new Craigslist scam?

[Drew99GT]

I've been selling a bunch of junk on Craigslist this week, and I'm getting a bunch of emails asking for me to call them back about the item.

Like dozens of those emails! My brother thinks it's marketing companies using fake/Google phone type spoofed numbers to get people's phone numbers on marketing lists to avoid the do not call registry. Has anyone run into this with Craigslist?

While I'm at it, I keep getting a call at roughly the same time from an unknown number everyday at roughly the same time; I don't answer unless I know the number or I get a voicemail. I *67 called the number just to see what would happen and it was some irate guy who said he'd call the police if he gets another blocked caller ID call. Yea, good luck with that, but why does he keep calling everyday??? I just stayed quiet and didn't say anything. I'm thinking a scammer is using his number as a Google/spoofed number perhaps, and he keeps getting calls from people who see his number on their phone but he's not actually calling all these people???

 

[SatinSilver]

Sorry about that, I didn't know that was you calling me back.

 

[dishdude]

Do the emails actually reference what you are selling, or just ask if your "item" is still available?

I'm pretty selective about who I reply to when I am selling something on CL. If the email isn't clear or makes no specific reference to what I am selling, I ignore it.

 

[spackard]

I get one of those private name, private number calls same time every day and I've exercised all measures to keep my number private.

Google Voice may help you protect your real number, though it can be confusing for the caller as they have to wait on the line while GV plays a short message to you stating who they are and do you want to speak to them?

 

[Warstud]

Probably telemarketers...Go to http://800notes.com/
and type in the number and see if others have reported that number. If so... call your phone company have them block the number.

 

[mclasser]

Welcome to the Digital Age where scammers sitting thousands of miles away use spoofed US numbers to call people.

The one and only time I used Craigslist was when I put an old car up for sale. I got a similar barrage of emails from obvious scammers saying they were overseas but would send an "agent" or "representative" to pick up the car. All I had to do was tell them my bank info and they'd wire me my asking price w/out a test drive

Since then, I just avoid CL. Not worth my time.

 

[SrDriver]

Had the same problem in the past. Changed my email address and for the home phone bought a Sentry Phone Blocker for my land line.

There are apps too for blocking cell phone calls.

 

[Food Scientist]

Easy way to handle this is to not include reply by email. If you only provide a landline number its hard for scammers to gain anything from that.

 

[Lawn_Care]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
I got a similar barrage of emails from obvious scammers saying they were overseas but would send an "agent" or "representative" to pick up the car. All I had to do was tell them my bank info and they'd wire me my asking price w/out a test drive

Yeah - i'm still waiting for that Nigerian Prince to send me my $5,000,000 inheritance.
All he wanted was my SSN, my bank account info, and $500 in good faith.

One day maybe....