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Should I be worried... (craigslist)

S

Super Intendo

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 26, 2008
247
120
I'm trying to sell my macbook on craigslist (I'd love to sell it here, but apparently I'm not qualified...) and I've gotten an offer. I know the general rule of thumb is 'if you have to ask, then its probably a scam' but with this one i'm just not sure, so I figured i'd ask here.

Here are the first and second emails i recieved (the only ones so far):
Hello seller,i just want to confirm whether you still have the item i saw the advert on craigslist.
Click to expand...

Hello seller thanks for your quick response i will like to buy this item so pls do withdraw the advert from Craigslist. I will also like you to know that i will be paying through paypal due to the distance as i am located in Australia right now due to official duty and i want the item for my nephew that is in a mission school in Nigeria so if you agree with this transaction i would like you to know that you will assist me in shipping the item to him in Nigeria through USPS Priority mail so all i need you to do is calculate the cost of the item and shipping cost for the neccessary payment.I will need you to provide me with your paypal information to enable me make the payment to you immediately,your immediate response will highly be appreciated,thanks
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I just dont know... it doesnt seem too shady, but i figured i should get some opinions first.
 
NIGERIA?!

I don't mean to be stereotyping but.... 99% of the time (well i have yet to see a real honest transaction actually so 100% right now)

ANYONE telling you to ship to Nigeria is scamming you. Period.
 
i thought so as well, the only reason i think it might be okay is that hes saying he'll pay through pay pal, not like some weird money transfer system.
 
If you calculate the cost to ship (add 10 bucks to the shipping costs :p) and he pays via paypal, you get your money, you send the item, why not?
 
Nigeria = scam. They can sell you all the sob stories they want.

And the whole customs thing. They have anti-exportation laws and crap, so you might me held accountable.

I wouldn't do it, just try to find another buyer. You prolly spent one thousand dollars or more on the device. Imagine all that money in one dollar bills. Now imagine that AND your macbook in the scammers hand.
 
be careful of buyers saying they'll pay you though paypal, because i have received numerous emails that are fake paypal payment confirmations (exact quote:
payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been "APPROVED"but will not be credited to your account until the shipment reference/tracking number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller.
Click to expand...
)
you should log in to your paypal account to check that the money is indeed there.
 
ChemiosMurphy said:
Nigeria = scam. They can sell you all the sob stories they want.

And the whole customs thing. They have anti-exportation laws and crap, so you might me held accountable.

I wouldn't do it, just try to find another buyer. You prolly spent one thousand dollars or more on the device. Imagine all that money in one dollar bills. Now imagine that AND your macbook in the scammers hand.
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thats probably true... hmph.

well only 68 more posts till I can post in the market place :rolleyes:
 
lol im to trying to sell and today i got this from a guy:
"Hello,
I appreciate your promptness I'm really interested in the Item but i'm so sorry as i won't be able to come for a look as i'm the busy type. Well, i'll keep in touch with my financier to mail a Check for the amount you're requesting for the Item and will have a shipping company to come for the pick up as soon as you confirm to me that you receive the check and it clears your bank. If this arrangement is acceptable, pls get back to me with your name as it will appear on the check and your contact address that the check will be mail to alongwith your cell #. Get back as soon as possible.
Thanks."

hahahaha yeah right, i told him only cash and i never got his reply
 
i heard a lot of bad stories about people being able to recall the money they sent through paypal!!
Be careful!
Someone tried to scam me with western union + fedex last year (sent a fake western union transaction and wanted to send fedex to fetch item asap!)
 
hoangcong said:
i heard a lot of bad stories about people being able to recall the money they sent through paypal!!
Be careful!
Someone tried to scam me with western union + fedex last year (sent a fake western union transaction and wanted to send fedex to fetch item asap!)
Click to expand...

craigslist is a shady place :(
 
Super Intendo said:
craigslist is a shady place :(
Click to expand...

This is nonsense. A correct statement is "There are shady people on craigslist." On the plus side those are easy to pick out, not to mention even if you do think it is real and you fire off an email. The reply will surely raise the flag. Here are some frequent ones from around my parts:

Hi,
Thank you for your email. I still have it for sale. Right now i am in Canada at my parents ranch with my son but i hope that`s not going to be a problem because i can still handle the transaction. When i left for Canada, i left the item along with several other items in the custody of The Online Outpost because i wanted to sell them on eBay when i return, but something came up back home and i decided to sell this one before i get back but not on ebay because i need to sell it faster. So if you are still interested let me know because i can make the transaction immediately.
There will also be a 10 days return policy on the unit .Just let me know and i will explain all the details of the transaction...
Thanks
Rich
Click to expand...

Hello,

I still have the macbook pro.
My name is Timothy Dalton and I am now in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away.
Obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what
we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal fast (3 days) and easy. The solution is a
worldwide delivery company called Royalmail. Royalmail is similar to FedEx, DHL or UPS and they will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the macbook pro. With this procedure you will be able to check the macbook pro before I receive the payment.
Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the macbook pro right away.
Let me know what you think.

Thank you!
Tim
Click to expand...
 
