You wanna waste more of my time with your spam? Two can play at that game. It’s on, Craigslist scammers!

You remember last time, right? Well, I got another obvious scam email yesterday in response to a Craigslist ad, so I thought I’d play the scammer along for a while 1. So my emails are in black, and the scammer’s are in red. The setup: I had an ad on Craigslist for a car. Got the following response:

From: Bill Adams [sholingtoon01@hotmail.com]
To: Rob

CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money,cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

Hello Seller,
i saw your item at craigslist.org and i realy have interest in it i want you to mail me back as soon as possible if it still availabe so get back to me today Thanks

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

 

Yep, the car is still available. Interested in seeing it?

From: Bill Adams [sholingtoon01@hotmail.com]
To: Rob
Sounds Good.

I will like to proceed with payment asap and will like to handle shipment myself when you must have gotten your cash at hand. I am in no rush to pick up the item till funds are clear at the bank. My mode of payment will be via Electronic Cashier Check drawn on US bank. (Bank Of America). You will probarbly need a business check paper to print and cashor deposit the check today. The business check paper is sold for $20 at any stationery store,staples or at your local office supply outlet. I will add the cost of supplies to your asking price with an extra offer for accepting my mode of payment. I work with an auditing firm and will not have time to mail a check. Electronic Cashier checks is fast and secure. I will need your name and address with valid email address to send the Echeck to your email which you can print immediately when you must have purchase the supplies at staples or any stationery store. Kindly delete the advert of this item if my mode of payment is accepted. I will await your email asap.
Thanks.

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Dear, Madam. {I throw this in for obvious confusion, just to make sure he’s awake. I mean, who confuses “Bill” for a woman’s name?}

I am pleased that you are anxious to buy my car. I wonder if you would be interested in test driving the vehicle first, however, as it has many nice features with which you could use. For instance, it has an after-market ejection seat — a nice feature indeed when fleeing from the Columbian death squads, I can assure you! Also, there is a 10,000 volt security system that I had installed to ward off the drug lords. Please advise as to the shipping method. I’m not sure if UPS carries boxes big enough for a car.

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob
thanks concerning your email…the shipping copmany will be at your door step… for the pick of the vehicle.. just let me know when you get the business check paper… so we can proceed from there. thank….

Ugg, this guy is so bad at this. I mean, at least fake some interest in the actual item for sale! Who buys a car without test driving it first? Or looking at it even?!

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Great news, this is! I finally will be able to get rid of this clunker!So you are not interested in test driving first? Because you may want to. The pedals stick somewhat. This one time, I was fleeing the police in my city of Albuquerque, and the brakes wouldn’t work at all. I manged to stop by running over old people, haha! I kid, I kid. They were all my age. But never fear, those brakes are all replaced now. So for this “business check paper”, can I use copier paper? Would that be sufficient?

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob

You will probarbly need a business check paper to print and cash the check today. The business check paper is sold for $50 at any stationery store,staples or at your local office supply outlet. I will add the cost of supplies to your asking price with an extra offer for accepting my mode of payment thanks

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Let’s talk more about this so-called “extra offer”. Since I am bound to a wheel chair now (ever since the run in with the Columbian hoodlums), my health is in the shitter. I would be very grateful for your show of charity in this regard. What can you offer a poor soul who’s down on his luck? Ok, I am going to go buy some of this check paper now at OfficeMart {this bogus store name should have tipped him off, huh?}. They have the best prices in town! And they always have ample handicapped parking, I have found. Do not worry — I will not drive your future Camry-to-be to the OfficeMart. Wouldn’t that be bad luck if I crashed it on the way, what with my bum legs and all?! I shall take the city bus. Be back soon…

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob

Let me known as soon as you purchase that business check paper today

Thanks

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Ok, I have returned! The good folks at OfficeMart did not know at first what I needed. They tried to sell me toilet paper, but I explained that wasn’t it, haha! For you are definitely not a sewage person, are you?So I finally found the business check paper. Now how do we proceed?Also, I would very much like to hear your offer for all my trouble.

