I conclude scam when I got to word 12 (I) that is missing. did not have to read on any further

If they never even mention the name of the item, yea - it's a scam.

viperrwk

Having no experience buying from Craigslist, this doesn't seem like enough information to scam someone with. Assuming the check is not counterfeit, I don't see how the buyer could do anything negative (other than know where you live... which was going to happen anyway).

SCAMMMMM! 100%. cease all communication now

imo, it certainly doesn't pass the "smell test"...

tell him that when he arranges for the local pickup, the person who picks it up can hand you cash...

Its a scam. Need cash from this guy.

the verbiage of the email is a strong indication that it's coming from a scammer...

No reason not to trust him, after all, he promised!

If it's not a scam, it's not worth it anyway, as ccotenj mentioned, doesn't pass the smell test.

-Wes

I've recieved similar responses to CL ads.

I respond with:

"Have whomever you have pick it up for you bring the cash and we've got a deal"

Needless to say I have never recieved a response...

Yup, Serious scam

100000% scam.

Here is how the scam works for those new to Craigslist:

1. You get the "Certified Check" delivered to you overnight.

2. The check will be for about $900 more that the agreed cost of your item.

3. You will deposit the check.

4. By federal law, in 48 hours the funds will be available to you when you call the bank.

5. BUT "funds being available" to you does NOT mean the check has cleared. These are two totally different things.

6. The buyer will say after 48 hours, "Make sure the check has cleared, call your bank. Then send me back the difference I overpaid you by WesternUnion. I'm so sorry, keep an extra $100 for your trouble. I'll have my shipper pick up the game in a week".

7. Like an idiot, you send the guy $800 (or maybe the whole $900, because you are a nice guy) by non refundable WesternUnion.

8. About 3-4 weeks later the bank sends you a letter that the check is counterfeit. They have deducted the entire amount of the check + a $40 bounced check fee. You have lost at least $840.

9. No one ever comes to pick up the game. They only wanted your $800.

=

If you want to have fun, agree with the seller to overnight you the check. Then tell them the check was delivered wet, and you need another. Tell them the second check was torn and the bank won't accept it. Sometimes I can get them to send me 3 checks before they quit.

It costs them $39 postage to send each check overnight from Africa or Romania.

Post your results here, so we can be entertained.

The other version of this same scam is when they tell you they will "wire" you the money.

We all know that you can't take the money back, or have a "counterfeit" wire transfer, right?

1. You give the buyer all the bank info, believing they will "wire" the money to you. Let's say $3000.

2. What they actually do is rather than wire any money, they mail overnight a fake check to your bank for $3900.

3. Your bank gets the fake check, and of course deposits it into your account in the morning.

4. When you call the bank or check your balance online, you see that you have $3900 "deposited" into your account.

5. Since you believe the money was wired, you have no problem sending the buyer his $900 back by WesternUnion (the buyer says he is currently traveling overseas and can't go to his own bank).

6. About 3-4 weeks later the bank determines the check is counterfeit and deducts the $3900 and a $40 bounce check fee.

7. You call the bank in protest and learn that no money was ever wired to your account. Just a "normal" check deposited.

That's a good one, make them send the check 3 times. Hehe make them spend there money.

Vid has got it right. You'll receive a check for much more than the price, and be asked to forward several hundred dollars to someone else for some reason or another. It'll be a bad check, and you'll be out the money.

I love Vid's idea of asking them to send checks multiple times; didn't realize it cost them so much to do mail them. I may have to try this in the future.

I did mention the check needed to not be counterfeit, but thanks for the in-depth explanation anyway. And the second example is even more blatant, as you should never give any random person your bank information. I worked as a bank teller when I was younger, and the ability to direct withdrawl out of accounts is a rather frightening concept.

Really? After all the threads on here and RGP, why do they seem to keep coming up? These are so obvious and we've seen the same thing the past 8 years. Even if your new, just a little reading you would see the obvious. I suggest you act like they have a sucker, and make them keep sending you M.O.'s over and over and over again like I do. I'll tell them I didn't get it. if they don't overnight it, i'm selling it to someone else. They panic because they dont' want to lose their sucker, and spend a crapload of money getting you those payments overnight.

For added bonus fun, have them send you a polaroid of them holding a sign of whatever you tell them to say. that collection is priceless for the gameroom wall.

It's a total scam. Run away--- fast!!

In a lot of cases it does not cost them because they hack a FedEx account and send it on someone else’s dime. My work account got hacked and over approx. 3 weeks (yes three weeks) they sent checks and packages to at least 100 -200 people with the same scam but with wedding dresses. As soon as we found the fraud we called Fedex and it took them almost a month to fix it. It cost Fedex thousands of dollars.

As everyone else has said, 100% scam. I've seen the exact text on a number of responses in the past.

In general, if your item isn't mentioned specifically in the response, it's a scam. You can have some fun with them (and I have in the past), but it's an old scam.

I had applied for a job where I was suppossed to drive someone around on business. They sent me the fake checks that were from the post office. I was suppossed to cash them at the bank and send the money back. Part of the money was to pay for the person personal vechile that was to be deleiverd to my house to use to drive the person around. Naturally I talked to the police about it and they said it was all fake but they didnt seem to want to handle the situation. So I took them with the envelope to the post office and turned them in. The guy called me and asked if I got the checks. I said yes they were fake and look forward to the police calling you.
Its a shame that even looking for a job can be a scam. When times are tuff people want to try and take advantage of it.

SCAM,
the wording sets it off.
Get them all the time.

It's a trick...get an axe...

AOD.gif

SCAM, I got the SAME EXACT email from a response on Craigslist from a "Lisa". Click, deleted

RUN

"the item" = prefabricated generic scam email, they can't keep track of what "the item" is when they send hundreds a day...

Really had to ask?

Yep, he really did, even though the "buyer" never saw the game, never asked a question, never asked for a pic, never asked for a dime off, is too busy to come for the viewing, and can't wait to pay with "certified funds".

All that was missing was a hearty "God Bless".

GENERAL RULE: If it seems too good to be true, it is. This guy didn't even bother to negotiate price, just said that he was ready to "make instant purchase" and pay full price. BAD. Delete it!

That doesn't mean it's a scam. He could be from Pinside too.

THAT is an *excellent* point, Captain.

(Big salute)

BTW, I started on the storage yesterday and I made it three rows away from the game when the truck maxed out. I'll get there "soon"...but I've been saying that for months and my credibility is properly in question.

keep me posted.

LOL, that does happen!

vid1900 nailed it exactly on the head. I work in banking as a living, and I couldn't tell you how many times a week people come in with fake checks from these exact same scams from selling something on craigslist. If its to good to be true, its always a scam.

I run a vacation rental here in Hawaii and get at least 15-20 of these type of emails every day!! They want to rent my place for a week and pay with a certified check. My reply is sorry no checks, credit card or cash only. NO CHECKS = NO SCAMS!!

Always let them send something to you. I had the last guy go to the Western union office 4 times before he gave up.He kept asking me to send me a picture of the receipt but I told him my phone fell in a public toilet again and couldn't take pics. I was really creative with my responses. He threatened to call the police on me and I asked him not to cause I was wanted for my 4th DWI. he finally gave up. I left a message asking when he was getting the machine.