Craigslist Scams

[ozskipper]

Hah.. Welcome to the international scam club. I got a text message that was almost verbatim to your first message. I was selling my boat in Aus through a different website and they still sent me a text with the same Oil Rig Crap. It was obvious that it was fake- lets face it, who buys a boat without inspecting? The annoying part was that they had my number. Though the texts stop coming once i put the price up

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by David M

I can't see wasting my time replying to scammers. Report the scammers to craigslist.

sometime you have to have a little computer fun with the scammers.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

I understand these are cons, and I have gotten them. They are pretty easy to spot. What I do not get is how giving a pap pal account number (most people use an email account as their pay pal account number, so the con already has it) does anything? What the con needs is the password to the pay pal account. If someone would explain this to me, I would appreciate it.

Hackers have programs that sniff out passwords. The blinding speed of new computers make such things far more possible.

[SkiprJohn]

So, to be clear. The paypal thing is through a message that comes back to me which is a forgery of a paypal message telling me there is some trouble with my account and that I need to send them more personal information like visa and checking account numbers, etc., etc.. And, eBay messages which are forgeries that ask for more personal information such as account numbers?

I've bought and sold lots of stuff on eBay and used Paypal for years and not had a problem. It must just be for big ticket items?

Anyway I'd like to buy your boat and I'm sending you a forged cashier's check for $20K more than you're asking. If you don't mind sending me back $15K as soon as you receive and deposit the check I'll have my moving van pick up your boat and deliver it to Kansas. Or, could we save a little money and have it moved in my cousin's Toyota pickup?

kind regards,

[Tori]

Yes to be clear most of these that use eBay and Paypal involve emails that are clever forgeries. Those uninitiated or new to eBay and Paypal can get scammed anyone familiar with them usually just deletes the emails.

[jcapo]

Funny site about scamming the scammers.

419 BAITER | Scambaiting: Stringing-along 419 Scammers for my Amusement

[montenido]

Jcapo,

I just spent over an hour reading the 419 Baiter's stuff. Wow, that guy goes to great lengths to reel in these folks. Totally hilarious.

Thanks, Bill

[CSY Man]

Also read the 419 blog, good stuff.

Got a scam thing on email about 4 years ago and played along for a while.
Got the scammers to express mail me a check as well as a pre-paid express mail envelope. Then contacted the police who said the contact The Secret Service in Miami.
The SS said it was not much they could do and just forget about it..

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Also read the 419 blog, good stuff.

Got a scam thing on email about 4 years ago and played along for a while.
Got the scammers to express mail me a check as well as a pre-paid express mail envelope. Then contacted the police who said the contact The Secret Service in Miami.
The SS said it was not much they could do and just forget about it..

My husband once received an unsolicited check in the mail. The organization it was supposedly from was half way across the country from the cancellation stamp. We took it to the bank and explained the situation. It was definitely a fraudulent check, we have no idea if there was follow up.

[ak2outside]

We are currently selling our house, and a scammer had set it up to rent on Craigslist. "Current tenants are in the process of eviction, do not contact them as they are hostile."
Yes, current tenants are hostile! They are also the owners who do not like people showing up to move into their "rental". Weeks after the ad was taken down, I still deal with people driving up to the house to inquire about the rental. With no punishment, only the possibility of reward, the attempts are getting bolder.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[zboss]

FYI... Google glass can be used to read what you are typing with almost crystal clarity from more than 15 feet away. So, PIN numbers, iPhone and computer passwords, emails, are all open for capture.

Beware.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[triciarob]

This is all very well and good, but look at it from the other side. We got totally messed up by a company when we wanted to buy some binocs. We don't have credit/debit cards and had to pay with a certified cashiers cheque in $ from an international bank. The company agreed to accept the payment, but didn't tell us they would hold the cheque for three weeks till it cleared, then send us the goods. They told us this once they had had the cheque for 5 days. They didn't hold the goods until the cheque cleared, so when the cheque did clear they couldn't supply the goods, so offered us replacement goods for 10$ more, which we couldn't pay as we would have had to send another cheque and go through all this again.

We were leaving the marina to head 600 miles away within that period of time, so we asked that they either send the goods or return the money to my sister's address in the UK as we were traveling and wouldn't be able to receive them. They refused to do this, but luckily for me a friend ended up in the marina and said they would collect the cheque. It never arrived so, two months later after much hassle and at least 50 emails, they agreed to do a bank transfer to my sisters account. They charged us 30$ for cancelling a cheque they never sent, and 50$ for the bank transfer.

Sorry didn't say we don't have a bank account either.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by triciarob

<snip> We don't have credit/debit cards and had to pay with a certified cashiers cheque in $ from an international bank. <snip>

Sorry didn't say we don't have a bank account either.

1890 called. They want to know when you are coming back...

Not to be flip but living off the grid with no credit card and no bank account, what would you propose merchants do?

Send you the goods on good faith?

[Greenhand]

I would have insisted that they send the more expensive goods at no additional cost, since it was their error.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[triciarob]

I think you misunderstood Ex-Calif, we paid with a certified banker's cheque which we paid cash for this end. The merchant agreed to accept the payment and didn't inform us that although the cheque would be cleared within five days they would hold it for an additional three weeks. So, no I don't expect the merchant to send the goods for free, but nor do I expect the same merchant to rip me off.