not, but everyone is being scammed I guess. I took my stuff to the bank and they said it was a scam so I emailed the guy back and said it was sold.

The last couple of times I listed on Craigs List, I got an almost immediate reply wanting to buy my machine. Made arrangements to pick-up. Then later in the day, received a "Sob Story" re auto accident and sorry, can't buy right now BUT, if I'm interested, "here is a link" to make money from home. Yeah - right!!! This has happened a couple of times. These scammers are soooo creative.

I once got an $8000 cashier's check for selling something. My husband too it to the bank and it was stolen. I didn't send the item. Always beware on Craigs list!

Craigslist is famous for scammers. The one here even has a warning about scammers. Anyone that contacts me saying they are going to be mailing a check etc...I just reply back that I only accept "Cash" in hand. My DH sells alot of things on CL and gets scammers all the time. But he even gets them in his emails : ). Someone sent him an email this morning telling him he had won 800,000. they just needed his personal info to process the check!! Luckily he is smart enough to know better.

I asked for info on a car on CL. The seller wanted me to send a check without seeing the car and said he would have it shipped. I insisted I needed to see it and would drive down there, about 400 miles. He had evey excuse in the book and finally wouldn't respond anymore. I kept atempting to contact him just to make him miserable. Hope he didn't find someone to send a check and get screwed.

I agree with Lori S. Run do not walk to the police.Take everything with you.

I agree with the others. I'd also get the police involved. Let us know how this turns out, and good luck selling the machine to a "real " buyer.

SCAM...................I had a friend that had this same thing happen. The person was trying to get access to his bank account. Not sure how it worked but he had three hundred dollars removed from his account. Later found the person that did this was from a foreign country. I avoid Craigs list and even ebay at times. It seems you can't trust anyone these days....Good Luck.......

Good Lord I'm glad I read this post!! I was thinking about selling a few items on CL, but now I think I'll stick to E-Bay.
Thanks for all of the info!! I just love this board!!

This is another very common CL scam. Sometimes they say the payment will be processed thru ebay, which is NOT true. Any time it is a nice car for a low price, watch out.

The scammers have a scam for every occasion. Once I put an ad on CL looking for a rental, they have one for that too. They have a fabulous apt. to rent me but they need someone to "process checks" for them as they are out of the country. (translation - accept fake checks from them and send real money back to them.)

Don't be afraid to use CL - just put CASH ONLY and LOCAL PICKUP ONLY and don't let them email you. Eliminates 99% of the scammers.

I've had good results with selling on CL. I asked for cash only and local pickup. No problems. I didn't feel like they were "casing the joint".

I think it is a scam as well. Just email them back and tell them this transaction is done with. Then repost on Craigslist. It is not unreasonable to ask for cash and pickup.

There is nothing wrong with making arrangements via email, but there is no way that I would wait 2 weeks for a check to show up. Repost as local only.

I called the Sherrif's office first thing yesterday morning. They sent a Deputy right off!! He told me they were looking for evidence of small scale money laundering! The check for 2500 was Good!!! I turned everything over to the Deputy and reported a scam to Craigslist. The Deputy said he would talk to the bank!! My friend is so scared now she said not to try to sell at all. She had it stored in an old barn just to get it out of the house. I feel really bad and relieved too. Thankyou for all the help and common sence!!!!!

I waited at my friends house all day but the Deputy didn't come back. I guess they have what they needed from me.

Why is she frightened?

Just another suggestion, don't take checks or money orders. Best to do all business local and take cash up front only. Money orders used to be a safe bet but no longer - scammers use them more than checks.

And it goes without saying that ANY transaction involving a wire transfer of money is a SCAM. You might as well take your cash and throw it off a bridge.

I just sold my old Brother embroidery machine on Craig's list and it was a pleasant experience. Sold it to the first person who called, for cash, and we met at a neutral location. It's the only time I have ever sold anything on Craig's list but I would do it again.

I've sold a lot of stuff on Craigslist with no problem. But I don't think there's an item I've listed that a scammer hasn't responded to. I just ignore those responses and move on to the legitimate ones.