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Is this too sketchy for Craigslist?

shamash

shamash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 19, 2008
594
22
Portland, Oregon
Hello,
Sorry for the late response, and thanks for getting back to me,i am
okay with the price and condition, i would like to make an outright
purchase immediately but i will need your honesty because i anticipate
that a Certified Cashier's check will be sent out to you via ups as
the mode of payment, concerning the pick up, i will be responsible for
that, my mover will
come for the pick up at your location upon your confirmation of
receiving the payment and cleared in your bank.I would want you to
remove the posting from the web and also get back to me with the
information below so as to further a development.
1.......full names
2.......full home address
3......City, State & zip code and phone number.

As soon as this is provided,the payment will be mail out
immediately and i hope we handle this in good faith.


Thanks for the understanding... Mick
Click to expand...

I'm selling my new Ultimate 13" macbook air on Craigslist, and this seems alright to me in some ways, but also sketchy in others. I feel like since hes giving a cashier's check and says I can wait until the bank approves it, and have someone pick it up, it is less sketchy? I'm just not sure if this is a normal scam, and someone here might have some more info on it for me.
 
shamash

shamash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 19, 2008
594
22
Portland, Oregon
eawmp1 said:
Mick is Nigerian...avoid at all costs.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I know that usually with these scams they send paypal and then recall the funds, or some other way like that. The certified cashier's check thing had me excited at first, since this is the only contact I've had about my computer so far, but I will go with your advice :)
 
shamash

shamash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 19, 2008
594
22
Portland, Oregon
cooldaddybeck said:
They've definitely been taking English lessons, but it's still a bit obvious that it's a scammer. People just don't talk like that.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I reported his email for phishing. I partially knew that it was a scammer, it just had such a legit essence to it that I was hopefully.
 
B

BruiserB

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2008
1,731
705
The reason they will use UPS to deliver a fake cashiers check is to avoid committing mail fraud....it's only mail fraud if the Postal Service is involved.

Google "fake cashiers checks" for lots of info on how these can look real and even be accepted by your bank, only to turn out to be fake later and you lose the money. Don't do this transaction!!!
 
B

BruiserB

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2008
1,731
705
Also the "offer" to have their person pick it up is very suspicious.....you will have no idea who you gave it to or where it ended up.
 
M

Macsparky

macrumors newbie
Jul 4, 2010
26
0
North Alabama
For what it's worth, I have bought 2 Mac's a G5 and my 2009 MBP 13 and have sold many items with very little fan fair just use some common smarts, meet only in person in a public place if possible, cash only!!!!! no shipping!!!! Worked like a charm for me. You will on average get more scam hits than legit buyers if some one will not give you there phone number to finish the deal odds are it smells of FISH!!! Buyer & Seller Beware.... Good Luck..
 
benji888

benji888

macrumors 68000
Sep 27, 2006
1,889
410
United States
Craigslist should really only be trusted for local sales at best. I would exchange phone numbers via email first then, by phone, arrange for the person to come check it out and pay cash (or meet someplace i.e.: coffee shop), unless you know how to verify funds for a check over the phone while the person waits. This is the best way to weed out any scammers.
 
Last edited:
tom vilsack

tom vilsack

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2010
1,880
63
ladner cdn
craigslist rules....

-only meet in public place and only during daytime hours
-only allow cash payment,and if large ticket item like mac comp,i would want cash to be given to me at bank

simple/clean
 
michael.lauden

michael.lauden

macrumors 68020
Dec 25, 2008
2,326
1
Completely fake. Why would you even bother? I had people mail fake checks to a location I was planning to MEET them at - addressed to ME. The check will clear - you'll send the item, then the fraudulent checks will be found by the bank - the money will be taken from you and now you're out some cash and your item.

To expand on the 'rules'

-Always meet in person, in public areas (although I have met at a couple of houses, I am also 6'3 and can handle myself). Bring a friend! It always makes it more fun. You meet some pretty interesting people on CL - I deal on it usually about twice a week and things can get weird, so it's always better to bring someone who you can laugh with (after the transaction, of course).

-Test everything!

-CASH! and if it's above 300$ You may want them to follow you to the bank after the meeting. They have security guards and cameras - pretty sure he's not going to try to rob you there.
 
Rooskibar03

Rooskibar03

macrumors 65816
Feb 5, 2007
1,134
66
State of Denial
tom vilsack said:
craigslist rules....

-only meet in public place and only during daytime hours
-only allow cash payment,and if large ticket item like mac comp,i would want cash to be given to me at bank

simple/clean
Click to expand...

You forgot rule 3. If you have to post on MR asking if the transaction is a scam, it is.
 
Hellishness

Hellishness

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2010
1,086
3
Bay Area, CA
I believe that banks have to clear the checks, but it could bounce in a couple days, at which time your laptop could be long gone. As a side note, do you think that your price is high? I sold my 6 month old MBP (no scratches at all, but a worn keyboard-the guy seriously looked at it from 5 feet away, then picked it up for under 5 seconds and gave me cash) on CL for 150 off MSRP in like a day.
 
E

emx620

macrumors newbie
Mar 1, 2011
25
0
tom vilsack said:
craigslist rules....

-only meet in public place and only during daytime hours
-only allow cash payment,and if large ticket item like mac comp,i would want cash to be given to me at bank

simple/clean
Click to expand...

I second this. Only accept cash in a public place, never at your house.
 
shamash

shamash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 19, 2008
594
22
Portland, Oregon
Hellishness said:
I believe that banks have to clear the checks, but it could bounce in a couple days, at which time your laptop could be long gone. As a side note, do you think that your price is high? I sold my 6 month old MBP (no scratches at all, but a worn keyboard-the guy seriously looked at it from 5 feet away, then picked it up for under 5 seconds and gave me cash) on CL for 150 off MSRP in like a day.
Click to expand...

I don't really think so.. if you sold yours 6 months old for 150 off MSRP, why shouldn't mine be 100 off MSRP after 1 month? If you include tax, its over 300 off.
 
eljanitor

eljanitor

macrumors 6502
Feb 10, 2011
411
20
CASH only that's a huge scam and one of the oldest. The bank will turn on you in a heartbeat too. You may get a cashiers check or a check and you let it sit in the account till it clears. Then magically you find out that it's a fake, or it was canceled. The bank says sorry and BTW you have to pay us fees for trying to deposit counterfeit checks. Plus were gonna put this in your credit record. Meanwhile someone is sitting there with your old laptop without a care for you or what they did to you.
 
notjustjay

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
Definitely meet the buyer in person. It's just not worth the risk, and if you think about it, why would anyone not living in your city be perusing your city's Craigslist listings? Why wouldn't they look in their own city's listings? Now there may be legitimate cases for doing so, but then they should be willing to meet up with you. They would surely want to inspect the merchandise before simply sending you money, too...
 
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