Craigslist sale seems fishy? Please read.?

Question

So I listed a dresser on Craigs List and someone sent me a reply saying they wanted to buy it, but it just seems fishy because of all the typos and that he wants to send the money to my bank account. I said I only accepted cash but it seems that he ignored my request. These are his email:

Him: "Wow seller,
Beautiful funiture you pasted there, but just don`t know if its still available and down
for sell. Infact, its exactly my taste and choice. i will also want to know the exact amount selling it last....mean any deduction? and kindly let me know your mode of payment, and kindly never look for another buyer okay?
Thanks"

after this I told him it was still for sale and i only accepted cash then he sent me this:

him: "Hello seller,
Thanks for your quick response and sorry for my late reply.I suppose to come and see what i want to buy but due to my work i can not come am located at texas,And i have actually contacted my financier and promised to send you an instant cashiers check that has to clear your bank first before any pick up is made.Cos,as its obvious to us all that,bad ones have spoilt the good people,so has to wait till the check he wants to send you clear first.I will like to tell you that i have a shipping company that will be coming for the pick up..so,it could be taken into a thorough examinations and verification.In receipt to your mail,i will need your payment details to mail him as soon as possible.I need the following pls:

Name,full physical contact address and ther things consider vital.

Thanks and do have a blessed weekend....

I'm just looking for a local buyer that can come and pick up this dresser and have cash in hand. I don't want to do any transaction over the internet or anything.

Answer 1

Absolutely, "fishy" is right!

I would just ignore this response and keep an eye out for the next potential buyer. I've been duped on sites like this one and it takes some thinking-through to decide when someone is yanking your chain.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Absolute scam. WAY too many red flags. No one from out of state is going to buy a used dresser and then pay to have it shipped. No one needs your bank information to pay you. Virtually ALL used items on Craig's list are sold as is and for cash to the first person who shows up. In other words, sold and bought LOCALLY. Craig's list even puts up a disclaimer and warning about dealing only with local people.

Even cashier's checks are not all that safe anymore, since too many desktop publishing tools are available for anyone to buy.

The terms for these kinds of sales should ALWAYS be cash, on the spot, AND no refunds.

Answer 3

Becareful, if you agree, they will try and pull a fast one. Accept only cash or open a Paypal account. Do not ship out any items before you have the money on your account and do not ever give your own personal bank account information. I ran into someone from Canada on a listing I placed in Craigslist who send me a check for 2500 instead of my asking price of 250 dollars. They ask "Please let them know when you receive the check". Afterwards, they ask "Would you so kindly refund the extra money I over paid." It is funny. The check they send was one of the most fake checks I have ever seen. I laughed and reported them to the police. Be careful...

Answer 4

Yeah, it reads of BS and Scam. One, an assistant is LOCAL, not long distance. Two, assistants work in THEIR office, not at home. Even if some of the work can be done at home, you'd still have to go to their office to pick it up. Let's look at these supposed activities: "Make travel arrangements and submit expenses for Attorneys " Expense reports are done by the traveller and involve handling the receipts. Can't be done long distance. "Running personal errands" Exactly how is that home based. "Check Processing" Bingo--that's part of the scam. "Web research, Internet search skills and posting ads" Posting ads, possibly part of the scam. "I do have a number of things you could help me with this week" Scams rarely last long. Once the victim realizes they are being scammed they tend to stop handing money over. I'll bet the deal is here, cash these checks and pay the suppliers via western union. Then the checks bounce....

Answer 5

Never give a seller OR BUYER (!!) (especially this one) your bank account. Have them send the money via mail. He sounds like a scammer, anyway. Find a new, local buyer, and just to be safe, bring a strong, (intimidating male!) friend along, and have them pick it up in a large Fred Meyer's parking lot or something. Make sure you have the money, first. I wish this to be helpful.
-LOB123-

Answer 6

i wouldn't trust it. you should never give out your personal information (social security number, bank account numbers, drivers license number, credit card numbers, etc.) especially over the internet. tell this "buyer" that if he would still like to buy it, the offer still stands. but he must follow through with what you want to happen. tell him that you will provide a shipper and need payment in cash only. if he says no, oh well! you can always find another buyer that will go by your guidelines. (:

Answer 7

"so has to wait till the check he wants to send you clear first"

I see nothing here to indicate that he wants to send a cashier check to your bank account.

"Name,full physical contact address and the things consider vital."

This indicates that he will need your address in order to send the check to you.
Understand that cashier checks can be canceled.
He is being up front and he understands that it will be cashed before he picks up the furniture.

I see nothing in his correspondence to indicate dishonesty.
From his writing it's obvious that English is a second language and he may not be proficient, but it's certainly understandable.

It appears that he is taking the risk by sending you a cashier check, you cashing it, before he even examines the merchandise. His shipping company would pick up the mdse.

His "accent" sounds Far Eastern to me. A very polite correspondence in my opinion.

Answer 8

DEFINITELY fishy. I got about 50 emails exactly like this one when I put a room for rent on craigslist. All those crazy people were sending me addresses and employer names and social security numbers (fake) all so they could rip me off. Ignore this person and wait for a local deal with cash.

Answer 9

Bottom line - if you only accept cash stick to your gut feeling - don't go back and forth - you'll find another buyer. Just tell him no purchase w/out cash payment. That's it...if he can't give you cash just don't sell it to him.

Answer 10

Weird, yeah. I would only let him send it to a P.O. Box. I wouldn't give him my home address. Maybe even first initial and last name for the check, but no other information. I don't know.