PSA: Fake Craigslist Ads in multiple cities listed at $120/$130/$140

Over the past couple weeks, fake craigslist ads have been popping up in multiple states and cities.

The machine is listed at $120, $130, or $140 and has a obfuscated/mangled gmail address posted in the ad itself and/or in the make/manufacturer field. There is no way to respond to the ad using the built-in craigslist reply button. These ads always appear to be posted in the for-sale "video gaming - by owner" section. Additionally, the photos are stolen from other ads, although they don't always come up in a reverse image search.

Examples:
SWEP1 in NH for $130
Bally Eight Ball in MA for $130
JD in AZ for $140
Cyclone in AZ for $140
Metallica in VA for $130
Hi Diver in WA for $130
Frankenstein in OH for $130
High Speed in TX for $140
LOTR in FL for $130
Swinger in GA for $130
RFM in CO for $120

If you respond to these ads, this response is returned from a random email address that is different than the one you emailed, and encourages you to visit an auction website of some sort.

Hey ****,
I'm sorry to say i sold this to another guy. But i wont hide where i got it from. I picked up 2 brand new ones for under $70 from b******e.com
It's very easy to win. The trick is to bid only when the counter hits 4 seconds.

Best regards,
Kelly

Usually, scams like this are designed to collect personal information, but it looks like this one is also designed to drive traffic to a certain website.

You can click the "prohibited" button at the top of the ad to flag it. After a certain number of visitors flag it, the ad is removed. You can also report the ad directly to craigslist here: https://craigslist.org/contact?step=form&reqType=abuse_spam

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screencapture-tampa-craigslist-org-pnl-vgm-5527557048-html-1460315129385_(resized).png

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Post last edited 8 years ago.

#2 8 years ago

BWF

Elicash

Pinside member

9y 55,900 865 8

Saw this one in Denver last week for a Mario Andretti.

#3 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

More screenshots added.

#4 8 years ago

TOM

Dante

Pinside member

Emerald Isle, NC

11y 62,400 325 13 38

Ya, saw the Cyclone one about a year ago in Raleigh. The response that I got was in line with what you posted. While they never tried to collect information, I took it as an effort to drive traffic to the auction site, which is a scam in itself anyways.

#5 8 years ago

MVP

Grizlyrig

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 111K 3,361 1

great info,we appreciate you looking out for us.
Mike

#6 8 years ago

CRD

chad

Game Guy

11y 140K 15,164 9 5

Reminds me of a nice example of Paragon that showed up a couple years back that was $200.00 Shopped and working.

#7 8 years ago

ZNF

DeafnDumb

Inactive member

8y 29,400 69

Go ahead and add Judge Dredd in NC listed at $140

#8 8 years ago

VFP

VacFink

Inactive member

8y 60,400 988

Here in Colorado it was a Mario Andretti pinball email address mailed to wasn't the same responded.

Quoted from Elicash:Saw this one in Denver last week for a Mario Andretti.

Email responder also not the original recipient, probably a bot using other emails without knowledge. I flagged both as spam in case they respond again.

#9 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

denver.craigslist.org link

Quoted from Elicash:
Saw this one in Denver last week for a Mario Andretti.

It looks like that one has already been flagged and removed.

Quoted from DeafnDumb:
Go ahead and add Judge Dredd in NC listed at $140

I can't seem to find that one. It may have already been flagged and removed. If it's still up, please send me the link or post a screenshot.

Also, I reported the ID's of the ads in the screenshots and the pattern of listing behavior to craigslist.

#10 8 years ago

VFP

VacFink

Inactive member

8y 60,400 988

Mario Andretti add replaced with Revenge from Mars. I wonder if they are copying other adds, detail seems to be someone who knows pinball but the price is nuts.

Strange a scammer would target pinball people, but maybe that's the idea, bot some legit adds to drive site traffic. Either way creepy.

#11 8 years ago

PGL

lowepg

Pinside member

Cary, NC

11y 79,400 4,738 3

This scam's been around for a LONG time... maybe just getting around to pinball?

I saw it multiple times when I was looking for high-end DSLR gear....

My favorite CL scam is still (when trying to sell), getting an email with an offer OVER asking price and some convoluted story about the buyer wanting to buy it as a gift for son/parent/student/etc and asking you to ship it (sight-unseen) out of state....

#12 8 years ago

CHD

Cheddar

GoldenStatePin

Lodi, CA

11y 117K 5,180 17 10

Playboy in NorCal, same scam

#13 8 years ago

ZNF

DeafnDumb

Inactive member

8y 29,400 69

Yeah that JD in NC seems to be gone now but it was along the same lines...it was a link to promote some auction site

#14 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

Any new sightings?