Very simple.... sell only to locals.

This is what I did when I put my ad to sell my Mac on CL: buyer came over to my place, he could look at it and play with it as long as he wanted. Negotiate the price, gave me his cash and I gave him my Mac. I never consider to ship it to any place including within the US. Simple as that.
 
stealthninja said:
be careful of buyers saying they'll pay you though paypal, because i have received numerous emails that are fake paypal payment confirmations (exact quote:
)
you should log in to your paypal account to check that the money is indeed there.
Click to expand...

Wow, never thought of that, thanks a LOT for the heads up on that one...

Anyways 100000% scam. I've gotten the old nigeria scam e-mailed to me countless numbers of times regarding my CL ads.

Whatever you do - try and do the transaction at the bank. Safest place. GL and find another buyer! Keep posting on MR then you can sell in the marketplace. The MR marketplace is built on trust - it's more comforting selling to members who have been around a while as they are technically less likely to scam. It looks suspicious when someone just signs up to MR to sell something!!
 
Super Intendo said:
thank you macrumors god.

if i pray to you can you grant me access to post in the market place where i know there arent scams? :)
Click to expand...

Lmao...just keep posting and before you know it you will have full MR privelages from the MacRumors God!

MacSyn said:
Very simple.... sell only to locals.

This is what I did when I put my ad to sell my Mac on CL: buyer came over to my place, he could look at it and play with it as long as he wanted. Negotiate the price, gave me his cash and I gave him my Mac. I never consider to ship it to any place including within the US. Simple as that.
Click to expand...

Good POV. I used to think the same way - but when i sold on CL I was reading about all kinds of scams so I decided to only do transactions at the bank. When I sold my MBP, the buyer met up w/ me at a bank, we checked over hte laptop together and as soon as he agreed it was in flawless condition (the same condition in which it was described!) he went over to the teller and withdrew the money. That way, I knew the money was real since it came from a bank!

I've dealt with 2 buyers on MR and didn't get scammed. They got their item, and I got my money. Everybody wins!
 
Same as all the other recommendations...stay away from anyone asking you to send to their 'nephew', 'uncle', 'best friend', etc...especially to Nigeria.

I sold a mobile phone once on eBay and got quite a good price for it...The buyer paid through PayPal, (I didn't send the item because it was a weekend), 2 days after the buyer paid, PayPal took the money out of my account and emailed me saying the transaction was fraudulant. If I had sent the item immediately like I usually do, I would have been stuffed. So just be careful :)
 
stealthninja said:
be careful of buyers saying they'll pay you though paypal, because i have received numerous emails that are fake paypal payment confirmations (exact quote:
)
you should log in to your paypal account to check that the money is indeed there.
Click to expand...

This exact thing happened to me about a month ago, and I fell for it. I was selling my ipod touch and actually sent it to Nigeria (yes, I'm stupid I know.) But the whole tracking number thing, what they do is send you a fake email that looks like it is from paypal but really not. If they want you to send the tracking number and THEN you'll receive the payment, DON'T DO IT!!!!
 
Another suspicious one from craigslist, I looked up the dudes name from hist email and he is from where the craigslist post came from-Detroit/Metro. THoughts?

Thank you for your email. I still have it for sale but before i answer to any of your questions i have to let you know that i am in Canada right now visiting my parents ranch. That`s not a problem because i can still handle the transaction. When i left in Canada, i left the item along with several other items in the iSOLD It custody because i wanted to sell them on eBay when i return, but something came up back home and i decided to sell this one before i get back but not on ebay because i need to sell it faster. If you are serious and still interested let me know because i can make the transaction immediately and i will explain all the details of the transaction .
Thanks
Lance
 
The funny thing is that if you post in Europe, then the scammer would say they are from the US and Nigeria.

Lesson: read. Craigslist has posted plenty of info on these scams.

ipodtouchy333 said:
This exact thing happened to me about a month ago, and I fell for it. I was selling my ipod touch and actually sent it to Nigeria (yes, I'm stupid I know.) But the whole tracking number thing, what they do is send you a fake email that looks like it is from paypal but really not. If they want you to send the tracking number and THEN you'll receive the payment, DON'T DO IT!!!!
Click to expand...

In addition, some people even click on the links, AND login to the fake site, giving the scammer a legit account to drain their funds.
 
Cash and carry

Dear OP

All these replies are not needed, there are two rules I use when buying or selling on CL.

CASH AND CARRY ONLY

NEVER LET ANYONE IN YOUR HOME YOU DO NOT TRUST

If you allow someone in your home make sure to have a buddy there with you and I make it a rule to never let a CL buyer in my home if my wife and kid are at home.

The buyer should put cash in your hand or don't do it, also try to meet in a safe public place like your local coffee house etc. use your home as a last resort, if the buyer is serious he or she should have no problem with a coffee house transaction.

Last but not least if at any time during the transaction you feel weird take your item and walk away! if you feel the need dial 911. Some might think this is a bit extreme but CL is a very scary place!
 
Sounds sketchy. When I do Craigslist transactions, I always meet the people at Starbucks or such. A nice, safe public place!
 
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