People are way scared these days to the point of not really thinking things through. I have a buddy in Salt lake that I sometimes have check things out for me on CL there. Sometimes when I explain that my buddy will drop by with cash, they get freaky and tell me things like "you sound fishy". Out of state does not have to equal scam. But, I suppose you can't blame a guy for being careful either anymore.

1. Someone offers to buy your item for $Y.
2. You get sent a money order for $X + $Y, which is far more than you're asking.
3. You deposit it, and either send the $X excess back, or are instructed to forward the $X to someone else.
4. The Money Order turns out to be bogus, bad, fake, whatever.
5. Your bank debits your account for the full amount of the money order you "deposited" ($X +$Y), but you just sent someone $X that the money order was supposed to cover.
6. You're out $X (or $X + $Y if you were dumb enough to send the item you're selling off before the Money Order clears).

I believe the OP is being truthful. A quick glance at the OP's other threads suggest that he is new to the US and lacks the English proficiency and "craigslist street smarts" to dodge these types of scams.

I've taken to requesting the money (plus shipping fee) in cash to be mailed to me first. I don't include my address and nobody has asked for it.

One time I demanded pre-payment w/shipping from an out-of-state buyer. It turns out she was moving back in state and pre-paid me with PayPal. A couple weeks later she picked up the bike [and was very pleased with it].

2 things:

1) With CL, you should only except cash.
2) You'll probably get more for your bike if you sell it on e-bay. Make the buyer pay for shipping. You can get a free bike box at any bike shop so it's really no big deal.

Riding around with no headlights on used to be a gang thing. If anyone flashed them to let them know they didn't have headlights on, than the gang members in the car that didn't have any lights on would follow the car that flashed them and once they had finally managed to stop the car, they'd proceed to beat the snot out of the person driving.

It was a way of initiating new gang members.

Holding a Cashier's Check (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) for $3765.42 in my hand that was mailed to me recently along with a request to get involved in Market Research/Secret Shopping. Part of the 'training' involves cashing the 'Cashier's Check', keeping $400+ for myself for 'paid training' and sending the rest of the money ($3765.42-$400) to a secret shopper by Money Gram. Right. I put the check into my bank account and then go to Money Gram and write out a check on my account for $3365.42 and send that to the 'secret shopper'. What could possible go wrong with that except my bank telling me a few days later that the 'cashier's check' was phony and that I owe the bank $3365.42?
Gee, it looks like a genuine Phony Cashier's Check. Who woulda known?

I will be coming into some money soon, as I fortuitously received an email from the son of the minister of finance of Nigeria. As soon as I get it, I will send you $875 because that is the way us rich guys roll.

No, actually that is an urban legend.

So did they just recently get the Internet where you live?

By that point it's a face-to-face transaction, which is arguably easier to judge, and the buyer has had a chance to look at the bike. If it's really that bad, it'll be obvious during the inspection - do the wheels seem true, the bearings seem smooth, the headset seem right, and everything seem adjusted? It's not completely free of danger - you could find that the bike seemed OK but isn't, or that it's just not what you want, and have the seller refuse to buy it back despite the promise. You could also have the seller mug you, take your money, and ride off on the bike, whether or not there's a buyback promise on the table. Any transaction requires some element of risk and/or trust.

Al Gore invented the internet scam.

I restore old pinnball machines and sell some on craigslist from time to time so I get mail teling me they have people to pick it up and want to send me lots of money. I let them just to see what they look like and give them a hard time. I would wash dishes before I would steal money from people!

We here at BikeForums are sincerely touched by your unfortunate loss. In an effort to help you back on your feet, we've setup a PayPal contribution site. To finalize things, we need to link the PayPal site to your bank account, the money will be automatically deposited and instantly available. Please PM me your bank details, including the routing number (at the bottom of the check).

Thanks and God Bless

lol, meet the seller at a public place, hand the seller full payment in cash while you go test drive the bike that turns out to be crap? you'll come back to find the seller gone with your money because you just bought the bike my friend.

there aren't really any foolproof answers here when you buy a used bike.

but if you're dumb enough to fall for the fake cashier's check scan or a nigerian scam, you deserve to get scammed. it's an important lesson for you to learn in life.

RVD.

when i sold my videocamera i had a scam like that. i spotted it immediately and had fun with it. it lasted about a week, these people are shady. quick summary of what happened

-"walter obama" wants to overpay for it and i can keep the extra money

-i tell him he is a blessing because i just lost my job and i NEED the money

he tells me that god is taking care of me. i ramble about how depressed i have been recently and mention possible suicide. he reassures me again.

i dont return his emails for a few days, then i reply a few days later...as my "sister". i ask him how he knew "john" and he said they were friends. i tell him john tried to kill himself and is in the hospital.

*the scammer had terrible grammar
he asks if we can continue the deal. i get off topic about being sad and angry at my husband who is divorcing me and leaving me with the kids. walter obama then HITS ON ME. it gets to the point where he talks dirty. he sent emails i didnt answer for a few more days.

these scammers are just dirty and have no conscience.

Were you drunk when you posted this? And by the way, 'Gurly' bikes are over-rated! How is that kool-aid sheep?

Every time I post something for sale on CL I get a message telling me they will buy it site unseen, and give me a cashiers check for more than the item is selling for. I always tell them cash only in person. I never hear from them again.

You weren't a little bit suspicious when cuz sent you $875???

Caveat venditor!

Then nothing happens. Most banks will clear then entire amount of the money order within 24 hours. However, the bank can find out that the whole thing was bogus up to 2 weeks after the deposit and debit your account accordingly. So even if you don't send the money back, you're on the hook for the service charge and any spending against it you might have done.

my understanding is that deposits other than cash never "clear." These scammers also use cashiers checks, which I always thought were like cash. Someone around here got scammed for many thousands of dollars and some purebred high $ dogs. That was when I first heard about this particular scam, it has been around forever, but it came into heavy usage only in the last 5 years or so.

???what???

I had an ad on CL for a speedlight (brand new) that I was selling. I had a flurry of emails, one a-hole tried to trade me for a crappier speedlight (wtf) when I had clearly stated I was selling as I had gotten the speedlight as a gift and already had a speedlight. Anyway, some other guy agreed on the price, in cash and we set up a public place to meet and do the exchange. It was a Latino, he tried to lowball me to my face, probably cause I'm a chick...anyway, I stood firm, I was selling for less than it was worth. He eventually gave me what I had asked for so no harm, no foul.

Anyway, I had my Miyata 912 on CL to trade for a smaller Miyata 912 or a similar quality/value road bike in my size. Bunch of emails that were fishy or not what I asked for, then this guy emailed me, saying he had lots of road bikes and he would like to see the Miyata blah blah.

I called him, he said he's fixed hundreds of bikes yadda yadda. I asked him what model/sizes of road bikes he has and he was pretty vague. Rather than take my Miyata to his questionable shop, my BF and I went to where he said his shop was, it was in the worst part of Vancouver, mere metres from the DTES, anyway I called the guy, said we were in the area and I wanted to see what he had before bringing my Miyata there. He wouldn't let me see what HE had before I showed him MY bike.

I never talked to him again, I figured he was probably selling/trading stolen bikes or something even more sinister.

OMIGAWD best story evar. hats off to you, my friend.

Before I gave the cash I was confident that the amount they was asking was a fair price. I actually gave them $40 less. The bike looked like to be good shape before the ride, I felt I could trust the seller and I took a spin. Bike rode good but too small for me. Went back they got bike I got my cash. The seller was hot.