craigslist scammer tried to get me!

[tconroy]

Beware of anybody wanting to buy your bike with a cashier's check of not wanting to meet face to face.This guy was willing to buy my bike i have on craigslist for 2200$,no questions asked.He would not say where he was and kept asking the same questions.Plus he wanted to send me a US cashiers check and wanted me to give him my name address and phone # and what country i live in!!!!He said his boss would be issuing the check.NEVER SALE ANYTHING OVER THE NET IF THE PERSON WILL NOT MEET FACE TO FACE OR DO A CASH TRANSACTION!!! I told him if he cannot meet face to face and pay cash there is no other option. I have not heard from him since.

 

[koolaid_kid]

When he asked you what country you live in, it should end there.
There is a country in Africa that is really big into these scams (I don't remember which one).
Jerks.

 

[MissFabulous]

Yep - happens a lot. Also, beware of meeting potential buyers face to face. Make sure you look over your house & habits and what expensive items are visible very closely and keep everything locked. Lots of local scammers will show up acting like they might want to buy, leave saying they'll think about it, ask what your schedule is like (ie: when no one is home) and then come back and dust the place.

 

[tconroy]

I would prefer to meet on neutral grounds like a parking lot or a restaurant till you find out if the person is truly genuine. I think e-bay would be safer to deal thru but I never sell anything without face to face contact and cash transactions.It is a shame to think that there are people out there that are only trying to take advantage of others but that is what this world has become unfortunately.I have been taken advantage of twice.Once buy someone on the gs sight and that other on e-bay.I bought lowering blocks that did not work from old 77 on this sight and a guy showed me pics of shocks and sent me some smaller totally different pair.I still have them cause it would have cost too much to ship back.I have learned never to buy or trust anyone on the web no matter what they are selling.I thought I could trust everyone on this sight but that also is no so because people are people and it only takes one person to take advantage of you when you dont expect it.Dont trust anyone.!

 

[tconroy]

When he asked you what country you live in, it should end there.
There is a country in Africa that is really big into these scams (I don't remember which one).
Jerks.

I was just in Indy this last weekend. My son goes to college at Indiana Wesleyan univ. in Marion.His is there top golf player there.I wish I had more time up there cause i would have looked some people up.

 

[80GS750]

when i was selling my blazer i dealt with this from one guy. same deal. he wanted to send me a check, no problem with my asking price, but needed my name and number and address and crap first, it was obviously a scam. i told him to call me and we could talk about it, otherwise no deal. he never contacted me again. up till that point he was really set on getting my personal info. i gave him my number and first name only...

 

[koolaid_kid]

I was just in Indy this last weekend. My son goes to college at Indiana Wesleyan univ. in Marion.His is there top golf player there.I wish I had more time up there cause i would have looked some people up.

Next time look us up, bwringer, myself, and Al (don't remember his screen name, he doesn't post much) are all here.
Gopher, huh? Excellent.

 

[t3rmin]

Somebody tried the same scam on me recently. I told him I'd be happy to oblige if he also showed up with a couple hundred $$$ "ernest money", didn't mind me making a copy of his drivers' license, taking his photo, and conducting the transaction with my buddy, who is a cop, present.

For some strange reason I didn't hear from him again...

 

[earlfor]

I've had the same kind of experience. It usually ends when I tell them the only way anything is going to happen is if I have cash in one hand and the title in my other hand simultaneously

Earl

 

[Road_Clam]

I've sold 3 items on Choochlist, and got scam emails for 2 of them. The scam email was structured similar in both instances. Kinda went like: "I like your item, and am very interested. Price is good. I would like to send my movers to pick up it. I can have certified bank check when pick item up. I am in middle of moving and dont have time." The total giveaway was the scammer never made a reference in the reply to what my item actually was....

Cripes, give me a break, talk about a mass generated item scam post reply.......

 

[tconroy]

This guy never even said how or when he would pick it up!

 

[t3rmin]

So here's the other side of the question: I'm thinking about buying a bike that's 7-8hrs drive away, and a GSer local to the bike would help me with the transaction. What's the best way to get money out there and the best way to approach the sale without seeming like a scammer?

I'd already be asking them to break one of the Craigslist "rules": "deal locally". If I compound that by paying with a cashier's check, that might scare them off...

 

[tconroy]

Get the check to the local gs'r and have him cash it and pay for the bike wiht green? Drive the 8 hours with cash and hope it's a worthy buy.

