richard_lyman1 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>ok i will like you to get back to me with your email pay pal adrees for instant payment,i will include the shipping cost $150 so the total will be $650 becouse it's internationl. am buying it for someone outside the country ok.i will also like you to put your name and phone number so that i can call you whenever the payment made... am busy in the office you know, <br /> thanks...</p> <p>I'm selling a camera on Craig's List and got this reply. The guy sent me one e-mail before asking if it was still for sale, as the add has been up for a week. I could really use the money, but pay pal or not, this seems fishy. Curious to get others opinions how to deal with this.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andylynn Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>This sounds like the bad grammar of a scam I read about where the guy makes the Paypal payment, not having the money to cover the transaction. You get an email that makes you think you've got the money only to be informed several days later that the transaction failed.</p> <p>I can't find the link.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>I would tell him that the only way you'll send the goods is freight collect. That way there can be no talk about what the shipping or tarrif charges might be, or who is responsible for them. There are a lot of ways that this could be a scam, and most of them revolve around the shipping and shipping charges.<br /><br />He's telling YOU what he will pay for freight. Here's what happens. He PayPals you $650 (probably backed up by a stolen bank account number or credit card that will eventually wind up reversing the charges, and you get nothing), and then in a couple of days, he writes to tell you that, good news, the shipping is only going to cost $50, and could you please send the difference - $100 - to his "friend" for whom he made the purchase, who now has his own PayPal account, blah blah blah. You get the idea.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>Yes, it is standard language for emails I get for just about anything I've ever put on CL. For fun, I tried to see how far the guy would go. I got to "send your item to my niece in Nigeria (address provided), and I will send payment via Paypal." Yeah, right. I was hoping the con would at least be a little more challenging. I even replied that the item was sent (with a bogus tracking number), and never heard from him/her again.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterblaise Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>.</p> <p>Craig's List is for local transactions only, Richard. Raise the level and sensitivity of your BS filter -- it should have kicked in at the word "international".</p> <p>.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpo3136b Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>Even if the prospective buyer offers you the sweetest deal in the world, you're not obligated to sell to him. If you feel uncomfortable with a transaction, tell them it's not for sale anymore, and drive on. After all, it's not for sale, to them. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_lofquist Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>You just saved yourself $650 by checking with this forum.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>Hmm...let me guess...the destination is somewhere in Africa? I had been contacted twice after listing an F100 camera at Amazon and somewhere else.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_l3 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>Craigslist is a great way to sell but it can be a jungle. I have been flooded with scam offers from posting Craigslist ads. Never be tempted, even for a moment, with anything fishy. Ignore every suspicious offer you receive and never look back. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railphotog Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 We don't have Craig list locally, but a similar Kijiji free service. The message board is filled with reports of similar scams. And worst of all, many of the messages come from people who have fallen for the scams. One person got a message wanting to buy their used washing machine and have it shipped to the opposite end of the country! Many ads offering the latest Nikon cameras for about a third of their new cost. One even said the camera was located in London, England but would be shipped to the buyer. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is! Local in person sales, cash only! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricklavoie Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p>like the old saying;</p> <p>if its smell like fish, taste like fish..it must be a fish : )</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_lyman1 Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 <p> Thanks everyone for confirming my suspicions. I was so excited to sell it, I almost went through with it. I'm glad I asked here. I've found jobs on Craig's List but never sold anything online and I'm pretty suspicious. I put "not willing to ship" in the add too, but the guy contacted me anyway. I'll be patient and wait for a more legitimate offer. The whole online transaction thing makes me nervous, both from the point of view of the buyer and seller. I'm looking for a used 5D and some L lenses online, and I just don't trust it unless it's from someplace like KEH or Adorama. E-Bay I have yet to form an opinion on. A lot of it there falls under the "to good to be true" category, and the much of the rest isn't any cheaper than a legitimate retailer.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t37traveler Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 <p>I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole! On-line transactions through eBay and local Craig's list listings (where you can actually go pick up or deliver items) are usually pretty safe. I've never had a bad experience on eBay, but you always have to be careful. Any time that you have someone sending you a check and then wanting you to refund money - watch out. Your bank would hold you liable for the $650 - there was just a big spread on the evening TV news in the DC area about just this type of "deal." </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamting Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 <p>The PayPal scam is such that after sending money, it is pretty easy to reverse it via PayPal or the credit card used to pay through PayPal. Standard PayPal policy is to screw over the seller leaving them without item and money, which is why sellers are leaving eBay in droves.</p> <p>The same scam can be done with money orders or checks because your bank will actually clear the check before they receive funds from the source bank.</p> <p>Always deal locally in cash and ignore anyone asking you to ship it (even if they pay first).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 <p><< The PayPal scam is such that after sending money, it is pretty easy to reverse it via PayPal or the credit card used to pay through PayPal. Standard PayPal policy is to screw over the seller leaving them without item and money, which is why sellers are leaving eBay in droves. >></p> <p>Never heard of this. I am concerned because I have used PayPal for a long time. I will appreciate some supporting info for reference. </p> <p>Thanks,<br> Mary</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamting Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 <p><a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_en-USUS294US303&aq=f&ie=UTF-8&q=ebay+paypal+scam">Reference.</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 <p>Read a few. Yes, I received <strong>phishing</strong> emails pretending to be sent from PayPal and eBay, and some pretend to be from my bank and other institutions. I suppose some people do get fooled by these schemes. Hwvr, I think it is unfair to blame PayPal for this. PayPal is a huge target for scum bags.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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