Craigslist scam? Need your guys help!

[Ampeg SVT]

I am trying to sell my '94 Sterling on Craigslist and I have been talking to this guy. He seems kind of odd and this is the email I got

"Thanks for the mail , i am okay with the price , and i am comfortable with
the picture i saw, i will be making the payment via cashier check or money
order , so i will need your full name that will be on the check and your
full address where you can easyly receive the package via couier and i will
arrange for the pickup myself, and i will hold till this check finally "

I would like to get your guy's opinions on this matter as I really am trying to get rid of the Sterling.
His email is bill.john74@gmail.com btw.

[plastik-bass[?]]

Originally Posted by Ampeg SVT

I am trying to sell my '94 Sterling on Craigslist and I have been talking to this guy. He seems kind of odd and this is the email I got

"Thanks for the mail , i am okay with the price , and i am comfortable with
the picture i saw, i will be making the payment via cashier check or money
order , so i will need your full name that will be on the check and your
full address where you can easyly receive the package via couier and i will
arrange for the pickup myself, and i will hold till this check finally "

I would like to get your guy's opinions on this matter as I really am trying to get rid of the Sterling.
His email is bill.john74@gmail.com btw.

scam dont do it...i never accept cashier checks or money order..not to mention he wants your name thats gonna be on the check...dont do it unless you are 100% thats always my policy

[musicelectronix]

Originally Posted by plastik-bass[?]

scam dont do it...i never accept cashier checks or money order..not to mention he wants your name thats gonna be on the check...dont do it unless you are 100% thats always my policy

+1

Just make a quick search for craiglist scams. Money order will most likely be a counterfeit. He will back off and tell you to keep some of the money and send him a money order for the rest of the amount. A couple of weeks later, your bank will contact you and tell you about the fraud. this is one of the many scenarios.

[Ampeg SVT]

Thats what I was thinking, I sent him some more emails just to toy with him. its going to be fun

[woodenskillet]

Scam. When people don't ask about specific details regarding the instrument and when they use generalities, it is a pretty much a scam 100% of the time. People who are genuine will state their interest in the instrument and then ask questions. They don't say things like "The item is what I want. I will need your full address so I can send a cashier's check." Obviously, your gut instinct says something isn't right. Trust it. When using craigslist, deal locally. This is the easiest way to protect yourself.

[Jeremy Crockett]

Threads like this only further my opinion that Craigslist is the balloon knot of the INTARWEBS.

[Ampeg SVT]

Alright thanks guys, you further solidified my suspicions.

[Rumblee]

Are you the one who posted that you were going to have the bass at Sluggo music the other day?? I am possibly interested...... have any pics?

[Slax]

Personally, money orders as almost the equivalent to cash, once it's in your name and the money is in your bank account it doesn't matter. I've done many sales with money orders and they all worked out fine.

Ask them to let the cash clear and then give them the instrument. If they're not okay with that, then save it for someone who will do things the way you want. Keep in good contact with them so they know they're not getting scammed on their end.

The reverse side of this argument will say "scam" just as your side will, it's a matter of trust between the seller and buyer.

[thehamsterman]

Yeah i've had that same exact response on craigslist, its a scam.

[chutsk10]

If you read the "avoiding scams and fraud" section of craigslist it will tell you "FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later"

As mentioned, if you are not 100% sure, don't do it.

[Ampeg SVT]

Originally Posted by Rumblee

Are you the one who posted that you were going to have the bass at Sluggo music the other day?? I am possibly interested...... have any pics?

Yes I was, crud I do its on my computer downstairs.
Ill get them to you pronto

[NorCal Dog]

I have sold on CL & accepted MO's..

BUT....


I didn't Ship until a week & a half AFTER the MO initially cleared the bank,,, & i called the bank before i shipped just to confirm.

that was the deal & the buyer was cool with it..

[NorCal Dog]

maybe next time i won't tho....

[Cosmo_Smallpiece]

I had someone contact me with a variation of this scam. He was posing as an American who needed a band to play at his sons' wedding. Why an American would pay to fly a band from the UK for a function he didn't explain. It's not like there aren't any bands available in the US

He gave me the usual old bo***cks about sending me a cheque, and for me to deduct my band fee plus expenses, flights etc, and send him a cheque for the balance. When I checked his e-mail address he actually had a Nigerian name but he was using an Anglicized version of it to pose as American

So I played along and he sent me cheque which I paid into my bank account and it was credited to my account when I checked the balance. At this point the scammee is supposed to send the scammer a cheque for the balance and then later discover that the bank draft or cheque is a fake. I received several e-mails from this guy getting progressively angrier, demanding to know where his money was.

In the end my bank phoned me to tell me the cheque was a forgery, but if I had sent a cheque it could have been cleared by the scammer before I discovered that.

[manicbassman]

it's not just Craigs list... I was selling my dinghy on an open boat listing site and had people trying to pull this one on me...

apparently they're trying to pull the Wedding scam on DJs as well. They send a large money order and request you to wire the surplus on to their "travel agent" after taking your advance of fee out of it...

I blame the banks... it shouldn't be possible to draw against the money until it's fully cleared. You should always allow 5 working days for it to clear before even thinking of sending on the difference to them...

The only good money orders are postal orders where you actually exchange them over the counter for real money...

[peabody]

Definitely a scam. My favorite feature of these is the names they come up with. Most of the time I've found they use two first names....like in this case "Bill John". You think they could be more original.

[seventhson]

If it's a USPS money order, you can get cash at the post office. Only someone with balls would forge one of those. If it's a cashier's check, make sure it's drawn on a bank that has a branch near you. Do *not* deposit it into your personal account. Go to the bank's branch and get cash for it. They have the ability to know if their own cashier's check is a forgery or not.

You have cash in hand in both cases.

[ddnidd1]

Originally Posted by seventhson

If it's a USPS money order, you can get cash at the post office. Only someone with balls would forge one of those. .

A while back I contacted the Postmaster General's office re: fake USPS Money Orders. They do exist and the kicker is that if you attempt to cash one, the first thing the Post Office does is investigate YOU for fraud since you tried to cash the fake M.O.

[MJ5150]

Hehe, too funny.

I almost replied to that ad. Had it been a five string, I would have. Very nice bass you have for sale.

-Mike