How does anything sell on Craigslist?

[somunny]

 

So CL rants are nothing new but really, what is it with that place?!  I've been trying to sell a loveseat for six weeks and have gotten nothing but flakes, low-ballers and scammers.  Here's one of today's e-mails:

"Hello, How are you there?am interested in your item posted and i need it very urgent,well no problem with the price,i will buy it from you.My mode of payment is going to be by check in us dollars and my shipper will come for pick up after the payment has been received and cleared.Get back to me with the name and address,zip code to send the payment to including your contact phone number. Thanks"

Also, do people get some kind of rush off of inquiring if an item is still for sale? 

"is the loveseat still up for grabs?"

"yes, it is.  Woulld you like to come by and take a look at it?"

*crickets*

Then there's the folks that want to offer you a fraction of your asking price without even having the common decency to look at it first.

 

The most luck I've had on CL was when I gave away a bed for free.  The MF'ers lined up around the block!

[ChadTower]

I've sold some stuff on CL but it does take a little effort of filtering out the spammers, scammers, people trying to pick something up for nothing, and the people who make arrangements and do not show up.

The only ones that really bother me are the ones that noshow.  Time is valuable.

[Chris G]

Can't disagree with any of your rant.

One thing that's given me some modest success is putting some sort of extra little creative note about the item.  For example, I had an older 48" TV I sold recently and added a note: "great for playing video games".  Some dude called within 15 minutes and came and picked it up within an hour.  Said he wanted it for playing video games.

[ChadTower]

Pictures and decent grammar get better responses.  In a sea of badly written posts with no pics, a competent FS post will get a better quality of response.

[somunny]

I have a pic in the ad and I are a very good writer. 

[billf]

We recently moved and got rid of lots of bigger items as well as household items on Craigslist.  Never could have gotten rid of couches/chairs/bed frame/mattress/etc easily on eBay.  So, I consider Craigslist a blessing.  I can't agree more with the following: show all the pictures you can along with well written and detailed descriptions.  But you do have to deal with the morons ("is the item still available?" types) and no shows.  I've lucked out with "no shows", only had one in all the items I've listed on Craigslist.

The thing that drives me insane about CL is the people who ask a question (legitimate or otherwise), I respond within a minute of receiving said question and then don't hear back from them. 

[KenToad]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

[DrewKaree]

Maybe the folks that don't respond aren't the "check your e-mail every day" kinda folks?

If'n you're looking to sell it and want to make top dollar on CL, you'll prolly wait a bit to sell it or relist it, since folks can go to the Classified section of their local paper to get those kinds of prices along with a (hopefully) better "selection". 

As for scammers, yeah they suck, but it isn't that hard to weed out the poor grammar and they usually get to the part that sets off alarm bells and flashing lights tipping you off to the fact that it's a scam.

What're you selling anyway?  If I can get it for half price I might be interested

[billf]

Maybe the folks that don't respond aren't the "check your e-mail every day" kinda folks?

That could be, but then those people should probably stick to newspaper classifieds since the primary way people on CL communicate with each other is through email.  Or if they ask a question at least follow up with checking their email for a response.  But who knows why some people do what they do...

[horseboy]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

[shardian]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

Send you a fake check written for a few hundred more than the purchase. They ask you for a refund, if you send it before the check clears then you are screwedamondo.

[DrewKaree]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

I didn't pick up on the scam myself, I think they're just making that part up.  Anyhoo, back to our discussion on my sale of cheap vacation property for pennies n the dollar.  Horseboy, wouldn't you like to retire in a nice place like the Everglades?

[shardian]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

I didn't pick up on the scam myself, I think they're just making that part up.  Anyhoo, back to our discussion on my sale of cheap vacation property for pennies n the dollar.  Horseboy, wouldn't you like to retire in a nice place like the Everglades?

Hey, I might be interested...but it'll have to pass the magic buy/rent formula first.

[mountain]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

I didn't pick up on the scam myself, I think they're just making that part up.  Anyhoo, back to our discussion on my sale of cheap vacation property for pennies n the dollar.  Horseboy, wouldn't you like to retire in a nice place like the Everglades?