Regards,
Chris Reeves {ok, bad handicapped joke name, I know, but he’s deceased so I figured the name was up for grabs}

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob

SIMPLE STEPS ON HOW TO PRINT.
Click on the attached file to this email and save the signature.
Download the latest version of InstiCheck 3.0 on your Computer by clicking on this link: http://www.insticheck.com/Download.htm (ensure what you download is Insticheck 3.0) After downloading go to start menu on your computer and click on insticheck 3.0 icon, enter your password.
Click on ADD CHECK on the new window.
Fill in the account info below: Bank Info Company Name:
Talking Technology International, Inc.
6558 Lucas Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
Account Number: xxxxx-xxxxx
ROUTING NUMBER: xxxxxxxxx
Memo: Approved
Fractional Number should be ignored
Pay to the order of:
Your nameBank of America
675 Anton Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

 

Save the check created and ready to print.
Click on tools on the insticheck window, go to module settings and select IC_Print_Std_3_Up under the print module, save then Print Email me as soon as you print out your check.
Thanks

Amount: $4500( that is the minimum amount authorized, You will have to deduct your total amount and deduct check paper charge $50 send the extra for the shipping companyto come for pick up immediately and they will insured the car and also prepare bill of sales. You will have to sign all document with them at the NOTARY moreso!!!!!11 for all your troubles or stress deduct $100

Attach the signature you saved. Save the check created and ready to print.
Click on tools on the insticheck window, go to module settings and select IC_Print_Std_3_Up under the print module, save then Print Email me as soon as you print out your check.
Thanks
signature.jpg

So we finally get the actual scam. This one’s a weird one. Though this “Insticheck” website looks pretty amateurish, I can’t find anything on the internet that shows it to be illegitimate. It appears to be on the level. However, the funding source of this guy’s transaction is out of left field. Talking Technology International? Turns out the company is real. They make telephony equipment. The account and bank routing numbers in Bill’s email were not x’d out though.

So I called up TTI and asked for Bill Adams. I was told that there was no one by that name there, of course. I then explained the whole scam and the person said I was the third person this week to call them about this! I asked him if he knew his company’s bank information might be compromised. He told me that that account had been closed already! So it appears that our good friend Bill Adams stole this company’s bank info and was using it to steal others’ on Craigslist.

So here’s the direction I took with Bill:

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Dear Bill,
At this point, I need to inform you that all of our prior email traffic has been recorded by the Department of Homeland Security as part of their illegal wire tapping effort {having a little fun with current events!}, Internet Fraud Containment Project.

I am an undercover agent. Under the DHS Article 15, Paragraph 6, Section 4.02E, you are hereby required to cease and desist all fraudulent activity. Furthermore, you are to unplug your computer from the internet. All of your liquid assets could be forfeited to the state to cover the legal fees in your impending lawsuit.

You are advised to enter your personal information at the Internet Crime Complain Center here:

http://www.ic3.gov/contact/

…or call the DHS at: 202-282-8000

An agent will arrive at your home shortly. Thank you.

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob

woaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u mad man com catch me if u can

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

The International Grammar and Punctuation Coalition would also like to have some words with you, and most likely some occasional capitalized letters and periods.

His eloquent reply:

From: Bill Adams
To: Rob

bull*%$& eat *%$& and die

I had the final word by sending our dialog and his email header 2 to abuse@hotmail.com

From: Rob
To: Bill Adams

Enjoy your spam account while you still have it, scammer!

Footnotes

  1. a practice known as scam baiting, see Wiki for more info!
  2. to know more about how you too can fight internet email crime, read this fine article about “email headers”

Join the Conversation

333 Comments

  1. THANK YOU.
    Just got the WEIRDEST email from some guy — who also had some issues the International Grammar and Punctuation Coalition would like to discuss — who claimed he was both deaf AND paraplegic (from an accident last week!?) and thus could only respond to our Craigslist ad now, thus could we PLEASE grant him the mercy of helping him out by using his mode of payment, blah blah blah.

    Thanks for seeing this through all the way, and for following up with the company, etc. Very much appreciated.

  2. I was just put thru this same scam! I want to thank you for publishing this.
    I have an item for sale on craigslist and this person asked to pay with inticheck. Told me he was in an accident and connot get out to send a check. would have loved to chat on the phone, but he was deaf. The deal never sounded right from the begining so I did some research and found this. Who ever wrote you sounds identical to the email he sent to you. Same wording used in my mails.

    So, thanks!!!!

  3. Funny how this is making the rounds. Silly scammers. At first, I thought InstiCheck might be some sort of trojan virus to collect your data. But then I did a search for InstiCheck on Craigslist and found this.

