Craigs list scams.

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jhellwig

Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Messages
2,976
Location
Ottumwa, Iowa
I listed my truck for sale on Craig's list yesterday and so far I have gotten two texts trying to scam me. The first one was trying to get me to go to a web site to accept terms of service otherwise my account would be deleted. The second is some guy saying he wants to buy it but wants me to go to a certain website to have history report done and sent to him. The website is all over the internet as being bogus.

What are some other scams out there that might be cumming my way?
 
I don't know what the scams are trying to accomplish, but there are plenty of them. Just sold a snowmobile on Craigslist last week and had more spam texts than real ones. It was obvious they were robots because they used the text in my listing title word for word. Ignore those. Real people will say things like "still got your truck?" or "how's the truck run?" Those are the ones to respond to.

Good luck. And I must say, I know Ottumwa very well. Did IHCC in the late 90s, grew up two counties away.
 
Also, a lot of people don't put their phone number in the number field when filling out the Craigslist forms. Spelling it out (six eight four 07 four two, for instance) in the listing description area is a way I think a lot of people avoid the bots. I didn't do that and got a load of junk sent my way.
 
Originally Posted By: HawkeyeScott
Also, a lot of people don't put their phone number in the number field when filling out the Craigslist forms. Spelling it out (six eight four 07 four two, for instance) in the listing description area is a way I think a lot of people avoid the bots. I didn't do that and got a load of junk sent my way.


This is also a way dealers skip around their phone number coming up for a bunch of listings.
 
Seems like anytime I sell car related CL stuff, i get a scam.

One guy wanted me to wire him money out of trust for some rims? Not even sure what they meant.

A guy ended up coming up from Indianapolis a Tuesday evening and paid my asking price. We were both happy.
 
I've never even considered leaving a number to send a text to. Email is easy to throw out and ignore.
 
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
I listed my truck for sale on Craig's list yesterday and so far I have gotten two texts trying to scam me. The first one was trying to get me to go to a web site to accept terms of service otherwise my account would be deleted. The second is some guy saying he wants to buy it but wants me to go to a certain website to have history report done and sent to him. The website is all over the internet as being bogus.

What are some other scams out there that might be cumming my way?


Aside from the scams you will get people who ask you to respond to their personal email address. I ignore that and respond via CL.

Then its people who try and bargain you down before seeing the vehicle. (I do this as a buyer, but as a seller I say come and take a look and make an offer).

And the usual people who make an appt and never show up.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I've never even considered leaving a number to send a text to. Email is easy to throw out and ignore.


Having thought this over I now include my cell number. There are many impulsive people out there who want to come over "right now" and you need to strike while the iron is hot.

If they start gabbing my ear off "to know what kind of guy I am" I give 'em 2 or 3 questions then fib and say I'm at work and gotta go.
 
sold a car this sunday.

3 legitimate text message inquiries (via craigslist)
2 text message scam attempts (via craigslist)
1 legitimate inquiry (via facebook)
1 sold via text message. (via craigslist)

i do not get upset about it much, it is typical these days.
 
Last edited:
The one asked me if I was going to be able to do the vin check site. I told him to give it up I am not falling for the scam and he send back "sounds great, thanks".

The bad thing is that I have had two inquiries about the selling the topper separate from truck but none about the truck.
 
Last edited:
Hello, Just sold a neighbor's Camaro 2 weeks ago. Yes, this is the car I was asking "lean condition" (P0171, 0174 codes) questions on.

1) I got 70% "Car still for sale?" questions with no follow-up. No way to tell if those are scams or widow shoppers.

2) The "My agent will contact you tomorrow with a check and my truck will be by to pick up the car....." are oddly similar scammers and you always get 2 or 3 of them.

3) Robo-responses like, "Will you take $1,500 now" ALWAYS fail to come back after you say no. If they were legit at least one would've continued the counter offer game.

4) The story teller. People call and talk about the car like yours which they either loved or failed to buy. I actually like these because they're honest. They'll tell you where they live and where they bought other cars they've owned etc. It can be like a bar conversation.

5) Then BINGO. The person who communicates normally will contact you and ask to see the car and away you go. Kira
 
I have sold 2 cars, a motorcycle, some furniture, and various other things and never once gotten a scam response. Plenty of those "is it still available" emails with no follow up, but that's it.

I prepare my ads with well composed and exposed pictures, impeccable grammar and clarity, and clean formatting. Perhaps the scammers see an ad like that and don't bother?

jeff
 
I've tried to sell a couple of guitars on CL with no success. Several inquiries if I want to trade for another guitar (no), and a few in broken English offering to pay full price if I will meet so and so immediately at my house (no, not going to happen either.)
 
I had good luck with CL, you just have to know how to screen the inquiries. I had a car for sale a few years back, and got the scam attempts and a few tire kickers/hagglers. It was on for a few weeks and I decided to raise the price, and change the ad a bit. I got a call back from one of the tire kickers and he was PO'ed that I raised the price. You snooze you lose. I told him I was firm, and my original price was too low for a car in such good shape. LOL Then I said if he was coming back to haggle not to bother. He ended up buying the car at the higher price, and ended up really liking the car. He got a good car, and I got a good price. Win/win.
 
I've had good luck on Craigslist. Like others have said you have to pay attention and be careful. I sold my moms car on it and annoyed a whole lot of people. Asked a fair price for the car since it only had 14K miles on it, was eight years old and dealer maintained. First guy that showed up worked for a car dealer grabbed it on the spot. I can say it went straight on their used car lot an hour after the title transfer. I had at least 20 calls and 17 got in line for a shot at it.

I've used it for advertising for employees and in the past it was great but in the last two years or so the people showing up for interviews have been idiots.

I know a few women that found boyfriends in the personnel section. I think they're nuts meeting guys that way but so far nothing bad has happened.
 
Last edited:
I never put my phone number in my ads, email response only. I also put a line in "If this ad is still up, xxxx is still available."

If I get an incoherent email or someone asking "is it still available?" I just delete it. I also price everything to sell, someone will come along offer full asking and be easy to deal with. The people asking if I'll take $xx are always a pain to deal with, so I delete. There is nothing I am so desperate to sell that I need to deal with someone difficult.
 
Originally Posted By: ALS
I know a few women that found boyfriends in the personnel section.

I'm assuming you meant personals section, but the personnel section would be much more humorous.
wink.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
what are the dangers of buying a car on ebay
Replies
18
Views
739
wag123
O
Any tips for preventing being scamed on a forum?
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
alarmguy
Zee09
Bank CD penalties; poor disclosure practices
Replies
17
Views
879
brianl703
Passport1
Bank Fraud
Replies
6
Views
719
alarmguy
Zee09
The Deep Clean Scam
4 5 6
Replies
114
Views
5K
mk378
Back
Top