The Scammers are out there ..

[aja8888]

In my neighborhood, if you put anything at the end of the driveway with a FREE sign on it, it's gone by lunch. I don't know if it's other homeowners, contractors, or whoever - but I don't care who takes it. When we relocate, most of our furniture will be at the end of our driveway.

Around here, we have folks with pickup trucks combing the neighborhoods on trash nights to gather up anything of value (metal, or otherwise) before the trash trucks arrive at dawn. I've had them grab an old, leaky water heater I put out on the curb.

 

[brucethebroker]

Two words for your next CL ad: CASH ONLY.

Then, when they call to make the appt., remind them. (And if it is over $100 or so, invest in one of those counterfeit check marking pens that cashiers use-lots of fake bills floating around.)

 

[rayinpenn]

Two words for your next CL ad: CASH ONLY.

Then, when they call to make the appt., remind them. (And if it is over $100 or so, invest in one of those counterfeit check marking pens that cashiers use-lots of fake bills floating around.)

I did add a line ‘cash only’ but the scammers still tried and tried.
In the end I think I’ll try the Salvation Army.

 

[Sunset]

I don't get it either. "When the check clears" means you don't release the goods until the funds from buyer are in your account.

....

I thought everyone knows how it works, but I guess not.


You get the bank draft/certified check from the scammer, but it's too much $$$, they say just send back the difference after shipping the goods or paying for pickup.

You take check to the bank, the bank deposits the full value to your account, and maybe places a hold for a couple of days on it.

A week later, the money is still in your account, so you ship or mail off the goods, send the buyer the excess $$$ left over (after you greedily padded the costs up a bit) and are happy.

4 weeks later your bank withdraws all the check money from your account, as the originating bank has notified your bank, the certified check is fake.


You have lost the goods , the excess $$$ , faith in people, and your bank may charge you a bounce fee.

The excess $$$ amount will be a few hundred dollars, and that is all the scammer really wants.

 

[Rustward]

I've been having excellent luck just putting the stuff on my driveway close to the sidewalk with a FREE sign taped on.

The cart style popcorn machine was gone in 2 hours and a large old roll top desk took only 3 days.

You have to use a "Free" sign?

 

[Denverite]

If you can make donations tax deductible (over the standard deductions) you have more stuff than I to donate.

When we cleaned out our bookshelves I took books to Powell's as they purchase many and donate the rest if you designate. It turned out that we had a very collectable book worth $100+ to them. I felt like we had hit the jackpot!

I envy you having access to Powell's. It has been many years since I've been there, but it is the best bookstore I've ever visited. Glad they are still in biz despite the online competition.

 

[audreyh1]

Salvation Army will come pick it up for free. Then they can sell it. Nice way to donate to them.

We had some nice sets of furniture that we planned to sell on consignment after selling our house. The shop come to pick it up and offered us perhaps about a third of what we might have listed it for. We jumped on it.

 

[redduck]

.....of course he had not but someone who is not suspecting a scam would probably fall for this hook, line, and sinker.
There are so many shysters out there trying to separate people from their money!

I always buy my hooks, lines and sinkers from Craig's list. Never a problem. Lucky?

 

[Amethyst]

I sold a lawn tractor on Craigslist. Charged a price that I knew was quite reasonable for its age and condition. Posted seven photos and described the age and condition carefully. The buyer came to our house with a wad of well-worn cash and a trailer, looked the tractor over carefully, started it up, and ran it back and forth before sailing up the ramps into his trailer. That's what you want and expect.

Also fielded the usual dumb questions from non-serious buyers:
1. The ever-popular "Why are you selling it?" (Because we don't need it any more, you dumb cluck!)
2. "Is there anything wrong with it?" (I've described the condition in the ad, you clumb duck!)
3. "Will you give a little on price?" (Wait, you haven't even seen it, and already you're dickering? Have you checked what others are charging for the same model, not as nice? You dopey chicken!)

Anyway, prior to listing, I had read about the common scams, and sure enough, there was an instant response to the email I had set up for this sale. "Looks great, price is acceptable. I'll send you a certified check and when you get your cash, let me know and I'll pick it up."

Even if I didn't already know that you should never accept any kind of check on Craigslist, the fact that he/she/it didn't even want to see the machine first was a scam giveaway.

If we'd fallen for it, we would have cashed the check, given up the tractor, and two weeks later (when the fake "certified" check bounced) have to pay our credit union the full amount, plus a penalty.

S
So against my better judgement I put it in there for $500. In no time at all I get “I’ll send you a check... when it clears my movers will come for it... “. It didn’t smell right t me. I said sorry cash only.
Well I get several messages essentially the same deal. I reply cash only.

The Scam.
When I studdied the text you see it is written by English a second language person. I understand the checks take a long time to come back fraudulent. By then the furniture is gone and you get zero and probably a bounced check charge.

Then i go into the advertisement and I see its no loner my furniture but it is a white Honda with high miles. Someone has highjacked my advertisement.

Conclusion the scammers are out there...
And will someone.... anyone please take that darn furniture free!

 

[JoeWras]

Speaking of scams...I heard something new when I was checking my Dad's voicemail the other day.

Basically, it was a fella who used my Dad's first name and in a very friendly voice (as though this was an established relationship), the caller said that they had finally gotten the equipment my Dad had ordered. He was very sorry it took a while, but now they had it and was ready to have it installed. He said, "you know...the stuff like the solid state control panel, the cameras, and sensors" and he just needed to call an 800 number to go ahead and get him on the schedule.

I assume they were attempting to sell an alarm system, but the manner in which the call was conducted was very disturbing. I initially thought, "What? Dad ordered something?"...of course he had not but someone who is not suspecting a scam would probably fall for this hook, line, and sinker. I sort of wish I called the 800 number and played stupid to hear how it plays out, but I deleted the message.

There are so many shysters out there trying to separate people from their money!

Ohhh, this gets my blood boiling! Yes, this is common. It is targeted at the 80 and above set. Basically, "You ordered this, so we are putting it in. Did you forget you ordered it?" Makes me very angry how this works.

We wanted to get rid of a sleeper sofa. Salvation Army and others won't take it. Too heavy, unsellable. I should have put it on Craig's list. Maybe someone would have taken it for me at the cost of a fake check. But, they may also case the house.

My solution is to disassemble it and take it out of the second story in pieces.