#15 8 years ago

TVP

Inactive member

10y 54,550 660

I commend people for looking after the good of others, but if anyone would think that these ads are real, they deserve to be scammed.

#16 8 years ago

AXE

YeOldPinPlayer

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 111K 6,454 4 12

Quoted from TVP:
I commend people for looking after the good of others, but if anyone would think that these ads are real, they deserve to be scammed.

No one deserves to be scammed. There are many people using the internet who are new at it. Do what you can to protect them.

#17 8 years ago

???

KenLayton

In Memoriam

Olympia, WA

12y 83,400 5,965

OP
Quoted from ForceFlow:
Any new sightings?

That Gottlieb Hi Diver for $130 in the Seattle area showed up again and I flagged it.

#18 8 years ago

KAB

Khabbi

Pinside member

Tampa, FL

11y 75,900 1,456 12 1

CSI CSI CSI!!!

#19 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

Quoted from KenLayton:
That Gottlieb Hi Diver for $130 in the Seattle area showed up again and I flagged it.

I just tried looking for it, but didn't see it, so maybe it was taken down already, which is good.

#20 8 years ago

321

Jasontaps

Inactive member

Salem, NH

10y 58,050 1,249

Anytime someone on Craigslist doesn't use the Craigs email address, they are just collecting email addresses so they can sell them in bulk.
Don't waste your time replying to these turkeys.
BTW, have you noticed when you use Craigs email to sell or buy, you now get a TON of spam email.
Guess Craiglist found a way to pay for their site.
Yup, selling email addresses.

#21 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

sanantonio.craigslist.org link

Quoted from Jasontaps:
BTW, have you noticed when you use Craigs email to sell or buy, you now get a TON of spam email.
Guess Craiglist found a way to pay for their site.
Yup, selling email addresses.

I haven't encountered that issue. Just make sure to use the "CL mail relay" option and don't post the email address in the ad itself.

#22 8 years ago

AXE

YeOldPinPlayer

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 111K 6,454 4 12

San Antonio CL today, $140 for a High Speed.

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#23 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

newyork.craigslist.org link

Street fighter II in NY for $120. The gmail address is now being photoshopped into the photo

The ad was flagged pretty quick, so I didn't manage to get a screenshot by the time I was able to take a second look at it, but I'm sure something like this will pop up again.

unnamed_(resized).jpg

#24 8 years ago

ALX

Pahuffman

Pinside member

Hoover, AL

9y 88,800 1,966 6

Getting about 1 per day down here in Birmingham and surrounding areas. I reached out and got that exact message verbatim.

#25 8 years ago

JJB

jbovenzi

Pinside+ Addict

Sparks, NV

8y 112K 1,382 34

Monster Bash in San Francisco today for $120

#26 8 years ago

MMD

Freeplay40

Encore Pinball

Bothell, WA

10y 127K 4,007 13

Quoted from jbovenzi:
Monster Bash in San Francisco today for $120

Pretty hard to low ball that, eh?

#27 8 years ago

Skyemont

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 125K 5,973

Now someone is posting 4 wheelers, boats and cars for sale in every city, state at a rate I can't delete them quick enough. Somewhere in the ad it has the word pinball. I have deleted about 500 of his ads in the past hour. No joke.

#28 8 years ago

DEW

Damonator

Pinside+ Addict

10y 121K 3,150 35 9

Quoted from Skyemont:
Now someone is posting 4 wheelers, boats and cars for sale in every city, state at a rate I can't delete them quick enough. Somewhere in the ad it has the word pinball. I have deleted about 500 of his ads in the past hour. No joke.

I've flagged 50 or so tonight. He must be using some sort of tool that allows him to post to so many cities.

#29 8 years ago

JJB

jbovenzi

Pinside+ Addict

Sparks, NV

8y 112K 1,382 34

Quoted from Freeplay40:
Pretty hard to low ball that, eh?

I would try to get it, but MB has always been out of reach for me!

#30 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

Quoted from Skyemont:
Now someone is posting 4 wheelers, boats and cars for sale in every city, state at a rate I can't delete them quick enough. Somewhere in the ad it has the word pinball. I have deleted about 500 of his ads in the past hour. No joke.

Yep, I've been seeing and flagging those as well.

They're using keyword spam in the ads.

#31 8 years ago

???

KenLayton

In Memoriam

Olympia, WA

12y 83,400 5,965

Quoted from Skyemont:
Now someone is posting 4 wheelers, boats and cars for sale in every city, state at a rate I can't delete them quick enough. Somewhere in the ad it has the word pinball. I have deleted about 500 of his ads in the past hour. No joke.

