craigslist scammer tried to get me!

[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.

[Jd Powell]

Dead beat GS'r

Anybody have any suggestions on how to deal with a deadbeat GSR member ? I tried the "deadbeats" section to no avail. Without mentioning names, I bought a pair of GS1100E forks from a fellow GSR member back in august. I sent a USPS money order, wich he cashed but never shipped them. He claims to have shipped them, but cannot tell me when they were shipped, who he shipped with, or what address he sent them to. $90 may not be worth resorting to legal matters, But I am not the type to accept being played. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am at my wits end.

[duaneage]

Naming names sometimes is the only way to boil and issue to the surface, If you feel you were taken it's the sellers duty to work to make things right. If that means refunding money, well, perhaps you two can meet halfway on it. I've had items get lost in space, a box of parts went to Finland by way of Canada once, and I worked with the USPS and the buyer to track them down.
He should start with the post office on your behalf, they can track packages amazingly well.