Looks like a scam to me. What do you think?

[www]

I placed a gun for sale in the classified section of a local web site, one that I have used numerous times in the past. This is the email I received.
By the way I said nothing about shipping.

Harry Collins ([email protected])

2:30 AM

To: terry ward

Thanks for your e-mail and Regarding the shipping, I have a company that takes care of the pickup of my shipment for me and ship to my destination,you do not worry about shipping,the company will send down a representative to arrange the sales documentation and the pick up from your end for onward transfer to my destination.. I also want to ! alert you on the fact that you will be receiving a Cashier check which will cover the money for the (pickup and shipping to the final destination) as well as the money to be paid to the shipper after u deduct ur money and send the change to the shipper via western union.

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
(3) Your direct telephone number
(4) Acceptance of my offer
(5) Final price

NB: I will pay you $50 to reserve the Beretta Centurion for me.

 

[BillK01]

scam - no doubt about it.

I advertise the apartment I have above my office on Craigslist when I need a new tenant and you wouldn't believe some of the doozy scam emails I get about that place.

 

[Brian41]

Sounds like the emails I got when I had my sailboat for sale on Craig's List. I answered a couple and told them no as I wanted a face to face transaction and cash only. That was the end of the emails.

 

[arjay]

Definitely a scam

 

[Hapworth]

Scam, and clumsy at that. Forward to local authorities.

 

[gm272gs]

"Let's ship it without involving a pesky FFL" is what I get from that proposal.

 

[tork'd]

RUN...RUN AWAY FAST!!!

 

[Hapworth]

"Let's ship it without involving a pesky FFL" is what I get from that proposal.

Possibly, but my guess is the next step is a "problem" with the "buyer" sending the cashier's check, followed by a request that the seller send the cost of shipping via Western Union "to get the ball rolling" with the promise that the shipper will arrive with a check covering the cost of the firearm, the shipping reimbursement, and the extra $50 for "reserving" the firearm.

The scam occurs when the seller sends the shipping cost via Western Union and never hears anything again.

 

[sipowicz]

He forgot number 6:

(6) My shipper will be wearing a ski mask...please ignore it as he has a skin condition that makes his face break out in sunlight.

 

[Mcwsky09]

Absolutely positively definitely without a doubt a scam. They will send you a check and it will look good and the bank will accept it but then a few days later it will be returned as fraudulent and you will be screwed. Sadly I know this from personal experience. Long story but basically happened dying a time when I was very busy with many things and despite have some misgivings about the deal it wasn't until it was too late that I determined for sure that it was a scam and in retrospect all the warning signs were obvious. In my case no firearms involved but it was an expensive lesson. I did file police report etc not that they will ever be able to do anything about it but at least I wanted a record with the police and bank and western union that I was the victim should anyone ever ask questions later. The scammers even had the gall to send me an email claiming that I had ripped them off which I sent to my email provider with the police report number and I haven't heard anything from the scammers since.

 

[25elk]

A few months ago I listed two very large windows on CL and received on two separate occasions a text message from a buyer in Texas and a buyer in California...I live in GA. They were worded verbatim like yours. After telling them I would do only FTF with the Sheriff's dept present I never heard from them again. SCAM!

 

[Arik]

Its not "looks like" it "IS". The whole thing IS one giant red flag.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Hapworth]

Absolutely positively definitely without a doubt a scam. They will send you a check and it will look good and the bank will accept it but then a few days later it will be returned as fraudulent and you will be screwed. Sadly I know this from personal experience...

Where does the scam occur: when one sends the item they're selling and the cashier's check later bounces, or when one withdraws the shipping costs from their account (on the assumption that the deposited cashier's check is good) and sends them via Western Union?

Seems it must be the latter, as the former would require the actual arrival of the "shipper", and I doubt the scammers ever get that physically close to their mark...

 

[jaykellogg]

Definitely a scam. As others have said the Cashier's check will be forged and it may take a week or two to bounce. Notice that USPS is not involved in any way, this is to avoid mail fraud charges.

 

[george minze]

Now somebody, or a lot of somebodies has sucked in or they wouldn't be trying this ****....It amazes me what people will suck into...Only thing that would have a bigger red flag is if the end destination was Nigeria......They are the kings of con jobs.....Years ago we had a guy that was into roll back odome, on a big scale, he got scamed by the so called Nigerian government for 12 late model cars sent to Nigeria...He was to travel with autos full payment upon arrival in Lagos..He was forwarded a small prepayment upon shipping notice......He and the cars arrived in Lagos, cars were acceprted, He was not allowed past customs......Sometimes there is a certain kind of justice....

 

[FPrice]

"I also want to ! alert you on the fact that you will be receiving a Cashier check which will cover the money for the (pickup and shipping to the final destination) as well as the money to be paid to the shipper after u deduct ur money and send the change to the shipper via western union."

This is the root of many scams. The con will send you a check/money order which looks so good that even the bank won't question it. All you have to do is deposit it in your account and send them the "change". Later you find out that it was bad.

 

[cowart]

Harry Collins ([email protected])

There is a warning about this guy on another, unrelated forum:

SCAM ALERT - [email protected]

 

[rwsutley]

Where is the trust ? I myself am waiting for 26 millions dollars in American money from a wealthy relative in Nigeria
I never knew I had. I only need to send $12,000 to cover some exasperations. I only have need of a few thousands more and have not been able to find anyone to make a short term loan. Where is the trust ?

 

[www]

Where is the trust ? I myself am waiting for 26 millions dollars in American money from a wealthy relative in Nigeria
I never knew I had. I only need to send $12,000 to cover some exasperations. I only have need of a few thousands more and have not been able to find anyone to make a short term loan. Where is the trust ?

Now that's funny, my scammer could take lessons from your scammer.

 

[Hapworth]

Where is the trust ? I myself am waiting for 26 millions dollars in American money from a wealthy relative in Nigeria
I never knew I had. I only need to send $12,000 to cover some exasperations. I only have need of a few thousands more and have not been able to find anyone to make a short term loan. Where is the trust ?

I run a shipping company. If you send me the money you've saved, I'll make up the difference and see that it gets to your relatives.