Craig's list, is it a safe place to sell?

[GMC AMI]

I recently posted one of my trucks for sale on the Maine Craig's list and what a lot of spammers. Here is one of the e-mails sent me

"I am interested, can i trust you,i'm a navy captain working on ship
and I'm offering additional $100 to your final price for you to keep
it off from other offer.could you please provide me with recent
pictures of this item so i can see the condition before we proceed and
Also,i'll be paying you from my paypal account, so if you are still
okay in selling it off to me, kindly get back to me with your name and
paypal email ID so i can send the money as soon as i have your paypal
info. so i can make the payment asap for the item and if you don't
have paypal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to
http://www.paypal.com and get it set up.. looking forward to your
response.

Regards.

Brett

You really have to wonder is this for real? Has anyone heard of a scam with Paypal? Posting PICS of truck, note not for sale on this board. No one would drive this far north. Here is a copy of my ad.

maine craigslist > for sale / wanted > cars & trucks - by owner

1968 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 4-speed - $4000 (Aroostook county)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2012-03-13, 9:56AM EDT
Reply to: your anonymous craigslist address will appear here
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1968 CHEVY 3/4 TON 4X4 REBUILT 350 HIGH RISE 4BBL 4 SPEED. DUAL EXHAUST NEW HEAVY DUTY 12 INCH CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING.FLYWHEEL RESURFACED. 100 MILES SINCE REBUILD. LIFTED 4 INCHES WITH 85 ONE TON AXLES. GOOD FRAME, NEW FLOORBOARDS. VERY MINIMAL RUST, SOLID TRUCK. NICE BUCKET SEAT, CONSOLE INTERIOR. NEW 16 INCH STUDDED TIRES. GO ALMOST ANYWHERE, GREAT FISHING AND OR HUNTING TRUCK. Check NADA GUIDE LOWEST VALUE ASKING $4000 DOLLARS.

[HavinSomeFun]

Sounds weird to me and I would bet its from a gmail account...

[too much stuff]

Run away from that!

[Sequoyah]

selling on CL is fine. I tend to just state that I work with local buyers or out of state if they're on here. Less BS because people here know what they're looking at, but yeah...definite scam there.

[PanelDeland]

Just my comments,
1.You have to have a colege education to become an officer in the US Armed Forces(Not that that means you're literate considering Public ed these days)
2.I am not giving you $4000 without some specific pics
3.Lots of scams on all kinds of stuff CL EB and almost any others.
4.Until I'm sure you're legit I'm certainly not giving up financial info even if it is a deposit only situation.
It's worded as English as a second lanuage(or electronically translated),it requests Paypal info before a deal is made,and that after requesting ics.It's a scam at best and a phishing post otherwise(a way to "fish"(learn info to steal an identity).

RUN FOREST RUN

Just my opinion.

[okyankee]

plus he says item instead of truck. i sold my chevelle project on cl in less than a week. i got one email like this willing to pay more 1000 more than i had posted and he said item also.

[sbc10guy]

Sounds like a scam to me, its safe if you just deal with people that will meet you and have cash. I use craigslist a lot and have had no problems.

[firedog]

cl has good and bad too it, i built my entire bag set up from cl, however there are plenty of scams there just remember if it seems to good to be true it probably is.

[oneperfectrun]

It's a scam!
Posted via Mobile Device

[white 67]

A scam for sure. I use craigslist but i put call or text only in my adds, to many email scams and it can be hard to tell if one is real or fake.

[jocko]

run, don't walk. Craigslist ok (in my book) only if it leads to a face to face. Sometimes it can - and all is good. Sometimes it can end up with someone really, really ripping you off if you're not very cautious.

My rules:
- Advertise for exposure
- Never, EVER give out any financial info
- Preference for face to face
- Never give up any merchandise until you have confirmed payment - for me, that=deposited cash (and accepted by the bank) - or - deposited (and accepted) cashier's check into the bank.

If a buyer rushes you and tells you how inconvenient it is for him, then I just pass. Keep in mind, the goal of most scammers isn't to rob you of the truck you're trying to sell - it's to rob you of enough personal info to wipe out your bank account.

EDIT - and yes, the bad speling ist und barry big gibaway.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by jocko

run, don't walk. Craigslist ok (in my book) only if it leads to a face to face. Sometimes it can - and all is good. Sometimes it can end up with someone really, really ripping you off if you're not very cautious.

My rules:
- Advertise for exposure
- Never, EVER give out any financial info
- Preference for face to face
- Never give up any merchandise until you have confirmed payment - for me, that=deposited cash (and accepted by the bank) - or - deposited (and accepted) cashier's check into the bank.

If a buyer rushes you and tells you how inconvenient it is for him, then I just pass. Keep in mind, the goal of most scammers isn't to rob you of the truck you're trying to sell - it's to rob you of enough personal info to wipe out your bank account.

EDIT - and yes, the bad speling ist und barry big gibaway.

Also.... Never give them directions to your doorstep/shop/storage area where the parts or vehicle is. Always meet @ an easily accessible public place that's as convenient as possible for the both of you.

I've heard more than one story of selling a vehicle or parts where they gave directions to someone coming to 'look'. At some point in time later, 'poof'.... your stuff is gone.