    Seems to be a consistent story with InstiCheck’s website — not exactly top-notch professional website, but legitimate nonetheless.

    But now it seems that these scammers are using a stolen bank account (TTI) to make large purchases on Craigslist.

  4. Yep – did the search right about the time that TadMack found your site here. Same exact wording – apparently it’s too much to use a word processor with mail merge or something to generate these things. Bah.

    I’ll be so glad to be free of Craigslist, but … the selling, it has to take place.

  5. Thanks Rob, I’d gotten the same thing (from the same guy! Bill Adams from [sholingtoon04@gmail.com]) on a child’s bedroom set. Searched through InstaCheck and decided it was legit when a friend pointed me here. You saved me a lot of future hassle, many, many thanks. Cash only from now on!

  6. Thanks Rob,

    Just got the exact same first e-mail for an item on Craig’s List, except that the name used was Barry Johnson. I also thought it sounded fishy not only because of the whole e-check thing but because his english was sooooooo bad for someone named Barry Johnson.

    Thanks for your information on this scam!

  7. This guy has been busy. I was trying to sell my old beater car for 300 bucks and he wanted to buy the car (without even looking at it.) That was the first thing that made me suspicious. Secondly, the whole e-check thing was suspicious as well as I would never do a local transaction that wasn’t in person. Once I was on to this guy, I had a little fun with him. Here’s what I wrote back to him:

    Bad news. The car caught fire and exploded. There’s still some good parts left. Do you still want to buy it?

    BTW, this guy was going under the name of “Brandon Collins”

    Also, I still haven’t figured out how this whole scam works… how is it that they make money off of this?

  8. Gumby, that’s an awesome bait! Come back and tell us what he says!

    My guess is that this is a phishing scam, and that at some point there’s an exchange of personal information, i.e., your SS, bank info, etc.

    1. There is three ways here that they make money. First m he overpays you and has you give the extra money to the “shipping company”, then the bank denies the transaction and takes the amount back out of your account.. This can happen many months after the check “clears” and will happen when the company and/or person files a fraudulent transaction case. Then the third way they make money from this is they sell the item you handed over to them.. extremely lucrative scam and also very easy to get away with. Next time you have this happen you should continue with the deal and have the police with you when they have the “shipping” company pick up the said item. Obviously you never actually cash the check or sign any forms and the “shipping” company will be arrested for many different federal laws… good luck to everyone and hope nobody falls for this.

  9. Rob,Thank you so much! I just turned down one of these scammers because the instant they started going on about privately shipping my husband’s riding lawnmower to California, a really big red flag went up. As this was my first dealing with this sort of scam, I mucked it all up. I was no where near as clever or as witty as you were. I shall know better for next time. Keep up the good work! ~Molly

  10. Thank you for saving me time and hassel.  I got the same email from Brandon Collins.  I thought it sounded strange so as soon as I typed his name into Google….there he was.  Thanks again!

  11. Wow! Thanks a lot for this post! I was just about to complete a transaction with someone who sent me an identical email! Good thing I was not a dummy and I looked into it, huh?!

  12. Thanks Rob,

    This guy is busy. He's the third attempt to scam me after I put a furniture ad on craigslist. Used the same name "bill adams <sholingtoon16@hotmail.com>" which surprised me. I feel somewhat sorry for those who do get scammed.

    I'm surprised that no one has tried to scam me for the cemetery plots I have listed.

  13. Although amused by this exchange, I was not so clever, as my bank did cash the phony check and then deducted the $ from my account 5 business days later once the check was returned–and after I had wired money to the supposed shipper!!  UGH. Beware of David Robertson, davidrob001 @gmail.com. He does rob! 

  14. Since these scammers seem rather un-bright by reusing the same email address's, I have added them to my blocked address's list on yahoo.
    Here are the ones I've personally encountered so far. Thanks to others who've posted their encounters also.

    Scammer emails:
    kelvin desmond <kelldesmondtextile@gmail.com>
    Stitu Diana <stitu007@hotmail.com>
    bill adams <sholingtoon16@hotmail.com>

  15. Sorry to be cruel here, but I am frankly quite angry, as I get about 50 of these scam emails a week, and its very annoying.
    How could anyone be so stupid as to actually follow through with such absolute nonsense.   Dear Stupid American Fool, is it your greed that blinds you?
    It is your  fault that these scammers constantly bombard the rest of us.    If it were not for you absolute idiots, they'd have thrown in the towel.