 

[earlfor]

Make the 8 hour drive with cash to pay for the bike if you decide after looking at it, you want it. Pay the man and take the title and bike. No title in hand, no deal.

Earl

So here's the other side of the question: I'm thinking about buying a bike that's 7-8hrs drive away, and a GSer local to the bike would help me with the transaction. What's the best way to get money out there and the best way to approach the sale without seeming like a scammer?

I'd already be asking them to break one of the Craigslist "rules": "deal locally". If I compound that by paying with a cashier's check, that might scare them off...

 

[spyug]

The old agage, "Cash talks, bull**** walks". is still the best approach in my books. The main problem is the distance.

The advantage with cash is you can waive a lesser amount in his face and he may take it. The disadvantage is you can't stop payment if something goes weird and you'll likely never get it back.

A couple of years ago when I was looking for a Yammie XS for a tracker project I called on quite a few bikes that were anywhere from 2 to 4 hours away from me. On 2 ocassions, I had the seller agree not to sell the bike until I got to see it and told them I was on my way immediately. I got there and the bike was gone....in both cases ( and one was 4 hours away). I was really steamed because I had given my cell phone and asked them to call if anything "came up". No call and worse no sorry. I finally got a bike by placing a wanted ad on Craigslist. Got a bike from a guy leaving the country. There was no competition this way and while he wanted $800 he was anxious to dump it and I got it for $500 in cash.

Now business is business and cash talks as I first mentioned but a little common courtesy would be nice. Don't agree to do something if you don't follow through.

At the begining of the summer I sold my Virago and listed it on Craigslist and locally. I told everyone that called that I'd hold it until they saw it and gave them "first right of refusal" in the order they called. I also made it clear that I would accept a cash offer if it came but I'd call them they wanted to counter it. Guys #1 and 2 never showed and guy 3 bought it with cash. I tried to reach 1 and 2 but they didn't call back.

I also picked up my GS with a cash offer. It was listed in the Trader. Not running, tank off with patches to fix leaks, no battery but low mileage and complete with good compression. He wanted $1500. I waived 10 c notes and he quickly accepted as "the wife wants it gone". I was taking a chance but it worked out.

Take the drive if he will agree to hold it for you and bring the cash....just don't be surprised if its gone before you get there.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Cheers,
Spyug.

 

[snowbeard]

I would say never buy anything from the internet that you're not willing to lose out on if it's bogus... sometimes you get some really great people who just want to help you out!

but yes, the scammers with the cashier's checks, they are no good, but at least it's obvious to anyone with a lick of sense!

 

[t3rmin]

Well I'm thinking of getting the cash to the local GSer (whom I trust) and letting them do the deal pretty much as if it were local. Then he'll store the bike for me until I can pick it up.

Only trick will be getting the cash to them quickly before somebody buys out from under me. What's the absolute fastest way to send money?

 

[Big Si]

There are two "popular" cheque scams over here.

1. The cheque is either stolen or bogus, even when the money is apparently in your hands, the bank recovers the money (from your account) and you have lost the bike.
2. The cheque is for way more than the amount you asked, and the scammer askes that you send him the balance. Scammer never shows for bike. Cheque turns out to be bogus and you are out the money you sent.

I used to visit http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ but it all got too depressing.

Big Si

 

[p_s]

I posted a wanted ad a few days ago LOOKING to buy a bike and got an offer from someone who wanted to send me a cashier's check and if I could get a quote for shipping the "item" to the nearest port ...

 

[duaneage]

Craiglist was bust for selling my CM400A. 17 people contacted me, all kinds of interest, no cash. I ended up ebaying it for more than I wanted on CL. It cost me 70.00 in fees but I got paid and there were no hassles. I had one "kid" try to trade me an ipod, xbox and God knows what else for my bike, I suspected he lifted the items from a store and told him to keep his stamp collection and just give me cash.

I think CL is good for non-ebay-able items, and if your cleaning your house out prior to moving somewhere. CL types love the anonimity and try to play people too much. I know people that have been hit on, tried to sell water treatment systems, property scams, and this was just for a car ad. As soon as tehy find another human being it seems they try and work some kind if angle. YMMV of course but ebay does require people to show at least some identification, and you have a little recourse through paypal at least.

Create a hotmail account if you do CL, never post a valid phone number, and expect to be lowballed, scammed and all that.

CL is better for buyers, the lack of an auction deadline means first come first served and you can find good deals if you have cash in hand.