Anybody else irritated with Craigslist?

azmtnman · December 13, 2016, 12:49:58 AM

What is the deal with fake Craigslists ads? >:(
Help me out here. What can they get and how? (so I don't get taken in my technological ignorance) I get the whole send-me-the-money-and-I'll-ship-it-to-you money scam (which I never fell for) but what else are they trying to get?
I can spot SOME of the fake ads--the ones that only want 20% of fair market value for there item makes me scroll right on by. But here lately, they are posting legitimate looking ads.
I have an advantage living in Arizona because the background vegetation sometimes gives away fakes. They will claim to be in Phoenix but there are large deciduous trees and green grass in the background. :D :D :D

SLawyer Dave · December 13, 2016, 01:22:24 AM

Phishing expedition most likely. Just trying to get your credit card, personal information.

Ljohnsaw · December 13, 2016, 02:20:20 AM

I heard they are harvesting email addresses to sell to other scammers/spammers. Nearly all the bad ads have gmail addresses. We have one joker that posts really nice things on the free area. He insists that you email him/her your phone number. Sorry, if you don't list your phone and insist for a number, I flag them.

Brad_bb · December 13, 2016, 02:33:02 AM

Craigslist is generally for local (pick up) sales. I wouldn't trust someone shipping something from CL. Ok, I did once years ago, but in general you should know not to do that. I used to have people email me their phone number. That was the old trick to keep scammers away. Scammers wouldn't bother with that usually.

You do have to beware. Things selling for 20% of what it would have cost new, is not a sign of a scam necessarily. Actually that's about what I generally ask for things on CL. People there are looking for a good deal. so for used items, about 20% of new cost is a good price often times.

square1 · December 13, 2016, 05:24:32 AM

A useful technique is to copy a majority the main heading of the ad i.e. 2006 Perfect Lifted Jeep Rubicon and paste it (or just type it) into a google search. If the exact same item is for sale in different markets across the country its a phony.

Logger RK · December 13, 2016, 07:39:29 AM

Last year I noticed a Four wheeler for sale at a ridiculously low price on C list around my location,then I happen to check out C list in Alaska & seen the same add. ;D

WDH · December 13, 2016, 07:49:32 AM

Yes, they are trying to get you to e-mail them back so that they can get your e-mail address and try to hack you.

Sixacresand · December 13, 2016, 07:57:03 AM

I have been pretty lucky with buying off CL. Twice we purchased tickets to an event. Most people that have stuff for sale had rather meet you at a public location and not at their house. I don't have a problem with that. Just remembering the couple from the Atlanta area who drove down to middle GA to look at a vintage automobile advertised on CL.
They were murdered and dumped in the woods. Another red flag is those who will not allow payment with Paypal, not that I would use it. I think Paypal has already flagged them as scammers. JMO

Ron Wenrich · December 13, 2016, 11:57:17 AM

I bought a John Deere lawn mower just a few months ago from Craigslist. Lots of photos. Turned out to be a John Deere dealer who couldn't get rid of it. 44 hrs, 2 yrs old, and at 40% of new. They delivered. But, they also had their phone number on it and I could reverse look up their address.

I also bought my shredder/chipper from Craigslist. Near new and about 20% off of new price. I've found musicians for a band I'm in, and I've even found a few gigs. I've sold some old metal signs and a set of tractor chains. I got a sawdust blower for a mill on Craigslist.

Its a tool. Like all tools, there are safety measures you should take so you don't get hurt.

TimRB · December 13, 2016, 12:04:59 PM

Quote from: Brad_bb on December 13, 2016, 02:33:02 AM
You do have to beware. Things selling for 20% of what it would have cost new, is not a sign of a scam necessarily.

A lot of stolen stuff gets sold on Craigslist. Sometimes an asking price that is wildly different from the going rate (low OR high) is an indication that the seller stole the item and actually has no idea what it's worth.

Tim

sawguy21 · December 13, 2016, 04:49:09 PM

I have bought and sold on cl with no problems. I had a woman answer an ad for some camera equipment but I couldn't pin her down on a time and place to meet so gave up.
I recently came across some chain saws I suspect were stolen, the sellers did not seem knowledgeable and the saws in my opinion were way overpriced which is very common. I wanted one of them but not at his price and he wasn't willing to negotiate.

Gearbox · December 13, 2016, 06:11:17 PM

If I sell on Clist I will not use Pay Pal . If they tell Pay Pal there is some thing wrong with what I sold them Pay Pal takes the money back and they still have the part .

pabst79 · December 13, 2016, 08:52:20 PM

Last time I listed a vehicle on CL, I only had people phishing, it would be less annoying if they could at least get their currency correct. One person emailed me that they were interested in my "item" dead giveaway it was a Jeep, they said they were stuck in the middle of the ocean because they were a "oceanist" and wanted to buy it for their Grandma, he offered 25,000 euro for it, I was asking 2,300.00 U.S. I responded that I too was an oceanist and that maybe we could meet for coffee in the middle of the Atlantic, never heard back?? Make sure you use the email through CL, don't list your personal email in the ad or you could have issues. I have sold a few old Oliver's and Farmall's on CL and never had a problem other than your typical no shows and tire kickers who waste one's time.

