Is This a Craig's Scam?

bobdadruma

bobdadruma

Platinum Member
I am selling a drumkit on Craigslist and I received an email asking if the kit was still available and if the price was negociable.
I responded that the kit was still for sale and the price was firm
Below is a copy of the reply that I got back today.
I said No to the sender (buyer).

"Thanks for getting back to me, I appreciate it and just so you know; I'm okay with the condition/price and I'm ready for the purchase plus I'm willing to add an extra $20 so as to have it reserved in my favour. My form of payment will be by Check and it will be send via UPS 1-2days delivery. I'll be responsible for the pick-up besides the movers/pick up money will be included with your payment so as to avoid delay and to enable movers to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up at your location after the check is been cashed as I have other properties to be moved alongside yours. I would have really loved to come for the inspection but due to my work frame it just won't fit in my schedule but more pictures will be deeply appreciated. Kindly get back to me with your full name and address including your phone number to discuss further and i can make out the payment to you ASAP. Many thanks."

If this is a scam how does it work?
Notice that he misspelled the word Favor and he made a few other punctuation mistakes.
I am 99.9% sure that it is a scam. I just can't figure out how it works.
 
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A few of the "scam" tip-offs...

Offering to pay extra after he wanted to negotiate.
Sending "movers" to pick up
Using UPS instead of the US Postal Service to send you a check. ( sending a fraudulent check thru the US mail is a felony)

The scam is the check. If you cash it, it will be a few days before the bank figures out it is no good. by then the "movers" have picked up your item (while scoping out your home)the movers rate will be included in the check he sends you...so you pay them... and the funds you received by cashing the check will be deducted from your account by the bank.

Sad Bob has no drum kit...and no money....makes Bob very angry. The End.
 
It's always a bad sign when somebody has all of the details of their weird-ass transaction worked out in advance. Yes, it's a scam. I don't know how it works either- certainly the check would not be good. I believe it's mentioned in CL's help section- they might explain how it works. It's pretty clear he's not from the US- he probably thought he was being clever for offering to pay by "check" rather than "cheque".
 
All of the things that you guys have mentioned were what bothered me.
The drumkit is only $600. Anyone can bring that much cash with no problem.
He also asked too many questions regarding my phone and address etc.

I never bring a Craigs buyer to my home. I meet them at my workplace or in a public place with a friend present with me.
I only accept cash as payment.
 
Every item I have ever listed on CL I have received an email like this. Something insane about a "moving company' and paying more than the asking price, etc., etc.

I wish I had the time to track these scammers down and go all Keith Moon their head.
 
I imagine that the next step would be that he would tell me that his "Movers" can only come in a time period that won't allow the check to clear and I will have to trust him.
That is the only way that I can figure that the scam can work.
He has to get the goods before you realize that the check is bad.
Perhaps he would ask for my bank account number to direct deposit the cash into.

How about the part that says that "The movers pick up money will be included in my payment"
What does that mean?
 
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AtomicFlapjack said:
I agree it sounds pretty fishy, but I don't get why spelling things incorrectly (or the correct way should I say ;) or using bad punctuation would mean it's a scam, after all Craigslist is full of people selling 'symbols' as we know all to well right?
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Because the email has the name of a business called -------- . He gives the impression that he is a business that buys things and movers pick them up.
 
I also always request their phone number. If that's not include in their response I just ignore it. If they can't give that information out I am suspicious.

Atomic - yeah, right I agree. Cymbol, symbol, cymble... I can't believe how many ways cymbal can be misspelled.
 
IDK, it seems legit to me Bob, I'd say go for it. Oh and by the way, I have a set of unopened, still in the box, Gretsch Round Badges, in Silver Sparkle, from the 50's. I need cash so I'm letting them go for $500.00...interested?
 
larryz said:
I also always request their phone number. If that's not include in their response I just ignore it. If they can't give that information out I am suspicious.

Atomic - yeah, right I agree. Cymbol, symbol, cymble... I can't believe how many ways cymbal can be misspelled.
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That's correct. Most people that contact me on CL leave me a number to call them back. They don't ask me for info about myself.
 
bobdadruma said:
I How about the part that says that "The movers pick up money will be included in my payment"
What does that mean?
Click to expand...

I think is stating that the cost involved to pick up the drums by the "movers company" is included in the payment. Which does not makes sense since is offering you $620 as a whole payment. So the "movers company" is taking delivery of the drums totally free of charge?

It smells really bad...
 
larryace said:
IDK, it seems legit to me Bob, I'd say go for it. Oh and by the way, I have a set of unopened, still in the box, Gretsch Round Badges, in Silver Sparkle, from the 50's. I need cash so I'm letting them go for $500.00...interested?
Click to expand...
I titled this thread with the question "Is This A CL Scam" as a joke Larry.
The thread is ment to teach a lesson to younger people who put ads on CL who may not be savvy to scams.
 
I wonder if anyone actually falls for these types of email scams.
 
AtomicFlapjack said:
I agree it sounds pretty fishy, but I don't get why spelling things incorrectly (or the correct way should I say ;) or using bad punctuation would mean it's a scam, after all Craigslist is full of people selling 'symbols' as we know all to well right?
Click to expand...

Its actually because the email is comming from Nigeria,hence the spelling mistakes,and grammatical errors.

Steve B
 
larryace said:
I wonder if anyone actually falls for these types of email scams.
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I have answered CL ads that were posted by kids that were selling their drums without their parents knowing about it.
The kid figured that he could trade up on his own without his parents help.
That is the kind of thing that the scammer is counting on.
 
zakhopper316 said:
PLEASEEE, go through with this, but replace the drums with big signs that say F you in the boxes! Haha
Oh and the shipping price being " included" is to remove any and all financial risk from the scammers and put all expenses onto the faulty check
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The scammer won't contact me again because I told him that I will not take a check and I would only show the drums at my work with other people around to witness.
If I had time I would have contacted the police and set up the bogus deal so that they could arrest.
 
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