What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

[jsfinn]

I put a small boat up for sale on Craigslist the other day. Yesterday, I got an email:

From Craigslist person (2:31 AM):
I'm interested in your Add and i'll like to know it's availability. Get back asap.
Thanks.

I respond with:
Yep. It's still available. Do you want to come see it?

This morning, I get an email from the guy (5:06 AM):
Hello,
Glad to read from you.... I'm really interested in the boat but i'm so sorry as i won't be able to come for a look as i'm the busy type. Well, i'll keep in touch with my financier to mail a check for the amount you're requesting for the boat and will have a shipping company to come for the pick up as soon as you confirm to me that you receive the check and it clears your bank. If this arrangement is acceptable, pls get back to me with your name as it will appear on the check and your contact address that the check will be mail to along with your cell #. Get back as soon as possible.
Thanks.

....I'm not responding.

 

[rolmops]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Nobody is guilty until proven to be so.
Sent the guy an e-mail asking for his name,phone # and address because you would like to send the confirmation by snail mail and you want to discuss the transport logistics.If he gives all that,you probably have a bona fide buyer.If he does not,forget about him.

 

[thurps]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Why not as long as the check clears. Don't you know 49% of the population now don't speak no proper proper Engrish.

 

[Martinique]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Ebay warns about these scams all the time. The check comes to you then the shipping company comes for the boat before the check is cleared and you let it go because you don't want to make the guy wait. The check is from a bogus account on the other side of the world so it takes forever to clear adn never does. The boat is gone and you have no money. I get these scams all the time trying to sell boats / cars and they all come from Europe.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

What he said^^^^^^^^ SCAM!........​

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

SCAM!! We get those faxed to us weekly at the car dealership..... darn near same wording.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

set up paypal account, have him transfer money that way. it will cost you a small fee but well worth it. i've sold several boats that were shipped overseas. once paypal has confirmed the deposit. good to go. keep every email in a file.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Ayuh,.....

Looks like a Scam to me.....

Over the last few weeks,.. I've been running a rental housing ad on craigslist,+ have gotten 2 emails almost exactly like that 1,.....

Unfortunately,..... I answered the 1st 1 with an email stating I thought it was Bull$h!t......
Mostly because he was asking questions that were plainly spelled out In the ad.....
Never did get a reply.....
But,...
I've been waiting for the usual load of daily Spam to increase,....
Luckily,... It hasn't yet.....

 

[jsfinn]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Yeah - the whole thing just didn't smell right to me.

In any case - the boat just sold to a nice guy (with cash) who will take good care of it.

I'm going to miss that boat....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

congrats on the sale.

 

[Hoopie]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

In God we trust........ all others CASH please.......

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

This is for sure a scam. all the con man wants you to do is cash his fake check on your account and send a portion back to him. Thats why they always have an "agent or shipper" getting part of the check.He has no plans to come and pick up the boat. Notice the crook gives you no real way to ever find him because he plans to ripp you off and doesnt want to be caught .My question is just why in the world do these people never offer to send you a western union money order, reason is because western union will require cash and they dont have it.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Classic scam. Get them all the time.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

You can take the check to a check cashing place, but when it doesn't clear, they will come after you. Get the guy's information (even if the email addy is the only thing you can get, copy the entire header of the email) and forward it to the proper authorities. With any luck he'll get put behind bars before someone else falls for it.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

SgtMaj, I thought of that but I'm not sure who the proper authorities are. If this guy is over seas (and I bet he is), there probably aren't any authorities.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

SgtMaj, I thought of that but I'm not sure who the proper authorities are. If this guy is over seas (and I bet he is), there probably aren't any authorities.

Can you say NIGERIA? Over there they have large rooms full of computers where these jokers sit all day like its a friggin job sending out bait all over the world. If they find just one sucker a month they are living high. They can then buy several rats or dogs and eat well for a month.Maybe a bar of soap so their mama can take her anual bath. < ( doesnt mind talkin trash about scammers)

 

[57whitehouse]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Scam for sure. I've had that same message on several things I've sold on craigslist. Cash in hand is how I do it.

 

[beezee28]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

You got it right. CASH talks and BS walks... I take Cash in hand over anything else so long as it is legit...

 

[bassboy1]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

Cash or Paypal at pickup. But, if you want to put a security deposit on something, or I am selling something that needs to be shipped, you can send a check, but I don't ship the item, or let you pick up until the check clears, and all is good.

 

[mscher]

Re: What the...??? ..This has *GOT* to be a scam!

The funny thing is that these scammers would disappear TOMORROW, if people would simply WISE-UP (not you, jsfinn ). It's not like these types of scams are not documented everywhere.

As an example, It's amazing than anyone could possibly believe, that an exiled African dictator, would be contacting them by email, to help him retrieve and share in his millions of $$$. Yet people still fall for this scam, that has been around about as long as the Internet.

Greed and gullibility are the two main characteristics these fleas look for.

As Phineas T. Barnum said......