Frustrated, I've been trying off and on to sell my Quattro Assi fixed gear track bike on the local craigslist and just got flagged off again. As long as I don't put anything in the posting about scammers and nothing about cash only and meet in a safe place the posting rides. But as soon as I put in anything about scam attempts or requesting people include a local telephone number then I can only assume the scammers are retaliating because I'm revealing their tactics. Latest scammer said they/she wanted to buy the bike and wanted to see it that night, then after a delay she/it said something had come up and wanted to know a good time to see the bike, then after another delay of no response she/he/it finally replied that their work had moved them to DE (Deleware?) and said they could send a certified cashier's check and that they had no problem with me waiting for the check to clear before arranging shipping. My take on it was that they had approximated my work hours and now just wanted a physical address. Scam vs human inquiries seem to be at the ratio of 99 scammers per one low bid humans.

I'm getting more into photography and wanted to sell the bike to raise photo gear funds. Maybe I should take this as a sign that I should just bring the bike to work with me and head down to the Kenosha velodrome once or twice a week with it and get some laps in.

Sorry for the vent. Time for lunch, maybe I'll take a photo of some snow....

I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a buyer at the 'drome. Usually there is a bulletin board with a classifieds section, no?

I haven't been selling anything lately but I have been seeing some really low priced bikes that scammers put up in order to get contact information. Sadly, I was fooled on one and gave out my number, never hearing from the seller but I was offered a "fantastic once-in-a-lifetime offer" on a time share in Nassau via text.

Frustrating for sure. Why not sell it on ebay?

Wait until the snow melts and Spring really arrives. That's when the real buyers come out.

treebound, my response to your story is:

Some people!

So let me get this straight: "craig" made a list, with lofty ideals of recyling, sharing and the bypassing of consumer society, and now the system chokes up by the same thiefs and scoundrels that trashed the old economy? Ironic

Sorry, too much coffee today and physical Springtime has been delayed by a late start Wintertime hanger-oner. Cabin fever I guess.

I don't think the scammers are human.

And, yeah, Craig made a list, and now people don't wipe the mud off their shoes when they come onboard, then they drink all the creamer in the fridge and steal the toilet paper from the restrooms when they leave. Yep "some people".

I think I'll pump up the tires on the bike when I get home and set it up on the rollers in the basement and go for a 10 minute spin. I'll probably get a flat and the 8+ year old tubular glue will probably give way. Or I'll just get some exercise and nothing will go wrong.

Oh well, such is life at times.

So, don't put anything about scams in the post. Then ignore scammy emails--they are pretty obvious. Problem solved.

Also, I suggest you NOT put a request to include a phone number in the email. People don't know you--for all they know, YOU could be the scammer or just a weirdo. I don't give my phone number to just anybody. You are turning possible buyers away by the phone number request.

Craig was a sentimental liberal who thought that all he needed to do was create a website that would create an atmosphere of "helping one another in friendly, social, and trusting communal ways" to make the world a better place.

Despite the altruistic motive, he created a monster. For example, the craigslist murderer, spammers harvesting email addresses for profit, rip-off artists, prostitution rings, organized crime, etc, etc.

I like craigslist. But, the irony is that he Craig Newmark, didn't accomplish his "social utopia" goals with the list. Instead he facilitated capitalism's full spectrum of glory!

It is experiences like this that make me long for the good old days. Weekly ads in the Greensheet were so much more efficient.

I hate people. Show me your cat.

this happens. A lot. I was frustrated like you. It is okay, just move on and presevere. Real good buyers come in the unlikeliest times.

I've seen that Quattro a few times on Milwaukee craigslist - very cool bike, and sorry about the scammer hassles. I buy and sell a fair amount of bikes and bike parts on there and have come to just accept the spam as the hidden cost of what's ultimately a very useful free service. Hopefully you'll find a legit buyer soon.

I once made arrangements with a fellow from CL via E-mails to take a look at a bike while he was out of town [lived in a very low-crime area and said he would leave it on the porch and I could just leave a check in mail box if I'd like to purchase it (was a ~$35 beater Gary Fisher MTB)]. So said seller leaves me address and Phone #, tells me to call him if any issues. Sounds goods to me so far.

Decided to have a friend ride with me as the house on Google earth was a good distance from others, even though he said he would not be home. Eventually found the place, no bike. Called the man twice and left a message before I left only for him to call back and accuse me of: trespassing on his property and hacking into his e-mail address to find his contact information?!?! He said he had no idea who I was so i referred him to the e-mail conversations where he addressed me by name (which is when I was accused of hacking).

Long story short. Be very careful with CL. Always take someone with you to a meet. Speak to them on the phone beforehand to get a grasp of character.
That being said, if proper precautions are taken, CL is a great, free resource

It might surprise some to know that liberalism and capitalism are not mutually exclusive.

Indeed. It's a free service. Only once have I met a truly bad buyer or seller in 4 years of buying and selling. I don't count no shows and lowballers. They are part of the rich mixture of society.

When business slows, people get weird. This is my take after 30 years in sales. Right now, bike sales are dead. Prices are down.

I meet folks in the local grocery store parking lot. It's easy to find, well-lit & plenty of parking.. There's an ATM in the store. I let them know this so buyers don't have to arrive carrying more cash than they're comfortable with.

Last bike I sold was a crap Firmstrong beach cruiser. I was asking $75, expecting $60. Buyer showed up in a new BMW 7 series. He offered $60 just as expected. One condition of sale was that it fit in his car. Gave me a Crescent wrench to pull the wheels. When I slipped and took a chunk of skin off my thumb, he nearly passed out. Blood phobia. Made sure to bleed as much as possible. You took $15 bucks off the price, rich prick- thought you wanted the blood of the poor.

This sounds like the old "Didn't you order delivery on these 12-pizzas?" scam. (I think a third party was posting the ad.)

+1
I miss the old weekly "Tradin' Times" classifieds ... I use to look forward to it each week and rush to the newsstand, to see what new treasures were waiting there.

Aw, come on. Generalizations are fun!

The best one can hope for is to be honest, one's self and understand that for every heard of sheep, there will be at least one wolf. Don't be the wolf, but do carry wolf repellent.

Of course, you're right!

Always surprises me how different the word is used kn either side of the pond. Here, the liberals are the automobile lobbying, privatizing, global warming denying, free market revering and socialist bashing party!

Soooooooo.....why not sell it on ebay, if craigslist is not working?

FWIW: I put the scammer lingo in all of my ads, must include your name and phone number, mention the bike by name, etc. But at least HALF of my actual buyers ignore those rules, and even send an email that looks a lot like a scammer.

So I have been thinking about dropping all of that stuff from my ads, as even real buyers seem to be clueless/unable to follow even basic instructions.

Its part of the whole C/L is free, but its wide open trade off.

In Britian the Liberals are economic libertarians and in the US, Liberals are civil libertarians.