  16. Strong words, Gerry, but you're certainly entitled to your opinion.

    To play devil's advocate, I can speak from experience that I've been involved in some eBay transactions that felt very much like scams at the time and turned out not to be.  There's a lot of oddball sellers out there.

    I guess the bottom line is this: it pays to listen intently to your intuition and if you have a "bad feeling" about any transaction, then educate yourself.  Ask more questions, request more time, make yourself feel better about it before going through with it.  If there's any hesitation or misdirection on the seller's part, there's something wrong with the transaction!

  17. I think Gerry's comments are quite valid, but we have to keep in perspective that many many people on the net are really novices and easily seduced. You can't be too cautious! After you've encountered the scammers more than once you're antennae are up, but first timers are easily caught up in the excitement of a good deal or selling something.

    Which is another point. Rob's baiting example was a classic example of the scammers going after the SELLER not the buyer. The old adage 'caveat emptor' (Latin for "Let the buyer beware.") has really been turned upside down. It is easy to understand how someone who is selling something can easily be caught up in the moment of having found a buyer. I think it the psychology of this activity that really provides a fertile field for the scammers.

  18. Today on Good Morning America, they actually ran a story about this very scam.  They mentioned Ebay and Craigslist as the main sources.  It was interesting to hear them explain the scam, especially in regards to the phony checks or the print your own checks that people deposit.. then wire back some amount to the seller only the have the bank come back and say that the check was no good.  This happened to one woman to the tune of about 25,000 dollars and she wound up committing suicide over the whole ordeal.  Also, according to the story, the US Postal service will soon begin airing commercials about the scam and how to spot it.

  19. WOW, this sounds sooo freaking familiar.  He's still at his game scamming us little Craig's listers… I even tried to file a report with the local pd and guess what I didn't cash the check so no crime was commited????  Am going to Bank of America tomorrow to notify them of this guy doing this crap. 

    Sadly though… This guy will never come to justice as I see it now he's just swapping companies until someone dumb enough actually cashes a check from him… maybe someone has I honestly don't know.  But man this guy p's me off.

  20. Your post was one of the research followups I did when my Craigslist ad for a winecooler generated a reply from Darlene Christmas using the following emails… pizza_mcdonald06@hotmail.com – She claims bad breakup and needs household items -is Chief Cook on ship Merchant Navy and can't get off the water to post a check in the mail. Wants me to print a business check for OVER the amount  and ship immediately…yah right! She also gave the following additional emails to use with her on Messenger… d_lawbarry@yahoo.com and pizza_mcdonald@hotmail.com.  Same use of insticheck and wants overage returned as western union or moneygram.

  21. Just thought I would reiterate with Rob here just how stupid this person is as I had not only filed a report on this person but never cashed the check.  Hilarious just how far this guy will go to get that money before a person is aware that it truly is a scam.

    Hello Heather,
     
    I got a confirmation from my bank that the funds has cleared at your BANK.I will like to inform you again that the remaning excess fund is for the shipping company so that they will come for pick up as i purchase the item for my uncle.Though i have other items to be picked up in the state so i informed them to pick up your item together with rest items that i have purchased.Now i will want you to please withdraw the shippers fund and proceed to any money Gram outlet that is close to you and send the fund to the C.E.O for dependable autos shipping company Money Gram agent. He informed me that the ship/men is now in North Carolina picking up cars and trucks, so that thier Money Gram agent confirmed the money he will notify the ship men to come for  pick up immediately .Please send the money to thier C.E.O Money Gram agent information below and email me the Money Gram details such as senders name and address,Reference Number and the total amount sent so that i will forward it to the shipping company immediately. i await for the Money Gram Details today.. here is the shipper's details for the money gram to be sent to.. for him to be able to pick the fund up and proceed for the pickup of the 197 Childrens videos mostly Disney VHS Tapes.. reply asap

    Terry Simmons
    4 east 7th Street
    Washinton NC 27889
     
    Thanks

  22. I wanted to say that I also got an email from Meredith Daniels who ignored my pick up only and cash only ad on craigslist and asked to buy it by echeck, sight unseen and get it shipped to her. When I pointed out my requirements, she then asked for me to get the check and then she would arrange for pick up. GEEZ. Some people. Anyways, to add to the Meredith Daniels scam alert, this is her? email: meredith_danny003@hotmail.com
    I wish I was more of a smart@ss with her. I was too unsilly and just said I wouldn’t accept check to which she didn’t respond.

