Possible Scam?

MFan

Member
Maybe I"m just cynical, but I"m looking for input on a situation. I have a tractor for sale on Craigslist for around $6000. I got a call from someone about 5 hours away (not Nigeria, I don"t think) that wants the tractor. That"s great, but they can"t come right away to get it...probably a week or so. They offered to send a down payment for $2000, and I specified it should be a bank (cashier"s) check. I had to provide name and address, which is what I"ve needed from sellers when getting a bank check for a purpose.

I expect that the check will arrive in a couple of days and they will come for the tractor, but...? I guess I"m not one to buy something over the phone without first looking at it, so it"s a little bit odd.
 
Trouble with cashier's checks is they can be faked, and in fact, that is the basis of the scam (they bring an authentic looking cashier's check, take the merchandise, your bank takes the check but 2 weeks later it bounces, and you're stuck). Get US Postal Service money orders instead.
 
Once you have received the check expect the buyer to unexpectedly show up early and want to take it before your bank can clear it. Be careful.
 
They are right cashiers checks can be faked, I had one, guy sent me a cashiers check for more money than I was asking, asked me to send the difference to some guy who was going to ship the tractor. I took the check to my bank and asked her to check it out. Took 24 hours, while I was waiting on the bank, the guy called me 5 times asking why I had not sent the money. Well the check was fake, no I never sent any money. I don't trust anyone I don't know, and they have a hundred ways to try and scam you. If this guys check is good, then you are good to go, but don't let that tractor go anywhere until you know you have your money in hand. Cash, check or whatever.
 
Although I don't sell items priced like that, I do sell a lot of under 500.00.
I never accept anything but a postal money order.
I believe the maximum is 1K but buyer could send you two checks.
Don't be surprised when buyer doesn't want to send USPS money order.
 
As posted if and when the cashiers check come have your bank verify that its real, cashiers checks are scammers favorite thing.A postal money order or even a bank money order is the only way to go, I've used and gotten bank money orders sometimes its eaier to got the bank than the post office.
GB in MN
 
Your instincts are correct, beware.

I currently have a Trac Vac mower vacuum listed on CL and I have gotten 4 different contacts from out of state that want to send me a cashier's check for the entire amount sight unseen. Finally had to edit the listing removing texting as OK and went back and blocked all the numbers.

So many dishonest people out there I think it's sad commentary.
 
The person texted me a picture of the bank check (which of course I will verify vs. the one that hopefully comes in the mail) and then called their bank (using phone number from valid website, not check!). According to the bank a check with that number and amount was cut today and is valid. I will be requesting cash for the remainder so that everything is in hand before the tractor leaves the farm.

Don't normally sell things for high amounts so am trying to take precautions. Thanks for the input.
 
(quoted from post at 11:05:27 09/14/17) Your instincts are correct, beware.

I currently have a Trac Vac mower vacuum listed on CL and I have gotten 4 different contacts from out of state that want to send me a cashier's check for the entire amount sight unseen. Finally had to edit the listing removing texting as OK and went back and blocked all the numbers.

So many dishonest people out there I think it's sad commentary.
and way to many trusting souls who get taken.
 
(quoted from post at 11:05:34 09/14/17) The person texted me a picture of the bank check (which of course I will verify vs. the one that hopefully comes in the mail) and then called their bank (using phone number from valid website, not check!). According to the bank a check with that number and amount was cut today and is valid. I will be requesting cash for the remainder so that everything is in hand before the tractor leaves the farm.

Don't normally sell things for high amounts so am trying to take precautions. Thanks for the input.



If the check pans out, I'd make sure the remainder in cash isn't counterfeit before letting them take it.
 
I have both bought and sold equipment sight unseen over the internet in that price range. So dont let that fact alone convince you its a scam. However the bank check would throw up a red flag to me as well. Usually you get a gut feeling about the other party involved and I always trust that in the end. Fortunately Ive been lucky so far.
 
I'm not saying your deal is a scam but be careful !
Cashiers checks can be faked , I had one for 12,000 I took it to the bank thinking it was fake . The teller assured me it was real , the head teller also said it was not a fake . The bank MGR , said see it had the water mark that can not be faked . They had a higher up there that day that also guaranteed me that check was real and not possible to fake . They deposited it and it took 28 days before they said it was fake and took the money back from my account . I did get them to drop the bad check charge .
 
I have had someone suggest he send me the money using WalMart. I had never heard of it before so I stopped in the local store and asked how this works. Almost as good as the buyer handing you cash in person. It is about as fast as a phone call from the buyer and done.
 
