The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 03-18-2018, 01:51 PM
Guest 1511
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

That's one of the oldest Craigslist scams in existence. Don't fall for it.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 03-18-2018, 02:12 PM
Dwight Dwight is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Posts: 3,103
Default

I almost got taken for a thousand dollar drum advertised on another site. The buyer's account was closed "because of a dispute he had with them". He needed my exact (really hard to sell) item and was willing to pay my asking price so he sent me full Paypal payment and emailed a fed-ex shipping label as well purchased by "his sister" for my convenience. What could go wrong right? So I started googling what could go wrong. Turns out this is also a classic scam. Because I would have no shipping receipt, he could very easily claim "item not received" even if he or the third party shipper had it diverted to a another location. I called Paypal and they informed me he has numerous refund claims for item not received and gets away with as part of their buyer protection.
__________________
Bourgeois, Collings, R Taylor, Santa Cruz
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 03-18-2018, 02:15 PM
Imbler Imbler is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 383
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JBCROTTY View Post
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.
JBCROTTy has it nailed. Classic scam. People used to think when the check cleared they were golden, but it bounces around, then they take the funds back from your account. They often do this with cashier's checks as well.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 03-18-2018, 02:24 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 10,982
Default

Scam. Tell them it will be cash only and you will meet in the parking lot of the local police station, and that you will also have a counterfeit detection pen with you to test the bills. You'll never hear back again.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 03-18-2018, 02:40 PM
woodbox woodbox is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West side of WA state
Posts: 2,323
Default

Notice the distinctive absense of any reference to a guitar in his response.
This way, the same letter can be sent out for a guitar, a table, a car, a bowling ball, whatever.

No reference to your specific item for sale is another point to watch for.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 03-18-2018, 02:57 PM
varmonter varmonter is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: The heart of Saturday night..
Posts: 3,645
Default

Don't go any further with this. asking them for different
safer payment meathods is futile. they are trying to rob
you. it's a classic actually quite old scam.
tell them that your mother told you that you were
born at night.., but it wasnt last night..
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 03-18-2018, 03:01 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,068
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChalkLitIScream View Post
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
Exactly. I don't know anyone who still uses cheques.

Best and easiest way is direct bank to bank transfer.

However I did have a similar contact a couple of years ago when selling a guitar. The "buyer" offered me a "Bank of England" cheque. The B of E is not a clearing bank. I didn't respond.

Cheques - bah !
I've had my current bank account for over three years, and haven't finished using my first cheque book yet - only used to pay local tradesmen, plumber. house painters etc., and even they are moving to online payment.
__________________
Silly Moustache,
Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer.
I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 03-18-2018, 07:39 PM
der Geist der Geist is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Cleveland, Oh/Sedona AZ
Posts: 275
Default

http://www.419eater.com/html/baiting.htm

I would not recommend baiting these guys. Many of them threaten violence.

>>>>>YOU DONT WANT THEM HAVING ANY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION<<<<< it might be fun If they sent it to the local detectives dept of the P.D.

Remember that they are criminals. Once I had a briefcase stolen in NYC. Two days later someone was using the keys that were in it to try and get in my house.

But for real entertainment here are the pros baiting these guys with some payback.

https://forum.419eater.com/forum/index.php
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 03-18-2018, 09:04 PM
ahorsewithnonam ahorsewithnonam is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Central Ohio, and SW, Fla
Posts: 6,993
Default

Anytime they say......I will arrange for my carrier to............is bogus.
__________________
Martin 00018
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 03-18-2018, 11:41 PM
TKT TKT is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Southern Sierras
Posts: 293
Default

I've had variations on this copy & paste BS for over 15 years! Currently it most often comes in within 5 minutes of posting something on CL, they seem to skim the top current postings. The bad grammar is a big clue, but as pointed out the biggest is that it doesn't state the item specifically, just "item" blah blah blah.

If I have a guitar (or kayak, bicycle etc) listed and it's legit they'll say "Hey, when can I see your (brand name)". The generic guitar (and other shipable sized items) responses I often get via text, those I generally ignore. If you reply via email you will lose your anonymity on Craigslist. I also don't want them having my phone number to sell, so I never reply, I let them think it's a typo- bad phone number.

Some are looking more legit, I got this last week:

I’m interested, Can I send a cashiers check for the sale, I’ll arrange pickup once check clears and you get your cash.

And this one:
On 9/24/2017 1:40 AM, James wrote:
> still up for sale? Interested in immediate purchase

Both actually had a "American" style name with it, but on the first the offer of a check and arranging pickup are both huge red flags. Also your bank often can't tell counterfeits from real, you could "get cash" then have it taken back when it's refused as fraudulent on the "issuing" bank.

On the second asking if it's still available is iffy, "immediate purchase" is another red flag to get you excited and not be as cautious as you should.

Just ask when they can meet at your local cop shop if it seems legit, and take a friend. I usually call whoever seems legit, I can tell with a few sentences if they are really guitar fans.

Edit: My last sale the guy brought his older Taylor 814c and I got to play it, wOwzer! What a HONEY! He bought the guitar I had listed, I mentioned another I had for sale, he played that too, fell in love and paid for the first, left it with me to go hit the ATM, came back and paid for the second, left a happy camper with a smokin' deal on two sweet guitars and I didn't have to ship or pay Reverb fees. I told him about AGF, so just in case "Hi Mick!"

Last edited by TKT; 03-18-2018 at 11:50 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:06 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=