dose these sound like fraud to you

[stevety]

Ok, let's do it this way as am not available for the next two weeks. Am satisfied as posted on the advert and am ready to make the purchase, but my mode of payment would be in check, I will arrange a local pickup as soon as you receive the check and it cleared to your account.I wish to be at your location for viewing, but it is not necessary since I will not be available due to the nature of my job.concerning the pickup, my carrier will come to your location for the pick up immediately the check clears your account.Please get back to me with your full name, address to send payment, cell phone number and your bottom dollar so I can proceed with the mailing of the funds immediately.

Note that payment will be sent to your address via FED-EX/UPS within 72hours and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for the delivery I will have my carrier come over as soon as you have cashed the check.Thanks

[JBCROTTY]

Yes absolutely - they are trying to rob you.

The check they send will be fraudulent and you will be responsible for the loss through your bank.

You will receive the check, the check will clear, you will send the guitar, and then days later the bank will determine the check was bad and dock you the funds.

Other tip-offs include the broken English and poor grammar, the fact they will not agree or allow you to speak with them directly, and the attempt to collect some personal data such as name, address, cell phone, etc.

Classic fraudulent scenario. Tell them you understand they are trying to rob you and stop communicating with this person immediately.

[taylorgtr]

Anything not done face to face, through a reputable online or brick and mortar dealer......is likely to be fraud.

This sounds more fake than bad Bollywood special effects.

[MrHooligan73]

It's a fraud
Very common one as well.

[Big Band Guitar]

Originally Posted by stevety

Ok, let's do it this way as am not available for the next two weeks. Am satisfied as posted on the advert and am ready to make the purchase, but my mode of payment would be in check, I will arrange a local pickup as soon as you receive the check and it cleared to your account.I wish to be at your location for viewing, but it is not necessary since I will not be available due to the nature of my job.concerning the pickup, my carrier will come to your location for the pick up immediately the check clears your account.Please get back to me with your full name, address to send payment, cell phone number and your bottom dollar so I can proceed with the mailing of the funds immediately.

Note that payment will be sent to your address via FED-EX/UPS within 72hours and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for the delivery I will have my carrier come over as soon as you have cashed the check.Thanks

Smells like a dead fish that's been in the hot July sun for a few days.

[HeyMikey]

Never take a check or even a bank check/mo.
USPS money order maybe.

IMHO once a bank “clears” a check and transfers funds to your account the bank should be on the hook. Unfortunately and because it goes against common sense many people don’t realize the receiving bank or issuing bank can reverse it in the future the check is decided or even claimed to be fake or forged.

[devellis]

Originally Posted by taylorgtr

Anything not done face to face, through a reputable online or brick and mortar dealer......is likely to be fraud.

While that certainly isn't true, I do agree that the reply the OP listed is almost a guaranteed fraud. The use of FedEx/UPS is likely an attempt to avoid the Postal Service having jurisdiction over the transaction. Send it via USPS and it's mail fraud. FedEx or UPS? It may be fraud but isn't technically mail fraud and the feds are less likely to get involved.

I'd run from this deal. In fact, I wouldn't want the potential "buyer" knowing anything about me, certainly not my address or any bank information.

[jessupe]

Is this written by a Nigerian prince?

[Gmountain]

Fraud. Very common.

Remember, there is a difference between checks clearing, and your bank making the money available.

You bank might make the money available to you the next day. That does not mean the check has cleared. That can take up to 30 days. If it bounces you are out the money, and if you have a negative balance YOU owe you bank that money.

[Airstrummer]

I get this scam whenever I put a guitar or amp on craigslist. It is a known fraud that they seem to not be able to shut down. It can take a while before your bank finds out the check/money order is no good then they come after you. It is totally shameful people that do this kind of stuff are allowed to breath on this earth.

[ChalkLitIScream]

What about the new e transfer methods? Buyer can send you money from their account to yours. Should make cheques obsolete soon.
And obviously no mor3 fraud

[MrDB]

These scams exist because they work, they work because there's a never ending supply of naive, uninformed people.

We had some family friends that were moving a few years ago. They had a very nice dining room table and china cabinet combo that they decided not to take with them. They put it on CL and the exact scam described in the OP was played on them.

When it was over they just couldn't believe the check was no good and that they had no avenue of recovery. They essentially gave away furniture they probably paid $4k plus for new.

[hairpuller]

Just reply: "Get a life." You won't hear from them again...well, until you post something expensive on craigslist again.
scott

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by MrDB

These scams exist because they work, they work because there's a never ending supply of naive, uninformed people.

We had some family friends that were moving a few years ago. They had a very nice dining room table and china cabinet combo that they decided not to take with them. They put it on CL and the exact scam described in the OP was played on them.

When it was over they just couldn't believe the check was no good and that they had no avenue of recovery. They essentially gave away furniture they probably paid $4k plus for new.

Four years ago we made a long distance move and I sold a lot of furniture etc on CL that we didn’t want to move. I got several of these exact “offers”.

[fazool]

This is a very common and well known fraud scheme.

Originally Posted by taylorgtr

Anything not done face to face, through a reputable online or brick and mortar dealer......is likely to be fraud....

That is irresponsible senstionalistic fear-mongering and totally untrue.

If this was true then every Reverb, every eBay and every single CL transaction is "likely to be a fraud".

It is very bad to promote that hysterical viewpoint.

This one example *IS* a well known fraud. And, yes you are more likely to be a fraud victim outside of a brick -and-mortar store but I would posit that the it's more like this:

brick-and-mortar fraud chance ~0.01% chance (99.99% safe)
non brick-and-mortar fraud chance ~ 1% chance (99% safe)

So, yes it might be 100 times more likely but it is massively not what you are peddling "as all are likely".