The bad check scam is for real. A guy I work with was selling a nice guitar. Some one from Nigeria kept offering him $200 over what he was asking for it. He blew them off at first because he thought it was a scam. They persisted and he finally gave them his address. A week or so later he got a postal money order for $1000. It turned out it was actually mailed from Atlanta from a different person with instructions to mail the extra cash back to a Nigerian address. He turned it in to the Post Office and they confirmed that it was a fake check. Looked real as hell though.

Can't disagree with any of your rant.

One thing that's given me some modest success is putting some sort of extra little creative note about the item.  For example, I had an older 48" TV I sold recently and added a note: "great for playing video games".  Some dude called within 15 minutes and came and picked it up within an hour.  Said he wanted it for playing video games.

One thing I like to do on craigslist, when I sell, is state that I will be accepting email offers until a specified time, usually like 48 hours. I tell them to leave a name and phone number and that I will call the highest offers until some one coughs up the cash. If the first guy I call doesn't come through, I just call the next one in line. I usually only do this on higher priced stuff. Works everytime.

[DrewKaree]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

I have never really used Craigslist. What is the check scam exactly? In somunny's post it looked more like bad english than a scam. How do they scam you?

I didn't pick up on the scam myself, I think they're just making that part up.  Anyhoo, back to our discussion on my sale of cheap vacation property for pennies n the dollar.  Horseboy, wouldn't you like to retire in a nice place like the Everglades?

Hey, I might be interested...but it'll have to pass the magic buy/rent formula first.

 

You do the math on that and tell me what your magic number is with that formula.  I've got several in every price range, but these are priced to move, so you've gotta act fast!

[Dartful Dodger]

I was auto crossing my old car and the engine blew up.  It will cost me as much as the blue book value of the car to get it fixed, and that wont guarantee something else wont go wrong.

...anyway....

I figure I can get a couple hundred bucks if I sell it for parts.

Craigslist, eBay or local classifieds?

[billf]

I would start with Craigslist, its free.  If that doesn't work, then move on to one of the others.

By the way, what is "auto crossing"?

[DrewKaree]

I would start with Craigslist, its free.  If that doesn't work, then move on to one of the others.

By the way, what is "auto crossing"?

Driving over hill and dale to gramma's house he goes

[Dartful Dodger]

Auto crossing is racing against time.  If you're not in a convertible the only safety equipment you need is a helmet.

It's fun if you have a disposable car, but at the time I didn't.  I guess there are some things I have to learn the hard way.

It's been sitting for a year.  I was either going to make it a hobby car to rebuild for wheel to wheel(racing on the track against other cars), but now I'm going to Vegas so I figure a couple hundred in the pocket is better than another expensive project that'll never see the light of day.

[Goz]

I have sold tons of stuff via CL and not really had any problems with flakes; ok maybe one time.

I've also successfully rented homes out to people via CL add.

[squirrellydw]

I had the same check scam on ebay

[danny_galaga]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

i feel silly asking, but how does this cheque scam work?

[Dustin Mustangs]

I've had one CL experience and it was pretty positive.  I did get approached by Nigerians finest, that being the only issue.  I knew something was fishy about the emails they sent, but it took me a bit to catch on to exactly what they were trying to pull.  Happy ending to the story though, I got more than I wanted from the first guy who came to have a look. 

Cha-ching!   

 

Do remember when you're bashing CL that it is free!  I would of paid ebay $100 ish to sell my item (not including paypal fees) or about the same to put it in a 'hard' type of advertisement.  That's 100 extra bucks in my pocket right there.

[Dustin Mustangs]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

i feel silly asking, but how does this cheque scam work?