[jocko]

Excellent points. I recently sold (ok, TRIED to sell) a bed on Craigslist - this was one of those fancy hospital-like beds for a friend that had just passed away. About 5 minutes after I listed it, I get every nutcase on the planet writing to me about it with some wacky story about how they want it, BUT... - and none could stick two words together to make a coherent sentence. It was so annoying. Ended up closing the ad and selling in a local pennysaver, and it was quick and simple.

[74 stepside]

Ive been buying and selling on craigslist for 3 years and never had a real problem. There is always going to be flakes and weird people. Its up to you to use good judgement and common sence so you dont get ripped off. If some one wanted me to hold anything then they have to give me a deposit. As far as not letting people come to your house to buy, thats a matter of choice. I personally have never had a problem selling at my residence. Almost every thing I have bought was at the sellers residence.

[rsavage]

I have sold (and bought) lots of things on Craigslist without a problem. I never put my phone number in the ad. They must respond to me via the ad and leave a phone number so that I can call them if I decide to do so. If they don't, they don't get a response because then they would have my email address and I add them to "blocked senders" so that I don't hear from them again. I figure if they can't follow simple directions, I really don't want to deal with them. Also, I do not give directions to my house until I am fairly certain they are coming out. If they say they want to take a look tomorrow, Saturday, etc. I tell them to call me when they are about to leave for directions. I also make it a point to say I am home all the time.

[sir_talk_alot]

ive been buying and selling parts for 3years now, i pretty much never use my email, and if i do, i put in the ad that serious people put in your case "chevy truck" in the subject bar, instead of just replying to the ad. that way it is personal, not scam like the one you got. the scammers just email you from the link, someone interested in it will put just "chevy truck" or what ever you specify in the ad. trust me its fake.

[lowrollin70gmc]

A dead giveaway especially with cars and car parts is that the scams never directly mention what is being sold. If I'm looking to buy a vehicle, I'm going to ask you about your k10, where the rust is, how it runs, etc. For car parts I'll ask is the motor available, what backspacing the wheels are, etc.

[danw210]

Any time that someone tells you how to make or accept payment, end the discussion there. And NEVER use Western Union.

[doubleb's69]

I just don't allow emails or texts. If they are to lazy to call the number like it says in the ad to do then they can live without what I'm selling. I won't even open emails were the subject line is my entire craigslist title because I have before and its some spam thing that gets my blood boiling.

[MrSchaeferPants]

Ya man, be careful, look for the clues. I would have stopped reading that after the first line and deleted it, but to me, it's just that obvious it's spam. Like others said, they use item, or generic words. Asking to trust, trust what? Navy Captain? Sorry, been in the military and bought/sold on CL and bookoo (another site) from E-1 on up, no one ever, ever mentions their rank, hell we sold my wife's Cherokee the other week to a CW2, all he said was his name. Deal with local sales, unless they're very personable, you know who they are, what they want and that they're for real. Never had a problem with buyers comming to my house, but that's just me, and my location. I personally prefer emails and txt to start, buying or selling, but that's just me, I'm introverted

[treveiger]

Ya its a scam. Be even careful with cashier checks as there being faked. They'll deposit and even go through until a few days later when the banks find out there fake an YOUR held responsible.
Posted via Mobile Device

[ERASER5]

My bank had a notice posted for quite a while. Basicly stated that if someone offers you more money than you are asking, it IS a SCAM! Pretty much sums it up for me.

[GMC AMI]

Thanks all with info. Here is another e-mail, strange diff. guy, almost same scam. I have been flagging spamers.
"


Message flagged

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 8:53 PM

I'm interested, and consider it sold, I'm buying it for my father and
payment would be through PayPal, my agent will come for pick up,
actually I'm working in a ship and most time I am off shore. Expecting
your prompt reply, with the name and email address on the your PayPal
account so that I can make the payment and please provide me with
recent pictures including this item so I can see the condition before
we proceed since I would not be seen it in person so I can make a
payment right away, and pick up would at your residence. And lastly,
I'm offering additional $100 to your final price for you to keep it
off from other offer. If you don't have paypal account yet, it is
very easy to set up, go to http://www.paypal.com and get it set up..
looking forward to your response.
Regards.

Good thing he is working IN A SHIP on not on a ship. A fishing he will go!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I love how he says to consider it sold then asks for pictures so he can verify condition before he buys. Come on.

[special-K]

To me,it's safe. All the scams are so obvious there is no question to it. I wonder how anyone could fall for them. When I first saw these replies I would send a message stating "I am not accustomed to the buyer stating the terms of my sale. My terms are cash in hand in person for stated amount". Now that I know it's common and computer generated I simply delete those and report them.

I don't give my phone number and only use the anonymous e-mail feature. I don't want to handle all the calls from all the strange offers and flakes. I'd rather screen through e-mails and just ignore the jerks. I hate when someone starts off with "will you take less". I always tell them I have priced the item after careful thought because I want to sell it. If they'd like to come and inspect,then point out why they feel it's worth less then possibly I'll consider an offer. Then I say,but you may feel it's worth more than I'm asking. I feel like adding,"Would you then offer me more?"