Of Craigslist and Scams



Of Craigslist and Scams Posted Friday, September 04, 2009 by Luanne Kadlub Craigslist lets you go shopping without leaving the comfort of home. And it’s addicting. Very, very addicting. Need a break from work? Check out all the cute cats and dogs waiting to find new homes. That’s what I do and that’s how I ended up spontaneously adopting two of the sweetest cats to walk this earth. And that’s how my husband found the love of his life, a 7-year-old springer spaniel. Along the way he also picked up a set of tires for his pickup, an atv to keep the kid happy and, well, you get the idea. But every once in a while you run across an ad that makes you stop and ask, "Is this for real?" Like the ad my husband spotted on Craigslist for a “free” 2002 John Deere 5420. The seller claimed the title was clear and in her name. All he had to do was pay the $178 shipping fee. In response to his e-mail, she replied, “The machine is all ready at the shipping company because I don’t have time to sell and I don’t know very much about it, my husband is in Iraq and he told me to let it go for free not to pay taxes to turn in as scrap metal. It is located in Las Vegas at the shipping company so if you really want it, I wait your full name and your full address to send all info to my agent. The shipping fee is low because my brother works at the shipping company and I’m getting a discount to ship this item. They will ship you after the identity confirmation and you need to pay the fees when you receive the item.” Red flags are waving like crazy. A quick Google search shows that a John Deere 5420 sells for about $30,000. The seller isn’t in possession of the item and there’s no way she’s going to let you see it. Her husband is in Iraq. (“Owners” of items listed in scam ads are invariably overseas or about to be shipped overseas.) And she’s asking for his full identity. And lastly, the grammar and spellcheck police would be all over the ad and her reply. Although she says she’s in Las Vegas, most likely she herself is overseas, perhaps Nigeria. Best advice for Craigslist shoppers? If you can’t check out the item in person, don’t buy it. Don’t hand over a credit card number. Don’t wire money. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Yes, it really can be that simple. Have you run across Craigslist ads that sound too good to be true?

Posted Friday, September 04, 2009

by Luanne Kadlub

Craigslist lets you go shopping without leaving the comfort of home. And it’s addicting. Very, very addicting. Need a break from work? Check out all the cute cats and dogs waiting to find new homes. That’s what I do and that’s how I ended up spontaneously adopting two of the sweetest cats to walk this earth.

And that’s how my husband found the love of his life, a 7-year-old springer spaniel. Along the way he also picked up a set of tires for his pickup, an atv to keep the kid happy and, well, you get the idea.

But every once in a while you run across an ad that makes you stop and ask, "Is this for real?"

Like the ad my husband spotted on Craigslist for a “free” 2002 John Deere 5420. The seller claimed the title was clear and in her name. All he had to do was pay the $178 shipping fee. In response to his e-mail, she replied, “The machine is all ready at the shipping company because I don’t have time to sell and I don’t know very much about it, my husband is in Iraq and he told me to let it go for free not to pay taxes to turn in as scrap metal. It is located in Las Vegas at the shipping company so if you really want it, I wait your full name and your full address to send all info to my agent. The shipping fee is low because my brother works at the shipping company and I’m getting a discount to ship this item. They will ship you after the identity confirmation and you need to pay the fees when you receive the item.”

Red flags are waving like crazy. A quick Google search shows that a John Deere 5420 sells for about $30,000. The seller isn’t in possession of the item and there’s no way she’s going to let you see it. Her husband is in Iraq. (“Owners” of items listed in scam ads are invariably overseas or about to be shipped overseas.) And she’s asking for his full identity. And lastly, the grammar and spellcheck police would be all over the ad and her reply. Although she says she’s in Las Vegas, most likely she herself is overseas, perhaps Nigeria.

Best advice for Craigslist shoppers? If you can’t check out the item in person, don’t buy it. Don’t hand over a credit card number. Don’t wire money. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Yes, it really can be that simple.

Have you run across Craigslist ads that sound too good to be true?

Comments

I wanted to know if they are actually a ligit out fit when they send you the check and email you the assignments and when you carry the assignment out and then trans money to the address they put in the emails and then ask for the survey report is it really ligit outfit and wont come back at you?? How do i find out?

Comment By Shopper At 12/8/2010 1:37 PM

Not sure if it counts as 'too good to be true', but every job opportunity I've come across on Craigslist gets no response after I apply or write for more information. That's the best case scenario. Worse is when an 'employer' writes back with 'mystery shopper' info or some other scam of a job. I think Craigslist is just too popular, and scam artists can readily post 'jobs' that seem legitimate in the description. It's pretty easy to spot a scam with a little research. If they're not from the U.S., using horrible English grammar and spelling, or if the job requires me to wire transfer money or receive checks for transfer;it's not a real job.

Comment By Ashley Johnson At 9/9/2009 10:56 AM

Better Business Bureau

Start With Trust

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Of Craigslist and Scams

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