Tell the buyer it takes 30 days for a bank check to clear so the tractor doesn't go anywhere for 30 days after you deposit the check. Chances are you'll never hear from him again.
 
I have sold things on CL to someone out of state and they sent me the cash and what I told them it would cost to send it flat rate priority mail and they sent me the money thru the Walmart western union thing. It was very easy I had cash in hand and didnt have to deal with any banks or checks.
 
Some red flags to tell if a potential buyer is a scam artist...
They refer to what you are selling as "the item" for sale.
Buying sight unseen is a possible red flag.
Over paying is a definite red flag.
People acting like wealthy buyers are a red flag for me. Why would a wealthy buyer want my 40 year old tractor? Or my 10 year old used car? Or any other used piece of equipment? Unless, of course, it was a rare collectible.
Bear in mind that most financial instruments can be faked. That includes all forms of checks, money orders, and the like. Cash can be counterfeit as well.

Beware. And be careful.
 
Get them to send a US Postal Money Order you can take it to the Post Office to have it verified and cashed if its a Post Office big enough to have much cash on hand.
BTW its a scam anyway I'd bet.
 
I wouldn't automatically assume scam. Lotsa guys on here would doubt their own mother if she offered them a check.

Have him send a $250 personal check. That's more than enough to hold a $5000 tractor. You'll have his name and address if the check isn't fake. The only way I can figure a scam would come up is he acts like he doesn't want the tractor anymore and demands his deposit back from a bad check. If you only ask for $250 and that's the scam, he won't bother with it.

The only bad check I ever got was from a German Baptist, and he honored the check about 6 months later. I 've bought stuff off Craigslist all over the country and just sent a check to Montana to buy a seed cleaner. I've also sold a lot of stuff on CL. It's fairly easy to spot a scammer if you know what to look for. As mentioned already, if they don't ask any questions specific to the item you're selling, that's a huge red flag.
 
We have done that a couple times for our employees. Before we had direct deposit occasionally a check would get sent to the wrong jobsite. We would use Wal-Mart to "wire" the money to the employee and tear up the paper check when it came back to the office.
 
The cashier's check scam is that the check is written out for significantly MORE than the item is worth.

The next stage of the scam is: "Oh my, the accountant must have made a mistake. Can you please forward the excess on to so-and-so, and keep $XXX for your troubles?"

You forward on several thousand dollars to the scammer, and think you're getting a little "bonus." Good day, right? Wrong. A few days later the bank comes to you and says you cashed a fake check. Now you're on the hook for the money you sent to the scammer. YOU ARE OUT THAT MONEY. It's not like a credit card where fraud protection kicks in and they forgive you the charges. That money is gone.

The only upside is they never come and get the item.

If the person only sends a deposit for whatever it is you're selling, it is almost certainly legitimate.
 
GO ON THE INTERNET AND VERIFY THE PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS OR CALL THE LOCAL POLICE IN THAT AREA AND SEE IF THEY KNOW HIM. THERE ARE SOME GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE. UNFORTUNETLY THERE ARE SOME IDIOTS TO. IF I TALKED TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE AND I FELT COMFORABLE WITH I WOULD GET HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND SEND HIM AN EMAIL AND TELL HIM TO SEND YOU A PERSONAL CHECK FOR $200 AND THE REST IN CASH ON PICK UP. GIVE HIM A DATE OF WHEN IT HAS TO BE PCKED UP BY OR HE WILL FORFEIT THE 200 AND YOU WILL RELIST IT. DO IT BY EMAIL SO THERE IS A RECORD OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU TO. IF YOU RECIEVE HIS CHECK AND CASH IT WITHOUT AN AGREMENT DATE YOU MIGHT BE STUCK FOR AWHILE. CRAIGLISTS CAN BE A GOOD THING BUT YOU HAVE TO USE COMMON SENSE AND YOUR GUT FELLING. PERSONALLY IF THEY SAY CASHIERS CHECK I WOULD HAVE TO SAY NO. CHECKING PHONE NUMBERS ON THE NET IS ESY TO DO. GOOD LUCK JUST MY 3 CENTS WORTH.
 
Like others said, be wary. But I just bought a tractor over the internet. Had numerous discussions with the seller, saw a video of it in operation, did an electronic xfer of funds, took a week to schedule delivery but all went well. Trust your gut and if anything sounds fishy as others have mentioned, walk away.
 

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