dgdrls · December 13, 2016, 09:05:26 PM

Its a mostly miss outlet for me. While I understand people are looking for a bargain,
Holy-Cow, folks want to pay Used-Oat prices smiley_smelly_skunk for everything!! every once-in-a-while It hits for me

D

Logger RK · December 14, 2016, 06:08:49 AM

I like the "Used Oat Prices". Never heard that one before

azmtnman · December 14, 2016, 09:18:33 AM

Quote from: pabst79 on December 13, 2016, 08:52:20 PM
I responded that I too was an oceanist and that maybe we could meet for coffee in the middle of the Atlantic, never heard back??

:D :D :D
Being a smart ax is my go-to reply also. At least we can have fun with it.

Kbeitz · December 14, 2016, 09:31:43 AM

Both of my Jeeps that I drive now came off the cragslist.

Ox · December 14, 2016, 12:33:43 PM

Healthy doses of common sense and the knowledge that "they" are out there will protect you. For me, I never pay for anything off Craigslist without seeing it in person first, then I pay cash for it, then have them sign a handwritten receipt showing what had taken place. Pretty hard to get taken this way.
Don't forget the receipt. I once lost a farm tractor because the cops claimed it was stolen and tried to pin it on me because I didn't have a receipt. Long story. It ended up costing me a total of $11,000 or so for the tractor and to prove myself innocent. One of them so-and-sos ended up with a nice loader cab 4x4 tractor. The cops and lawyers around here are crooked as hell. Lookin' to move to Kentucky.

azmtnman · December 14, 2016, 10:52:46 PM

Quote from: Ox on December 14, 2016, 12:33:43 PM
Don't forget the receipt. I once lost a farm tractor because the cops claimed it was stolen and tried to pin it on me because I didn't have a receipt. Long story. It ended up costing me a total of $11,000 or so for the tractor and to prove myself innocent. One of them so-and-sos ended up with a nice loader cab 4x4 tractor. The cops and lawyers around here are crooked as hell. Lookin' to move to Kentucky.

Man! Sorry to hear about that!--the losing the tractor part. Moving to KY would probably be a good move from NY. I used to spend quite a bit of time in that neighborhood. I prefer the vast, wide-open spaces I enjoy today--as well as a decent amount of freedom from over regulation. ;D

starmac · December 14, 2016, 11:44:23 PM

I have bought quite a bit off of craigslist, but I do not do email at all, if they don't list a phone number, I just pass on by.

East ky logging · December 15, 2016, 07:07:11 AM

I have bought and sold several things on Craigslist without any problems but I watch out for the too good to be true deals. Come on down to east ky. Ox wonderful place to live in my opinion.

Ox · December 15, 2016, 11:22:20 AM

After just reading and researching, east Kentucky is where I'd want to be. I live in the north Appalachian mountains now, I'd like to stay in them, but just in Kentucky. We're slowly being invaded by liberals and city folk around here and things are-a-changing slowly. When all us original born are dead or gone, it'll be all different around here. The gun laws, crooked cops and lawyers, and terrible winters makes me want to move permanently. Kentucky sounds like an absolute heaven for people who like freedom, lower taxes, cheaper land, good people and polite, decent behavior. I can't wait, but we have to wait until the kids are on their own. We simply can't afford to move as it sits now. When the time comes, I'll post about it and ask the members who live in KY if we can swing by on a tour and do a little visiting prior to a move, just to get the flavor of different areas. We're talking at least 6 years from now... :'(

Maybe we'll be able to meet up at sometime in the future, East ky logging. I'll buy you a coffee.

East ky logging · December 15, 2016, 05:18:49 PM

Sounds good ox. Property is pretty reasonable if you get up a holler away from everyone like I am. Property taxes isn't bad either I pay less than 500$ a year on my house shop and barn and about 125 acres. Absolutely no building codes to worry about once you get a septic system in to have the electric turned on and if it's a mobile home you have to have it strapped down but that's no big deal. No emissions test on your vehicle either. And if you want to step out and crack off 30 rounds with a ar-15 nobody's gonna care.

Ox · December 16, 2016, 11:29:22 AM

That, my friend, is how it was around here just a short 20 years ago (apart from the building codes, I'm not sure when all that started). It sounds like a patriot's paradise. 8)

Why is land cheaper up on the ridges? Around here ridge or holler don't make no never mind for prices.

East ky logging · December 16, 2016, 07:19:04 PM

I guess some things that that makes the price cheaper I a lot of the younger people wants to be close to town or right beside the main roads. Up the hollers is usually old family farms with quite a bit of land that takes some work to clean up and you have to be a little self sufficient cause there's a one lane county up here but if it snows or a tree falls across the road you gonna have to move it or your gonna be waiting for awhile. We had a ice storm a few years ago and was out of electricity for three weeks and a lot of people don't like that but I'm well prepared and not a big deal I got enough garden stuff canned up to eat on a long time.