Due to tough economic times, people have chosen to minimize - or sell their stuff for money. When you are hard up for cash, it might be tempting to take someone up on a transaction even though the buyer is making the process difficult.
How do you know whether or not you are in the middle of a hoax? Here are some tips:
-Avoid anyone that is out of the country. This may sound like common sense, but when the buyer says that he's so busy with his business overseas that he's unable to come see the product but that he will send his shipper to conduct the business, everything might seem on the up-and-up.
-Don't agree to accept money orders or cashiers checks. These may seem like one of the safest payment methods, but people have reported that they'd received fake ones, tried to cash them, and were responsible for any fees incrued.
-Avoid anyone that refuses phone or face-to-face interaction. If you are selling something big - say, a car - and the person wants to buy it without looking at it, it's a scam. This happened to me: A guy was interested in a vehicle I was selling. He emailed me that he was very much interested in the vehicle and to take it off Craiglist immediately. He told me that he was disabled and hard of hearing but that he would send his shipper down to pick up the vehicle. He said that he would give the shipper a cashier's check that I would cash, keep my share and give the shipper his share. I told him that he should come look at the vehicle first, and I didn't hear from him after that.
If I had followed through with the transactions, I would be responsible for the amount of the money order!
-Avoid any emails that have very poor grammar, spelling and fluency. If it is so difficult for you to read then it's probably a scam.
WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
-Hide your email on Craigslist.
-Announce that you'll only accept calls, no emails.
-Meet in a public place or with other people.
-Accept cash and give a receipt.
If any buyer refuses these conditions - SELLER BEWARE!
Below I've included some emails that I have personally come across when selling my products on Craiglist, Ebay...and even in the local paper!
Hello ,
How do you know whether or not you are in the middle of a hoax? Here are some tips:
-Avoid anyone that is out of the country. This may sound like common sense, but when the buyer says that he's so busy with his business overseas that he's unable to come see the product but that he will send his shipper to conduct the business, everything might seem on the up-and-up.
-Don't agree to accept money orders or cashiers checks. These may seem like one of the safest payment methods, but people have reported that they'd received fake ones, tried to cash them, and were responsible for any fees incrued.
-Avoid anyone that refuses phone or face-to-face interaction. If you are selling something big - say, a car - and the person wants to buy it without looking at it, it's a scam. This happened to me: A guy was interested in a vehicle I was selling. He emailed me that he was very much interested in the vehicle and to take it off Craiglist immediately. He told me that he was disabled and hard of hearing but that he would send his shipper down to pick up the vehicle. He said that he would give the shipper a cashier's check that I would cash, keep my share and give the shipper his share. I told him that he should come look at the vehicle first, and I didn't hear from him after that.
If I had followed through with the transactions, I would be responsible for the amount of the money order!
-Avoid any emails that have very poor grammar, spelling and fluency. If it is so difficult for you to read then it's probably a scam.
WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
-Hide your email on Craigslist.
-Announce that you'll only accept calls, no emails.
-Meet in a public place or with other people.
-Accept cash and give a receipt.
If any buyer refuses these conditions - SELLER BEWARE!
Below I've included some emails that I have personally come across when selling my products on Craiglist, Ebay...and even in the local paper!
Hello ,
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