Craigslist Scams

Due to tough economic times, people have chosen to minimize - or sell their stuff for money. When you are hard up for cash, it might be tempting to take someone up on a transaction even though the buyer is making the process difficult.

How do you know whether or not you are in the middle of a hoax? Here are some tips:

-Avoid anyone that is out of the country. This may sound like common sense, but when the buyer says that he's so busy with his business overseas that he's unable to come see the product but that he will send his shipper to conduct the business, everything might seem on the up-and-up.

-Don't agree to accept money orders or cashiers checks. These may seem like one of the safest payment methods, but people have reported that they'd received fake ones, tried to cash them, and were responsible for any fees incrued.

-Avoid anyone that refuses phone or face-to-face interaction. If you are selling something big - say, a car - and the person wants to buy it without looking at it, it's a scam. This happened to me: A guy was interested in a vehicle I was selling. He emailed me that he was very much interested in the vehicle and to take it off Craiglist immediately. He told me that he was disabled and hard of hearing but that he would send his shipper down to pick up the vehicle. He said that he would give the shipper a cashier's check that I would cash, keep my share and give the shipper his share. I told him that he should come look at the vehicle first, and I didn't hear from him after that.

If I had followed through with the transactions, I would be responsible for the amount of the money order!

-Avoid any emails that have very poor grammar, spelling and fluency. If it is so difficult for you to read then it's probably a scam.

WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:

-Hide your email on Craigslist.
-Announce that you'll only accept calls, no emails.
-Meet in a public place or with other people.
-Accept cash and give a receipt.

If any buyer refuses these conditions - SELLER BEWARE!

Below I've included some emails that I have personally come across when selling my products on Craiglist, Ebay...and even in the local paper!

Hello ,

Thank you for the email, At present,i seek an experienced private tutor for my teenage son in Math, English, Science and reading tutorial. I would be happy to have my son under your tutorship,I have made contacts with my son( boy of 14 yrs) concerning this arrangement of the tutoring and it's pretty cool with him. Please advise on your fees (per hour/per day) depending on how you've rendered your services in the past.i want you to know I'm paying for 1 month ($50.00/hr) is what I have in mind . I hope you understand this as total deposit to BOOK your services ) . Also am planning for you to tutor him 3 times a week, which is 2hr per day,so get back to me with the total fee for the subjects and when you will be available to teach him during the week.Also my son does not resides in the states,He stays here with me in United Kingdom (UK) He will be arriving in the states the 30th of June 2009 and i want him to study more while there in the states because am planning a relocation for him , I took him with me after I lost his mother some years ago was a single painful experience in my life time .
I want you to know I'll be sending you the payment inform of money order/check for the tutorials while I'll also pay the Nanny that will look after him during his stay there, so as soon as you get the money orders/check cashed you'll deduct cost of tutoring for the month and send balance to the nanny that would be looking after my Son while in the state.

If you are ready and willing to accept this offer which is in the best interest of my son and yourself , kindly send your full information to receive the payment so it can be made out on time as he will be arriving soon , also I want you to know he's my only son and I love him more than I love myself , I would have accompany him if not that am in the middle of a big project So I hope i can trust you with my life because he's my life and reason why i work , also i made a promise to his mom to take very good care of him and see that he has a very bright future , he's aspiring to be an engineer but his mom would have loved to see him in a doctor's suit ...I want you to teach him good morals and academic , also I want you to help me make him discover himself and follow the path of what his heart tells him to be , I want the brightest future for him, I truly hope I can trust you with my son and with the nanny's payment although my son is of out most importance.

Thanks for willing to help , I will be waiting for you to e-mail me with the following details so we can make concrete arrangement very soon .

NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER:
DIRECT PHONE NUMBER:
AGE:
SEX:
EMAIL ADDRESS:

Will be waiting to read your mail soon.

Very Respectful

Mr. Gregory Lawrence.

Good Day

How are you doing ? My son will be arriving on July 30, I will be so busy here trying to organize things here so that i can make my trip in there easily, My son is also going through medical treatment and i want to also finalize with the Nanny where he will be staying with when he arrive.

My son and the nanny will be lodging to your near by Hotel, which i would want you to get back with any good Hotel they could lodge around you and they will be there through the period of the tutoring.

I will be so please to inform you that you will get payment soon and its will be in Check or Money Order,You will cash it and send the remaining fund to his Nanny after deducting your money to tutor my son for 4wks,I hope you i still have you in that that position to assist my son.

Kindly understand the distance thing and i promise to get back to you ASAP. If you have any information for my son, You can call me on +44 70359 17386 or email instantly, I will be here to answer you .

I hope things are going all well for you in there, Calculate the total amount i will be paying for 4weeks and your days of that you will be teaching him and the charges applied for materials and other expenses for a 14yr old boy ok. His name is Gary and he is a kind and loving boy, You will love with all your heart.

Have a nice pleasant day

Mr. Gregory Lawrence

Good Day, I am happy to read from you that the item is still available for sales presently am not in state am in paris on business trip,I will like to purchase it from you as soon as possible.My mode of payment will be via(Alertpay).Read more about Alertpay via (www.alertpay.com ) I will add $150 to your asking price to cover the cost of Shipmentand insuance to my friend via (Express Mail Service Us Post Office)Get back to me with your full Name,Address,City,State,Country,Code and Phone Number.So that i will proceed to send the fund to you immediately

Hello.

I'm interested and ready to buy it from you, i'm a very busy individual with important obligations.I anticipate that I'll have a Certified Bank Check issued out to you.I'm in no rush with you till fund's are cleared in your bank.The shipping co agent will handle the pick up when you must have gotten your cash at hand.Kindly e-mail me back with your Name,Address (NOT P.o.box) City, State, Zip-code with Phone Number.You can delete the advert asap!

I will await your response with details, do have a pleasant day!.

Sincerely.
BJ