craigs list scams

rrman61

Well-known Member
Pardon my ignorance on this subject.Can anyone tell me if and how a person can tell if a certain craigslist ad is a scam?Looking for a used truck for the wife.Know this is not oliver related but I also know some of you guys know about these things.Thanks in advance.
 
If there is no way to see it in person. If a search for the item on searchtempest shows the same photo in different regions at a too-low price. If selling, do not respond to emails from Gmail unless you like geting a lot of spam.
 
If it sounds too good to be true,it probably is.
I honestly think most of it's on the up and up though.
 
Yep you can't make up some of the stuff on CL(LOL)Around here its the horse stables posting insults at each other that's the best reading.I've never met a female horse owner that had anything good to say about any other female horse owner.
 
Hard to tell, seems like you just have to find out who you're dealing with directly. I'm more worried that I'm going to meet up with some wacko. Answering CL ads most of the time seems problem-free. The most common problem I find when looking at a vehicle is that they'll tell you anything to get you there no matter how far away you're located. Be very cautious. If they provide a phone number I always try to talk to them on my cell and ask them questions politely. If no phone#, then I email simple questions to see if they are a scammer or plain nut-job. If they answer simply and politely, good sign. If they seem annoyed that you even asked them a question or they give strange answers then there's trouble. If all goes well, I try to meet them in a public place if they're selling small parts or a vehicle. If I have to go to their location, then I try to tell someone exactly where I'm going and may bring along my little friend with the short barrel.
 
When I advertise on CL I always ask the prospective buyer to email their phone number to me so I can call them. I never put my phone number on the listing.... too many time wasters, people calling at midnight, low ballers etc.
If a person is truly interested, they will email me with their phone number. All other responses get deleted.
As far as buying - If I can't see it there is no way I would buy it. Been burned on fleabay too many times.
 
I'm glad there are those who will buy sight unseen though. I just sent a disc mower to Indiana yesterday that the guy hadn't seen. I posted a lot of pictures in the ad. I hope he's satisfied when he gets it. It worked fine and was in average condition just like I told him it was.

On the other hand,I called Monday morning on a 1650 parts tractor that had lots of pictures. I drove 70 miles to look at it. Either the guy didn't tell me that he'd already talked to somebody else that morning and told them to come,or he didn't tell the next caller that I was coming,because when I got there neither the tractor or the owner were there. The guys brother told me the tractor went out the driveway half an hour before. He said his brother told him he had two people coming and he wondered which one would get there first.
 
My wife came across a pickup that was priced about half of what it should have been according to the pictures.We ran from that one and later she came across the very same cl ad but posted 600 miles away from the first one!
 
I've got a bad habit of talking things down myself. I just don't want anybody mad at me,saying it's not as good as I claimed it was. I'd rather have them surprised in the other direction.
 
I've seen things like that here too. Nice shinny 2010 or newer 4x4 for $2500 or some such thing. Very brief description. Like I said,if it sounds too good to be true,it probably is. CL's a great place to buy and sell,usually gets things sold in a matter of hours if you price things right,but you just have to use common sense when you look at the ads.
 
I see a lot that have odd ending digits, alternating caps, and email addresses in the pictures. Also random letters. These are spam for sure.

ekdgfrnjr 2007 traCtOR JD LOoK GreaT 3202 32 Hp 635 HrS - $2565 (eagleville)
00G0G_inhVzBYudVo_600x450.jpg


John-D such as unique 32 o3 4x 4 2007 Diesel-engined A lot of Bonuses zwgqryrlb - $2565 (eagleville)
00X0X_lXVkzdxOxcZ_600x450.jpg


You can also right click the image if you're using chrome, and click "search google for this image"

Qz1s5Z3.jpg
 
Isn't that the truth! I sell hay to 2 or 3 of them and neither has a nice thing to say about the other, but they all attend horse shows and set up their campers in the same area. Horse women (not women who simply enjoy keeping a horse or participating in a few equestrian activities here and there), but women who make their living in the horse/boarding/training/hauling, etc. business are just about the wackiest type out there.
 
I learned to search ebay for the same item. Have seen more than once an item on ebay that sold months ago, for sale on craigslist in an entirely different city, state. With the exact same verbiage and photos. I am not aware of the reason for these occurrences, but I suspect a scam so I avoid such ads. Maybe I am making assumptions, but it just seems odd when I encounter that.
 
I have years of experience trying to buy cars and trucks on c-list, never bought 1. The crap I've gone through I should write a book. Forget c-list and try other sites like autotrader.
 

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