Whoops, new scam?
 

I got a nearly free cell after re-upping with T Mobile but I ended up using an unlocked phone I got on the web. My unneeded (and unused) phone sells for about $95 on e-bay so I put it on Craigslist for $80. I get an e-mail, "is it still available?" I say yes and include my phone # (again, it was in the ad). Then I get this:

Okay am still interested in the item
am actually buying it for my fiancee
for the sum of $120 including the
shipping fees to her also i will be
paying though paypal so get back
to me with your paypal email
address so i can make the
payment. Also send me some pics so
i can send to my fiancee.and also give me your number so ii can text you

Not sure how he could rob me via PayPal. But it's fishy. The CL ad had two pictures of it.

Pay via Paypal, then complain that item wasn't received. Money gets taken back by Paypal, which is known to be a bunch of c*nts who think that the buyer is always right.

Cmac

Just send it with return receipt and make sure your pay pal is not linked to anything with money in it that can be withdrawn.

spdrun
Not sure why everything has to be a conspiracy with you and every one is some derogatory term. Grow up already. You remind me of my brother. Always looking to be screwed over and he always manages to fulfill that paranoia.

Hell, better yet, if it's CL that is usually local so meet and exchange money for phone. No muss no fuss.

PayPal and EBay are basically set up to screw sellers and ass-u-me that the buyer is always right. I'm dealing with a buyer who's trying to scam me right now -- shame that he lives half way across the country. Bet he wouldn't be so brave if he were talking to me in person.

If he's offering $40 over ask for an item that costs maybe $7 to ship via priority mail, it's a scam. Only interesting question is: what manner of scam?

I have made it a rule for myself to accept & handle transaction resulting from CL only on a local Face-to-Face bases. No PayPal/shipping.
Also, I will do transactions only at locations agreed upon. Not at my residence.

Agree with spud that anyone who is offering 50% more than asking price is either a scammer or a Nigerian Prince.

I wouldn't ship, or give any other personal details aside from what you have already shared. Face to face only, and in agreement with LaRondo, not at your house, but a neutral place of your choosing.

These.

Both of these.

Any time someone not in your area answers your CL ad and offers to pay you more than market to send a non-unique item to a third party, you can pretty much bet it's a scam in one way or another.

If you want to confirm that it's a scammer, try this in response:

"There are two pictures in the ad, please just send the link to your fiance. Also, I don't trust paypal on CL transactions, so please send me a USPS money order which will ensure that the transaction passes US Federal Mail Fraud laws. Include with it the mailing address to which you want it sent. However, since even USPS money orders can be faked, I will need two weeks after receipt of funds to ensure validity, and then I will send the phone to the address you designate by US Express Mail and then send you the tracking number."

Most honest people may balk at that, and every scammer will, but at least you'll know. ;)

It's a very old scam actually... I would run. Say you deal only locally and in cash in person.

Old trick. Never, ever respond to CL emails with generic "hey, is it still available?" type questions that don't specify what it is they're interested in. You'll notice that not even the second mail you received actually mentions a phone. I even get those in response to WTB ads I post on CL, which to me suggests they're sent out by bots.

All good info, I guess I could sense it was way funny but it was a bit different from the scams I saw when I was advertising apts. for a former client. Those also had the 'ship to a third party' angle but they all went with the "oops, my secretary made the check for $8000 instead of $3000" routine.

I must be getting soft that I didn't immediately catch the 'item' thing. Neither e-mail mentioned the product by name or type, just 'item.'

I'll send him that for the heck of it. But oh yeah, this is a scam.

I notice those scams are usually directed at high price items and/or items of electronic nature.
The only response of this kind I received to a commercial water ionizer I had listed for $1200. Nothing else. Every time I reposted I got hit immediately, in the same manner.
Here are 3 emails I received in response to each repost of the same item. I responded with inquisitive diligence and never heard from either one again.

Hello,

Thanks for the mail, I'm seriously interested in buying this item as a
gift and am okay with your selling price, (first) i will love to know
the condition of this item.(second). I will love to see the pic of it.
I'm a member of UN workers and currently offshore due to my work, i
really want this as a surprise gift, so i won't lwant the person to
know about this until it get delivered. You can mail me back with your
PayPal email address, so I can make the payment to you right now and
if you don't have an account with paypal you can set up an account
today as it's secured and reliable visit their website at
www.paypal.com. I will be responsible for the payment fees/charges on
this transaction. Do not worry about shipping or picking up as my pick
up agent will come and pick it up from you once have made the payment
to you.Kindly get back to me asap.

Regards.

Hi Seller,
I saw your advert here today, I'm much interested in this Item, kindly get back to me
with this full info as needed today...
What is your Last Selling Price?
What is the Condition of this Item?
If the Picture is available?
I need you to write me back today frankmcneil21@yahoo.com

#3
Do you still have it available for sales? How Long Have you been using it?or did you bought it from soneone?

LOL these are soo generic. :D