  23. THANK YOU FOR THIS!! 🙂 I encountered what I believe to be a scammer asking to pay for my item with InstiCheck, too. If Insticheck is legit, then how do they ever get my bank info?? I am missing how they make money off me…even though they must, as this is an obvious scam. Why wouldn’t InstiCheck be on to it? They seem like they must be illegit! Sorry!

    I don’t have full proof, but the Insticheck request is enough for me to issue a warning not to trust:

    giannabest001@hotmail.com naming herself Gianna Bello

  24. “If Insticheck is legit, then how do they ever get my bank info?? I am missing how they make money off me”

    The scam in this case is that the “buyer” will “accidentally” overpay you and will then ask you to wire the difference back to them. The unsuspecting seller (thinking that the check has cleared) will mail the money back only then to have their bank come back and say that the check is no good. The seller then must pay the bank back while the scammer gets away scott free. 🙁

  25. Another Craig’s List Scam—I am from the Spokane, Washington area. Posted a custom solid oak louvered pocket door last week. Two days ago, “Charlie Withson” withson002@hotmail.com contacted me “Iam interested in your door. Is it still available?” I answered yes and received “”The easiest way for me to pay for your item is thought Electronic Cashier’s Check, which is an E-Check, draw from (Bank of America) and all what you need for the E-check is to buy Business Check Paper at Walmart, Office Max, Office Depot, Stationery Store, Shopping Mall. And it cost$10. ” The mail went on and on with mis-spellings and convaluted instructions. I responded back that I only do Pay Pal or cash.

    “Charlie” responded back ” I can only make the payment thought electronic cashier’s check, due to the nature of my profession, and there short notice traveling jobs. I had to leave town and will be back in a week. Proceed to purchase the Business Check paper and let me know the cost because I am going to pay for it.. So don’t worry about the shipment, the item will be pick up by Private shipping company.”

    My thoughts are “THIS IS A SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beware.

  26. Tonight I received a response from “Charlie Withson” asking me to provide my name and address so he could fill out the check information for me. Also, he would include an “extra $1000.oo” and I should send back the “extra” via the shipping expediter to cover “shipping costs”. In the morning I will contact the local Sheriff’s Department to see if I can interest them in a sting operation and hopefully give “Charlie Smithson” what he is asking for and, hopefully, a little more.

    Sellers on Craig’s List— BEWARE!!!!!!!!!

  27. I got pretty close to falling for this one. Fortunately, I noticed something was quite fishy regarding his offering price. Actually, I did get a phone call from the guy just today, asking if I’d cashed the check yet. Unfortunately, there was no callback number.

  28. I was trying to sell a motorcycle and got this from a person calling themselves Frank Moore:
    ************************************
    Hello John,
    Thanks for your replyi am glad to know that u have the full ownership right of the item.am located in Tx and i have a private shipper that will come to pick it up after you must have received cash from your bank.My mode of payment will be via electronic cashier check. Echeck is simple, secured, legal, fast and it is setup to eliminate the stress of putting check or money order in mail for days. .All you need to do is to get a business check paper for $20. Once you have the business check paper i will send the secured link to print out the electronic check to your email for printing. You can then print and proceed to clear and cash the check at your bank.The money will be given to you at your bank instantly..you will not have to wait for an hour nor a day…the money will be given to you instantly. The cost of procuring the business check paper will be added to the bottom price.
    Please visit http://www.insticheck.com to get more info on echeck,you can get business check paper from officedepot, officemax, staples or any stationery store around.
    I will be waiting to read from you soon,so that we can complete this transaction immediately
    Thanks
    Frank
    *************************************

    this looks like the same darn scam to me.
    John Griffiths
    SV Pegasus C36 #1353
    lying San Carlos, Sonora
    http://www.frontier.net/~grifftoe

    Heisenberg may have been here.

  29. Oh, that’s awesome! Thanks for the link, Gumby. 🙂 What a great service they’re providing.

    And thanks for staying so active on this blog!

