Chances of this being a scam?

[lisheran]

I didn't know where to post this and I was looking for some input. I posted my macbook on craigslist because i am debating on upgrading. It can be seen here [snip] I received some interest but it is a buyer from TN and is willing to paypal me the payment and pay for shipping. I have done more ebaying than craiglisting so I was wondering what the odds of this being a scam.

Here is the message from the buyer:

Is the Item still available for sale ? How much is the shipping cost via USPS to Memphis TN 38105 and get back to me with your pay pal email address for the payment including the shipment fee.


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[mkrishnan]

It's probably a scam -- who's loooking in Milwaukee local Craigslist listings from Tennessee with the intent of buying a notebook and having it shipped to them?

But if you really want feedback, you have to post the return message you got from the person who claims to be in TN -- not your ad. In fact, I'm going to snip your ad from your post as it violates our marketplace rules.

 

[domcole]

Personally I would just put it on eBay because you will have more backup if something goes wrong.

 

[lisheran]

i was going to do ebay but i looked on there for a macbook with similar specs and it didn't have any bids with less than a day left.

 

[old-wiz]

Only way to use craigslist is if you can meet the buyer in person. Never ship!

 

[mkrishnan]

Thanks for posting the prospective buyer's communication. I wouldn't trust it, to be honest. In addition to the fact that you're selling a commonly available product at a not particularly aggressive price, real buyer aren't usually that forward -- the sort of "send me your paypal" before you've even disclosed the sale price is characteristic of scammers....

 

[kennyli]

Even selling in eBay is not 100% safe. Here is my story .........

I was selling a mobile phone in eBay. A buyer from the USA bought it and the phone is shipped.

A week later, the buyer contacted me again and said the phone is not working. Than he started a dispute in eBay.

According to the rule of eBay, he has to send the phone back to me with a postal tracking number to prove that the phone is retuned to me.

2 weeks later, the phone is not returned, but a registered mail arrived. I opened the envelop and it was empty inside. Nothing, not even the sender name and return address!

The reason why he send me an empty envelop, is to fullfill the full refund requirement of eBay!

Good luck!

 

[lisheran]

i think i will see if anyone locally wants to purchase it if not I will just stick with it.

 

[McGilli]

i was going to do ebay but i looked on there for a macbook with similar specs and it didn't have any bids with less than a day left.

With all of the various Macbooks being sold right now, and every day on Ebay - the ones that don't get bids are the ones with starting price set to high....

If you ask a reasonable price it will sell on Ebay. There is a lot of selection on Ebay - so you ned to be competitive...

 

[nyry30]

I didn't know where to post this and I was looking for some input. I posted my macbook on craigslist because i am debating on upgrading. It can be seen here [snip] I received some interest but it is a buyer from TN and is willing to paypal me the payment and pay for shipping. I have done more ebaying than craiglisting so I was wondering what the odds of this being a scam.

Here is the message from the buyer:

Is the Item still available for sale ? How much is the shipping cost via USPS to Memphis TN 38105 and get back to me with your pay pal email address for the payment including the shipment fee.


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From my experience with craigslist, I would say this is most likely a scam, there is nothing binding with craigslist and paypal so there really isn't any sort of seller as well as buyer protection. Your best bet would be to complete the transaction face-to-face if it's on craigslist. Though eBay is not 100% scam-proof there are several safeguards which protect the seller as well as the buyer when completing a transaction via eBay. For example, on eBay if you sell your item just make sure you send the item with delivery confirmation to the buyer's verified address and you should be set. If the buyer has an unverified address, email the buyer and ask them which address they'd like you to send the item to, this way you have on email which address the buyer had asked you to send the address to. If you'd like some sort of security along with your paypal transaction I'd suggest using eBay as your middleman. If you're looking to use craigslist, look for a local buyer willing to meet face-to-face in a starbucks / (Insert favorite coffee chain) willing to do a cash transaction, "Cash is King" as they say. Good Luck.

 

[clyde2801]

Always, always, always put in your craigslist item: "Local sale only, cash only please". Same goes for buying an item.

CL is getting as bad as ebay for damned scammers trying to bilk you out of your money or rip your item off so they can sell it.

I cannot begin to count the amount of times someone has an incredible eal on a macbook or macbook pro in Oklahoma City, and it turns out to be Amy, whose from OKC, but happens to be selling her mac in England. These people are lying scum, do not trust them.

 

[aluminumapple]

K To clear it up
put it into simple terms and not an extensive long paragraph
there is a program i rumbled through and its basically a program that sends out multiple emails to every craiglist item that is within your key words search.

and an ex. would be if you get an email from Nigeria or TW or china saying i want to buy your item send it over Dont.
Why?

craiglist fully makes you select country to country and doesnt let you do a world wide search, that reason being do not ever do a shipment request.
Only do face - to - face trades. cheques & cashes are the best way to avoid scam. honestly 5 minutes of driving saves you a thousand dollar scam.

 

[greg555]

"Item" equals scam in my opinion. If it was a real person interested they would say computer or laptop or camera, or whatever. "Item" probably means bulk email sent to every hundreds of people.

Greg

 

[sickmacdoc]

"Item" equals scam in my opinion. If it was a real person interested they would say computer or laptop or camera, or whatever. "Item" probably means bulk email sent to every hundreds of people.

Greg

That's a very well taken point Greg- and I must say I read the same thing into it. That in conjunction with his "ready to pay with PayPal" are just two red flags.