Craigslist buyer offering cashier's check: Scam?
02-24-17, 10:46 PM
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Craigslist buyer offering cashier's check: Scam?
I'm selling a nice vintage De Bernardi frame in the Classifieds forum here, and also posted it on the local Craigslist. Received an email shortly after posting the ad from someone inquiring if it was still available. When I replied yes, they sent me the following message:
"The payment method i will adopt will be Cashier check and i hope thats fine by you. When cleared, I will have it picked up.. All i need to get the payment sent out is Name, Address and phone number so i can send it out soon enough..."
Does this look legit? Sounds fishy to me. I know there are various scammers that follow Craigslist ads, and it seems like I've heard to refuse cashier's checks.
"The payment method i will adopt will be Cashier check and i hope thats fine by you. When cleared, I will have it picked up.. All i need to get the payment sent out is Name, Address and phone number so i can send it out soon enough..."
Does this look legit? Sounds fishy to me. I know there are various scammers that follow Craigslist ads, and it seems like I've heard to refuse cashier's checks.
02-24-17, 10:50 PM
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Smells fishy. Cash or no deal.
Last edited by nlerner; 02-24-17 at 10:58 PM.
02-24-17, 10:55 PM
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Scam. I have gotten plenty of those when selling nicer bikes. Tell them to bring cash when they come to pick it up. You will never hear from them again.
02-24-17, 10:58 PM
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Scam
02-24-17, 11:01 PM
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Probably a scam.
I had a whole set of calls with that line.
I also had other stories associated with it:
1) I am out of town and agree to the price, but want to pay by cashiers check and my friend will come by after the check clears where it will be large enough to pay him to ship it as well.
2) One guy called himself Pastor John to lend himself some legitimacy.... I originally through he was a member of this forum but he was a scammer....
Tell him you have heard of Craigslist scams using cashier checks and apologize profusely that you cannot use that method..... If he does not talk to you about an alternate method he is a Craigslist scammer scumbag....
Sorry you have to deal with that, It is draining to be reminded that people can be such scumsuckers....
I had a whole set of calls with that line.
I also had other stories associated with it:
1) I am out of town and agree to the price, but want to pay by cashiers check and my friend will come by after the check clears where it will be large enough to pay him to ship it as well.
2) One guy called himself Pastor John to lend himself some legitimacy.... I originally through he was a member of this forum but he was a scammer....
Tell him you have heard of Craigslist scams using cashier checks and apologize profusely that you cannot use that method..... If he does not talk to you about an alternate method he is a Craigslist scammer scumbag....
Sorry you have to deal with that, It is draining to be reminded that people can be such scumsuckers....
02-24-17, 11:51 PM
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Scam. My Wife put up an old Victrola Record Player that was her Great Grandmother's. She immediately got contacted with this same b.s. about a cashiers check. She told the party no, cash only. Then a second attempt and the my friend will pick it up angle was played. I told my Wife to tell them okay and you can pick it up at the Police Station in town cause they have a safe meeting place for these transactions. Also told her to let them know that she would not be the one meeting them but instead it would be me. Told her to add I was a Police officer and would merely bring the item to work with me that day. Never heard from that dirtbag again! :-)
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02-25-17, 12:03 AM
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If you give me your social security number and your mother's maiden name I can look into this and see if it's legit.
02-25-17, 12:41 AM
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
"The payment method i will adopt will be Cashier check and i hope thats fine by you. When cleared, I will have it picked up.. All i need to get the payment sent out is Name, Address and phone number so i can send it out soon enough..."
02-25-17, 02:28 AM
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Offer to accept the payment his way, but no dice on the other info (well, address so he can mail it). No legitimate reason he needs to have it. AND he must be willing to wait at least 10 business days before picking up the bike so your bank can verify it's not a fraudulent cashiers check.
I bet he disappears.
I bet he disappears.
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Last edited by Lascauxcaveman; 02-25-17 at 03:05 AM.
02-25-17, 05:22 AM
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02-25-17, 05:24 AM
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Scam
02-25-17, 06:17 AM
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Thanks for the insights, everyone. It sounded fishy but I haven't sold anything on Craigslist for a while.
02-25-17, 07:03 AM
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For me, craigslist = local only, in person, at a remote local location. Requires patience sometimes.
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02-25-17, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
"The payment method i will adopt will be Cashier check and i hope thats fine by you. When cleared, I will have it picked up.. All i need to get the payment sent out is Name, Address and phone number so i can send it out soon enough..."
Does this look legit? Sounds fishy to me. I know there are various scammers that follow Craigslist ads, and it seems like I've heard to refuse cashier's checks.
Does this look legit? Sounds fishy to me. I know there are various scammers that follow Craigslist ads, and it seems like I've heard to refuse cashier's checks.
Does that writing sound like someone local in NC wrote it? NO
Does that writing sound like someone from the UK write it? Maybe
Does it sound like an offshore scam originating from the African continent? DEFINITELY
02-25-17, 08:37 AM
#16
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I just text them to send the check to the friend that will pick the bike up. Let him cash it and show up at my door with cash in hand. I never hear back. LOL
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02-25-17, 08:40 AM
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It's 100% legit...ask me how many Nigerian princesses I've saved.
02-25-17, 09:45 AM
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Scam.
This could play out in different, nefarious ways. It could be just an attempt at plain identity theft. Or, at a later date the person will want to meet with you someplace instead to inspect/buy the bike, hoping that you will, while he ransacks your place (since he now knows where you live).
This could play out in different, nefarious ways. It could be just an attempt at plain identity theft. Or, at a later date the person will want to meet with you someplace instead to inspect/buy the bike, hoping that you will, while he ransacks your place (since he now knows where you live).
02-25-17, 10:07 AM
#20
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I usually write "in person, cash only" for CL postings. I get the old..."I'm out of town, but can have my mover come by with a cashiers check", etc....
02-25-17, 10:10 AM
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Sounds like a scam. I had a De Bernardi exactly like that one, same color, size and all. Sold it to a guy in Fayetteville in '98 or '99. Wonder if it's the same one.
02-25-17, 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Whitlatch
I just text them to send the check to the friend that will pick the bike up. Let him cash it and show up at my door with cash in hand. I never hear back. LOL
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02-25-17, 02:18 PM
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He can bring a cashier's check when picking it up, all he needs is your name. No need for address and phone, but the phrasing and everything about this screams scam