Yup, that's happening in the Seattle craigslist now too.

EDIT:

I just flagged at least 75 of those ads.

#32 8 years ago

TBO

Turboderf

Pinside member

Loxahatchee, FL

12y 58,900 1,337 10

we have a WWF 150. in west palm beach FL

spam_pinball_(resized).png

#33 8 years ago

MAS

Swainer80

Pinside+ Frequent

Ballwin, MO

10y 86,800 920 32 28

Fresh to St. Louis. Only $110

Stern Striker Xtreme pinball newly shopped. LEDs installed and looks great. Legs. Lock bar and rails new paint. Polished leg bolts with leg protectors installed.

00r0r_kaXyKYKvdg3_600x450_(resized).jpg

#34 8 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member

Quoted from Skyemont:
Now someone is posting 4 wheelers, boats and cars for sale in every city, state at a rate I can't delete them quick enough. Somewhere in the ad it has the word pinball. I have deleted about 500 of his ads in the past hour. No joke.

Are these all between $2000 and $2500 with huge blocks of keywords at the end and no reply button? If so looks like I need to clean up Nashville. I don't think this one qualifies as part of the scam...

image_(resized).jpeg

#35 8 years ago

DEW

Damonator

Pinside+ Addict

10y 121K 3,150 35 9

Quoted from Crash:
Are these all between $2000 and $2500 with huge blocks of keywords at the end and no reply button? If so looks like I need to clean up Nashville.

Yes - all of them appear to be between $2000 and $3000, the spam at the end begins with the phrase "Please ignore" and all of email addresses appear to be gmail.

#36 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

https://craigslist.org/contact?step=form&reqType=abuse_spam

I reported a block of these vehicle ads to craigslist this morning. Hopefully, I'll hear back from someone and/or they will look into the situation.

#37 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

It looks like all the vehicle ads in my area have been taken down and no additional ones have surfaced in the past hour.

#38 8 years ago

MJP

markp99

Inactive member

Nashua, NH

8y 72,800 1,389 3

Hundreds in Boston area this morning. I added "-ignore" to my CL search string as these ads ALL had the string, "Please Ignore" just in front of the SPAM text block.

#39 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

seattle.craigslist.org link

A few new ones popped up. They now include "Please__ignORE::" before the large block of keyword spam.

#40 8 years ago

DEW

Damonator

Pinside+ Addict

10y 121K 3,150 35 9

Hopefully they'll just block the IP address and/or logins of the offending person.

Of course, sending a 100,000 volt shock to their keyboard would be preferential, but unfortunately that isn't an option.

#41 8 years ago

GEC

Gexchange

Denver, CO

12y 94,650 4,570

OP
Quoted from ForceFlow:
A few new ones popped up. They now include "Please__ignORE::" before the large block of keyword spam.

Ya Denver's CL is getting hard with all kinds of random stuff. ATV's, Trucks, Tractors, Rv's all with that please ignore block of keywords that has pinball in it.

#42 8 years ago

???

KenLayton

In Memoriam

Olympia, WA

12y 83,400 5,965

Xfiles for $120 in Seattle:

#43 8 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member

Seems like the Nashville ads have been taken down.

#44 8 years ago

---

ForceFlow

providence.craigslist.org link

TAF in RI:

2016-04-20_17_03_03-Addams_Family_pinball_(resized).jpg

#45 8 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member

houston.craigslist.org link

Reported another in Nashville. Looks like he is dropping the keywords since people are finding ads using them.

image_(resized).jpeg

#46 8 years ago

AXE

YeOldPinPlayer

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 111K 6,454 4 12

tmp_12619-Screenshot_2016-04-20-21-39-46-510145572.png

#47 8 years ago

chucktee

Pinside member

Gladys, VA

12y 40,400 368 3

May have one in the Richmond VA Craigslist posted two days ago-a Williams Pokerino for $100. Yeah it's a Pokerino but the price seems to be a little low for what I've seen games listed for in this region.
UPDATE: Ad in Richmond Craigslist IS a fake; actual owner claims to have machine in near Fredricksburg (asking price is $900 BTW).

Post last edited 7 years ago: “Updating information”

#48 8 years ago

CAD

cottonm4

Pinside+ Addict

Wichita, KS

10y 148K 16,564 10 23

Screen_Shot_2016-04-20_at_10.20.45_PM_(resized).jpg

I wonder what he would want for the AFM in the background?

Screen_Shot_2016-04-20_at_10.22.00_PM_(resized).jpg

#49 8 years ago

ABC

Crash

Pinside member