Sent me an email wanting to buy a computer part that I had on sale at Craiglslist.com

My reply
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Yes the motherboard is in excellent shape and works beautiful. I will take $10 off if you come get it tomorrow….

Any questions call me
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His reply
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Hello Seller,
Sorry for the delayed response,I really appreciate your response to my earlier mail.like i said i will like to buy this item so pls do withdraw the advert from ksl. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via US Certified check due to the distance as i am located in New York.I will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
1.Your full name

2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address

3.Your phone number.

and let me know the last price am also given you $100 as offer.
**I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check**
Have a nice day.
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BY NOW, I KNEW THIS WAS A STUPID SCAM……

MY REPLY
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Good!!!! I will even save you money….I’ll be flying to NY this Friday from my job, tell me where to meet you and you pay me cash right there…..
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AFTER MY REPLY WHICH WAS TRUTH, HE NEVER CONTACTED ME AGAIN!!!!!!!

Daniel Stephen:

Sounds good, I would like to purchase it from you as soon as possible. (I am intrested and ready to buy it now) The easiest way for me to pay is probably E-Check from my Bank(Bank Of America). I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the E-Check to go through at your bank or anything. Here is a thing from the E-Check. You will probably need to Purchase Business Check Paper, at any store below in your area,

(1) Shopping Mall
(2) Stationery Store
(3) Office Depot
(4)Office max

For $20 and it will be added to your asking price with an extra offer of $100 for the stress and strain. Once you purchase the business check paper. I will email you the check and you will have it printed. Then proceed to your bank and cash the check. So i will need your your Full Name and Address with a Valid Email Address to send the simple step on how to print the check to your email which you can print and cash within 2 hours after you must have purchased the business check paper. Kindly get the posting deleted if you are ok with my mode of payment. I will await your email. Please Email me back and let me know if this helps Regards.

Daniel Stephens
407 Kenwood Drive
Jacksonville, NC 28540

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Even though i would love to continue the conversation just to see what is said, my time is valuable to me and not worth the time since the responses are more than likely automated at best.

Appreciate the site- saved me a lot of heartache and trouble. I know it’s a waste of my time, but here’s my last exchange with him (it’s a little long- sorry)

Mr. Collins,

I can certainly understand your situation, as my secretary often incorrectly writes checks for two and three times the amount I direct her to. It’s difficult to find good help, but at least she’s hot, so it’s worth the added expense.

I would be more than happy to contact your shipper and make all the necessary arrangements, as I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time. Unfortunately, my 4 year old son got into my tool bag and managed to somehow disassemble the range, which I was storing in my garage. There is good news along with the bad, however. Since it is now in approximately a dozen much smaller pieces, it will be infinitely easier for me to carry down to the UPS office for delivery. As you seem to be an immensely intelligent person, I’m sure you will have no problem whatsoever reassembling it. I only wish I could be there in person to marvel at your skill in rewiring the computer controls, as they are a shambles.

The bad news is that it will unfortunately cost significantly more to ship. Please send another check in the amount of $3000 ($6000 after your secretary gets hold of it) so that I can deposit it into my personal bank account and then forward the cash back to you. I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

You have been an answer to my prayers, Mr. Collins. I look forward to concluding our business.

Brad

From: Jerry Collins [mailto:jcolls100@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 4:55 PM
To:
Subject: Re: GE Profile 30-in slide in electric range with Trivection technology - $2200 (Queen Creek)

Hi,
How are you doing ?I want you to understand that the deal is on as my secretary as posted the payment already, but there was a slight error i guess we can handle with care, instead of the actual amount $2250 for the item,she made out the check for $4250 she claimed that was what i requested but she didn’t get that straight. So once you have the check please cash it and deduct the money for your goods plus $50 that for your running around expenses.The excess fund should please be sent to my mover via western union,this fund will be use in offsetting the cost of the shipment he as undertaken for me recently.
Please email at once to let me know that i can trust to have the excess funds sent to my mover.

Regards,
Jerry.

If your telephone number is a listed number (landline number, not a cell number), your name, address, and phone number is public directory information anyway, so you didn’t provide any information that can’t be retrieved via Directory Assistance / anywho.com / etc.

Sandy

I just received the same response from Michael Smith (email address spells it Micheal)about some bedroom furniture pieces that I had listed on craigslist. The wording in his email was identical, but he used a different address and different 206 number (which is a state of Washington number) in his response to me:

Michael Smith
705 Porter Avenue
Martinsburg, WV 25401
206-888-2531

I had an uneasy feeling from the get-go on this one, but I played the game through for a couple of emails. I had never heard of iversa check and hadn’t checked for scams before I first responded to him. Glad that I did some searching for this good info on the scamming. Thanks to all !!

Sandy

Help! I ‘m worried! I’m so glad to read all your stories about these scams! I tried to sell something on craigslist yesterday for the first time and got a response right away. I ended up emailing him my name, address, and phone number. He told me he was going to send me a personal check because he was out of town, and will get the movers to come pick up the items once the check is cleared. After I emailed him all my info, I emailed him right away and asked for his contact number. He never responded w/ any contact info but instead said that he was going to send a check. I then emailed him back and told hime that we changed our minds and preferred to deal locally and in cash. I’m still waiting to hear from him. I’m really worried that I ended up giving him my name, address, and phone number…should i just forget about this or should i report him to anyone? I’m assuming that he’ll get my email about not wanting to continue w/ the sale…I’m just so worried that he has my info…
thanks so much