Another Craigslist scam

[JSR III]

Well I guess the old saying "if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is" definitely applies here.

Having recently gotten my 2007 Polaris ATV repaired and running after being down for two years. (Long story) I was searching Craigslist for Polaris stuff that I might want to add to my rig.

During the process, I came across an ad for a 2003 Polaris Ranger ATV that seemed (according to the photo) in near original shape. The asking price was only $1,500 and while it WAS 13 years old, looked almost new. I replied to the ad and after a time received an email from the owners daughter Julie that she had placed the ad for her father and would refer my inquiry to him.

Again a day or so went by and I received an email from the father. He again raved about the machine and asked if I was interested. Since the ad heading was BOSTON, I asked where the machine could be seen and when.

The next email advised me that the family (and the ATV) had moved to Baton Rouge but that he had a contract with Amazon Payments and could get the machine to me with free shipping. I could also make my payment through them and it would be guaranteed.

Being born in the daytime (just not yesterday) I emailed back and said I had family in the Baton Rouge area and my brother in law could come look at the machine for me. I asked what the address was and what the local phone number was.

Needless to say, I have not heard back from the seller. As a matter of curiosity, I searched every state in the country and found the same ad listed on Craigslist in about 20 other locations.

So if anyone is doing business on Craigslist, BUYER BEWARE.....

 

[Arik]

These scams are very easy to spot. The pictures are always "off", the phone numbers are wrong, the email address are weird, the description is "off".

I like the photos of palm trees in the background but car is located in center city Philadelphia! Last time this area saw palm trees was probably late cretaceous period. Or the picture clearly has European houses in the background. Only one picture, looks Photoshoped.

They do the same with electronics, pets, anything popular. I'd love to get my hands on one of those scammers

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Hillbilly77]

I just saw an ad on my local craigslist for a Kubota tractor (with attachments) for sale.
It's easily a $20,000+ tractor.

It could be yours for only $2,500.

 

[jimmyj]

Your warning came just after I purchased a bridge in Brooklyn that is "SUPPOSED" to be in excellent condition !

 

[Hillbilly77]

Your warning came just after I purchased a bridge in Brooklyn that is "SUPPOSED" to be in excellent condition !

I've got some oceanfront acreage in Arizona for sale if you're interested.
It'd go nice with your new bridge.

 

[Fishinfool]

CL is strictly for cash deals on items within local driving distance. And bring a friend, and carry a gun...

I would no more send $$ for an item advertised on CL than I would to that Nigerian Prince who keeps pestering me to collect that five million bucks he is holding for me...

Larry

 

[pawngal]

I'm not sure if there are more scam sellers or buyers on CL. I posted an ad for a friend's motorcycle and some of the replies I got were absolutely crazy. Myself, I like playing around with them.

I've only ever made one CL purchase, FTF, cash, armed, and with my step-son along (one of his former jobs was a bar bouncer) It was for a car.

 

[StakeOut]

Your warning came just after I purchased a bridge in Brooklyn that is "SUPPOSED" to be in excellent condition !

That bridge in Brooklyn is not in excellent condition.If I were you I'd ask for a 20% discount and a 6 month warranty.

 

[pawngal]

Your warning came just after I purchased a bridge in Brooklyn that is "SUPPOSED" to be in excellent condition !

Hope you paid by PayPal, file a claim, Did Not Receive.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I often use Craigslist, Jason's, and Armslist to buy, sell and trade.
The very things that make them useful and convenient-
Free, easy to post, and anybody can do it -
Are what makes them sometimes useless.
Buyer beware? Since I was 6 years old!
Was I pissed when that scam '624' seller stood me up?
You had believe it.
But I have bought and sold a number of things there, up to $50k + real estate.
And I will continue to do so.

 

[arjay]

I spent a day negotiating the price of an imaginary cat with a scammer last summer lol
Almost got it really cheap [emoji38]

 

[hangnoose]

CL SCAMS

The girls don't look near as good as their pictures, if indeed they are girls at all.

 

[gman51]

EBAY is just as bad as Craigslist for phony ads. IMO If you read EBAY's fine print on buyer protection you will find out it isn't worth much if anything for the buyer. But that is just my opinion.

 

[Goldstar225]

I never cease to be amazed at how easily buyers (and sometimes, sellers) are taken by the scammers. The most recent incident I dealt with was a guy who had a car listed in CL for $2,000.00. He was contacted by text from an out of state number and agreement to sell was reached. He subsequently received a message from "paypal" stating that $2,600.00 had been received but before it would be released to him, he had to send $500.00 to a person in CHINA by Western Union to pay him to have the car transported to the buyer. Yes he sent the money but it was the next day before he started to suspect that he had been scammed. He was equally disappointed that we would not go to China to retrieve his money.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I know a guy who bought a $50,000 BMW ragtop that he saw on Craigslist.
In spite of him being a lawyer, I screamed OMG!
You bought a BMW off Craigslist!
He replied, calm down. It was the Lubbock Mercedes dealer who had it for sale.
Da Devil is in the details.
Joe Friday always asked for the facts.
You should do the same!

 

[paplinker]

CL is strictly for cash deals on items within local driving distance. And bring a friend, and carry a gun...

I would no more send $$ for an item advertised on CL than I would to that Nigerian Prince who keeps pestering me to collect that five million bucks he is holding for me...

Larry

Even cash is suspect. One of my coworkers got fourteen counterfeit hundreds selling his ATV on CL this past fall.

 

[SAFireman]

Even cash is suspect. One of my coworkers got fourteen counterfeit hundreds selling his ATV on CL this past fall.

I would suggest a counterfeit checking pen for anyone doing large cash transactions. Even folks who handle large sums of cash daily can be fooled.

 

[Farmer17]

My stepson recently sold a X-box game on Craigslist for $300. He said the guy was pretty clean cut and drove up in a nice Altima and handed him the 3 hundred dollar bills in a bank sleeve. Right as he drove away my stepson took the bills out and in very tiny fine print it read "Movie prop money". A friend of mine sells cars and many other cheap and very expensive things on CL every week and he says in his ad "phone calls only, no texting, must meet in person with cash, no exceptions".

 

[rich5674]

Been there, didnt do that. Getting smarter every day

Recived money orders for $800 over asking price. Called Western Union if checks were good.
Before I smartend up recieved a postal MO for $25 for a part. MO was counterfit.
Gave a $400 Postal Money Order to somebody for a scope though GunBroker. No delivery. Took 2 years to get my money back and the feds sent them to jail for fraud.
Now if I sell something I only do US Post Office money order. Cash it then send part
Never had a problem on Ebay

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

I appreciate posts like this every so often; it reminds us all to keep up the"buyer beware" attitude. I used Craigs List one time a few years back and did manage to sell the item I had listed....after many, many emails that I knew were scams.