  30. Charlene Christmas just wrote me. I am tagging this clown along. He wants to send me money but says to give the rest to an actual person who is going to come pick it up, i am so excited!!! >:) Can’t wait to beat errr meet him.

  31. Well, if you think about it craigslist is in on these scams.on all there postings its got wornings on scams.1)This isn’t on any other sights I’ve been on.which tells me they do this as to cover them selfs and make them look like a good sight to do business with.2)On PayPal(a ligit way to pay).3)And on thier sight you go to look at for scams they say that if you ask to have someone pay Western Union(ligit way to pay)they are the scamers.So the only thing I can see meet face to face or take a bad check.Do they get any money thats gotten from scaming people?? Has anyone looked into this sight?? I wont use them anymore.maybe more need to do the same.

  32. Clay – You’ve obviously not looked to see how transactions work on Craigslist. They get no money from any transaction. They are NOT like PayPal or eBay at all. It’s more like just a classified ad in your newspaper–and it is designed specifically for local transactions that are cash based.

  33. HAHA!! I am in the process of dealing with this scam as we speak!! I am so glad I have trusted my instinct on looking this scam up!! WOW, they sure are good, but one thing they are stupid about is that they dont mention anything about the prodcut, just talk about getting payment to you as soon as possible. It seems great because of course you want the money. Does anyone know what info or what they are trying to get out of this????

  34. BTW the name used for my scam is Lauren Palmer, and the reply email after i told her that i had the check papers was McCanan. UGH!! Why are people soooo EVIL!!!???!!!

  35. Typically they want to overpay you and ask you to pay their ‘shipping agent’ or whatever. You deposit their “check” in your bank and pay their shipper. Later your bank says the check is bogus and they charge you back the amount of the check. You are obviously out the money you paid the “shipper” (that’s the scam) but you may also face charges (both financial and possibly criminal) from the bank. The scammer will never come to claim the item they purchased by the way so you are free to sell it to another scammer (tongue in cheek). If it seems too good – it is!

  36. I just got the same scam by withson004@hotmail.com, after reading what was written as the scam he wrote the same verbeage to me. I reported him too. Wonder if he can sleep at night.

    Satan sure lurks, watch out my brothers and sisters….

  37. I am currently in a transaction with this weirdo and trying to decide how I am going to respond to him/her.

    I have received several emails within the last 24 hrs all similar to what everyone else has mention. Really would like to report this person or have him/her tracked but I am not sure how to go about it.

    If anyone has any suggestions please let me know before I respond to the last email that was sent to me (We are at the point of the buyer offering me $100 over my asking price and I was given the insticheck website to print the check)

    PS-Thanks for all of the posting!

  38. Tonya »

    If you’ve received this same scam, then don’t proceed with the sale! Now if you’re wanting advice for how to keep dialogging with the scammer at his expense, just have fun with him. But don’t divulge any personal information. Make it playful and try to get him to do something that will waste his time. Examples: Try to get him to take a picture of himself and send it to you.

  39. Hi, I too now have a scammer on my hands. Does it do any good to report them & if so then to who? I am not sure if I should respond to this person or just ignore them. All I wanted to do was sell my item like all of us. I am very new to this & not sure what to do. Any ideas anyone? Here is the info on the scammer I have wanting to use the insticheck: “mary james”
    She is waiting my reply, any suggestions?

  40. Kelly,

    It’s really not worth the effort -but- the first few I got I toyed with, once I understood WHAT (scammers aren’t really human, are they?) I was dealing with I replied with the following (under the dashed line). Now days I just add their email address to my blocked address list and move on (btw, I appreciate people posting scammers email address’s, then we can be proactive to block them before we ever hear from them) it would be nice to report them to someone, but until a crime has been committed (i.e. you’ve been screwed) I don’t believe anyone is really able or willing to do anything (which points out the fallacy of ‘police protection’ in these things, it’s really investigation AFTER you’ve been had!)

    ———————————————————————–
    RESPONSE TO SCAMMER

    I have some red flags that have gone up.

    What you are proposing is not acceptable. When we originally posted this item we posted on the local Craigslist so we could meet face to face with the buyer. Based on your emails I assume you are not local to me. So, first off I need to know more about you. I would like you to tell me more about who you are so I know who I’m dealing with.

    Please reply with your Address and a phone number in case we need to talk.