Here is a link about the one I kept getting contacted about:

http://www.internetscamalert.com/

Here are a few sample emails:

Hello ,
> Am Mr Patrick Moore , my client in United Kingdom just informed me
> of the urgent need of this item, After several consideration over
> the advert placed on the website and i will like to know:
>
> 1.Do you accept money order or chasiers check as a mode of payment?
> 2.what condition is the item right now?
> 3.what is the final selling price of the item?
>
> If you will accept money order or chasiers check as the mode of
> payment for this item just get back to me with your Full Name,
> Contact Address where the money order will be mail to. Including
> your Phone number....and i will like to inform that our private
> shipping company will be coming for the pick up of the item from
> your location...so you don't need to bother yourself about the
> shipping ok.
>
> Best Regards
>
> Mr.Patrick Moore

Then I respond with it's still for sale, yadda, yadda, yadda.  His next reply:

Dear Dan,

Thanks for your response to my mail,and i am very happy to hear that
you are williang to accept my payment method, I have informed my client
of the development and he is very much willing to make the payment to
you as regards the jet ski,so all i need right now from you is your full
contact details for the issuance of the payment to you.
your full names and address.

Please get back to me asap so that i can forward your contact details
to my client so that he can issue the payment to you.

Thanks
Mr Patrick

Things to notice here are:
-No real interest in my item or it's condition
-He is buying it for someone else
-Shipping is already handled, even before he knows my location
-He can't get my name and address fast enough
-Last but not least, he wants to pay with a CASHIERS CHECK

This really is pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for...

[DrewKaree]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

i feel silly asking, but how does this cheque scam work?

Send me a check and I'll rush the information out to you as quickly as possible

[billf]

The scam that Dustin described above is exactly the same one that I was contacted about.  Like I mentioned above, I've sold lots and lots of items on CL, but the only time this email scam came to me was on a bigger ticket item.  I was selling a nice patio/deck set and the asking price started at $500.  So, I think this particular scam may have been based on the dollar amount of the item.  Never happened on my lower priced items.

[KenToad]

Keith Olbermann - Nigerian 419 Scam
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eU9WqhCiQ8g&mode=user&search=


EFCC bust 419 Nigerian Scammers:


The second one is crazy with a big bust ending up in a confrontation between the EFCC guys and a very large and threatening crowd of people.

[danny_galaga]

That check scam is getting pretty old.  I can't stand Craig's List or Ebay, not that I really like shopping anyway.

i feel silly asking, but how does this cheque scam work?

Here is a link about the one I kept getting contacted about:

http://www.internetscamalert.com/

Here are a few sample emails:

Hello ,
> Am Mr Patrick Moore , my client in United Kingdom just informed me
> of the urgent need of this item, After several consideration over
> the advert placed on the website and i will like to know:
>
> 1.Do you accept money order or chasiers check as a mode of payment?
> 2.what condition is the item right now?
> 3.what is the final selling price of the item?
>
> If you will accept money order or chasiers check as the mode of
> payment for this item just get back to me with your Full Name,
> Contact Address where the money order will be mail to. Including
> your Phone number....and i will like to inform that our private
> shipping company will be coming for the pick up of the item from
> your location...so you don't need to bother yourself about the
> shipping ok.
>
> Best Regards
>
> Mr.Patrick Moore

Then I respond with it's still for sale, yadda, yadda, yadda.  His next reply:

Dear Dan,

Thanks for your response to my mail,and i am very happy to hear that
you are williang to accept my payment method, I have informed my client
of the development and he is very much willing to make the payment to
you as regards the jet ski,so all i need right now from you is your full
contact details for the issuance of the payment to you.
your full names and address.

Please get back to me asap so that i can forward your contact details
to my client so that he can issue the payment to you.

Thanks
Mr Patrick

Things to notice here are:
-No real interest in my item or it's condition
-He is buying it for someone else
-Shipping is already handled, even before he knows my location
-He can't get my name and address fast enough
-Last but not least, he wants to pay with a CASHIERS CHECK

This really is pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for...

oh, if its only about bouncing cheques, i understand that. i thought the scam was to get info from you. but only having a street address and a phone number, i wasnt sure what they would pull...

edit: now that ive read the link, i see what you are talking about. thats a pretty obvious ruse to me. not saying i cant be hoodwinked, but as soon as something becomes more trouble than a straight transaction, then its more trouble, full stop.

[shardian]

The pedophile buster Chris Hanson did a special on exposing nigerian scammers last week. It was pretty funny. Anyone else see it?

This week, he will be tracking and busting credit card internet theives.