    Your proposal to send more money than the amount for the item is also not acceptable. I will only accept payment for the item itself, you will have to deal with the cargo company yourself, I will not be a middle man.
    There was a time in this world when a money order or cashiers check was an acceptable form of payment. Unfortunately those days are long gone. My bank tells me there is only one truly safe way to do this. You send cash via FedEx and insure it for your protection. I will then be able to release the furniture to your cargo company immediately upon receipt of the cash.

    I will notify you immediately upon receipt of your cash payment.

  41. Thanks for the input Dick, the strange thing is that they didn’t try to offer more, she actually asked what the bottom dollar would be that I would take. There are many different walks in life but it is a shame that these evil losers have to waist our time. This is just so frustrating. But what else can we do, just keep going. Once again here is the info from the scammer I have: “mary james” maryjames05@qmail.com Maybe this time it will show the email address, if not I will repost it.

  42. Kelly »

    Does it do any good to report them & if so then to who?

    You can report suspicious scam/spam activity to the email companies. These scammers are usually using hotmail, gmail, any number of free email providers. In all of their terms of service, scam activity is prohibited. While it may not be as satisfying as landing these dorks behind bars, you can have their email addresses shut down.

    Here’s what you do. Send any or all of the offending emails and their headers to “abuse @ domain.com”. So for instance, if your scammer is using hotmail, then send his emails scams to:

    abuse@hotmail.com

    Likewise, if from gmail:

    abuse@gmail.com

  43. We shut down the emailing portion of InstiCheck due to the losers that are using it for bad purposes. They no longer should be able to email the check being we removed the link to download the viewer program. We are going to do everything we can to stop this scam.

    -derek
    insticheck.com

  44. I just got this same scam on a truck I am selling. He just emailed a check in an amount of $2,250 over what I am asking for the truck and is requesting that I wire the overage via Western Union. He also e-mailed a check via insticheck. If this has been shut down, how is he e-mailing the check through insticheck?

  45. I just got something similar in reply to my car-posting, it is also a generic email (like the others) that does not speak about the car or any specifics, it reads:

    Sounds good,
    I would like to purchase it from you as soon as possible. I am moving out in about 3 months. I will take care of all the shipping if we need to ship it (I am intrested and ready to buy it now) The easiest way for me to pay is probably Echeck from my Bank(Bank Of America).I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Echeck to go through at your bank or anything, Im in no rush. All I need for now is your name, address and an Email that will work with the Echeck….. oh, here is a thing from Electronic Check Payment. You will probably need to buy Business Check Paper sold at any Shopping Mall or Stationery Store for just $20 which i will add to your asking price.They are also avaliable at Office Depot or Staples at same cost.Once you have purchase the supplies email me your full name and contact address for the Echeck today.I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Echeck before we proceed with shipment.Please Email me back and let me know if this helps.
    Thanks

  46. Norbert,
    That is the same guy that is trying to scam me as some of the language is the same. I e-mailed him back and told him to call me and we can discuss. He then indicated that he is deaf and didn’t have a phone. If you were to continue to play the game, he is likely to ask that you ship it for him after he sends you a large sum more than you are asking for the car. In my last email to him this morning, I indicated that I wasn’t interested in paying for the shipping but that he could take care of that himself. I also suggested that the shipping cost of $2,250 was extremely excessive. This is after I already received the e-check he sent. Still waiting to hear from him (I’m sure he is dropped me now as the scam won’t work if I am unwilling to send the overage to the ‘shipping company’).

  47. Another scammer; It is in reverse order as I copied and pasted here. I am the email at MSN.com. I really liked the Department of Homeland Security comments, may try that when he replies..LOL

    ——————————————————————————–
    From: XXXXXXj@msn.com
    To: fehoes04@hotmail.com
    Subject: RE: 2 RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT – $650
    Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 08:14:44 -0900

    I will need to speak directly with you to get the routing number of the bank verified. Please provide me with a valid phone number to contact you. I have someone else interested in the planes, so you better hurry.

    ——————————————————————————–
    From: fehoes04@hotmail.com
    To: XXXXXj@msn.com
    Subject: THE: 2 RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT – $650
    Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 17:12:54 -0500

    Ok,

    Thanks for prompt reply, am really greatfull,am ready to purchase it now. The easiest way for me to pay for your item is thought Electronic Cashier’s Check, which is an E-Check, draw from (Bank Of America) and all what you need for the E-check is to buy Business Check Paper at Walmart, Office max, Office Depot, Stationery Store, Shopping Mall. And it cost $10. Once you purchase the business check paper. The echeck will be send immediately thought email, for you to have it printed. then you will proceed to your bank and deposit the check. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the E-check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that the E-check will use two or three days before the check will clear at your bank. For you to know more about the echeck you can visit there website http://www.InstiCheck.com.

    Get back to me ASAP to know if this helps

    Christopher Feo
    54 Bristol Rd
    Narragansett.RI 02881

    ——————————————————————————–
    From: XXXXXXj@msn.com
    To: fehoes04@hotmail.com
    Subject: RE: 2 RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT – $650
    Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 08:14:44 -0900

    It is still available.

    ——————————————————————————–
    From: fehoes04@hotmail.com
    To: sale-48@craigslist.org
    Subject: 2 RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT – $650
    Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:25:12 -0500

    ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

    would you please let me know if your item is still available?

    Christopher Feo
    54 Bristol Rd
    Narragansett.RI 02881

  48. this chalie withson guy is doing bussiness with me right now
    he sent me a check for and wants me to wire the money to that same dependable autos. i already cashed the check and have the money, what do i do?!?!?!?!?

  49. If I was you I would hold onto the money for a few weeks to make sure it isn’t a scam. Otherwise you will have to pay the bank back for cashing a check that was no good. I would also report this person to the proper authorities & give them the information that he gives you to wire the money to. That is if this turns out to be a scam & you will find out in a few weeks. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 weeks for the bank to figure out the check was no good.

    The scammer that I had I have not heard back from since I told them to send me cash FED-EX. By sending the cash fed-ex that would cover both parties. Them for sending it to me & me getting it, there would be proof on both parts. I advised them about the shut down of the site that has the link to the instacheck & then they wanted to send it another way but yet still hadn’t ask anything about the product. Obviously they don’t want to send cash fed-ex because then that wouldn’t be a way for them to make money.

  50. I have been dealing with charlie withson and “russell stephens”.Same exact scam as noted above with the certified check and shipping deal.All broken english.They are probably both the same guy…Im glad I ggogled his name…Although I knew something was wrong when he wanted me to ship a 350 pound fishtank across the united states.It would have cost less to buy the item new locally….Im sure he gets away with it from some people though…To the person above who cashed the check…Go to your bank and repay the amount cashed.The check will bounce…that I can asure you…

  51. He really is. A lot of posters on my web site have had encounters with him as well. I posted a similar 3 part story at

    http://www.fivezerofive.com/main/index.php?itemid=1119

    and a lot of the comment replies were comments of readers that found the site through Google while searching for Craig’s List Scams.

    I’d be interested to see how many people this guy has actually scammed successfully. Great article by the way!

  52. Thanks for the tips folks. I’ve been contacted by a Francis Brown (hmmm Frank Brown, how original) who wants to pay $5,800 for a $2,800 car, if I arrange shipping. Guess they don’t have 98 minivans where he lives…..this is obviously another Craigslist scam. You’ve given me some great ideas for stringing him along………..

  53. I was also contacted by Christopher Foe about a van that we have. I had this uneasy feeling and I thought I might Google his name and I found all of this.. Man was I surprised (well not to much) I guess I just wanted it to be real.. My husband and I almost fell for it. We just went out and bought the check paper, I am glad that I did not open it at least I can get the money back. I am still in contact with him is there anything that I can do??? Thank you all for your comments.

  54. Andy »

    Well, you can either have “fun” with the scammer by string them along, essentially wasting their time… or you can do what I recommended above and report their emails to the domain, such as “abuse@domain.com”, where “domain.com” is the email service they use. There’s just not much legal resources out there yet for fighting this sort of thing yet.

  55. Is christopher feo a scam artist, he is trying to buy my car on craigslist. He is supposed to mail me a check plus shipping for a vintage car I have for sale. How could he scam me if the check does not clear Please someone advise

    1. Banks clear a check in 24 hours but have up to 60 days to return it if it is fraudulent.

  56. Marlene Miller »

    The scam works by gaining your trust with the bogus check. They are counting on you cashing the check and then sending the difference (they always pay too much) back to them. By the time that happens, your bank will contact you with bad news: the check was bogus and you’re out the amount of the check.

  57. It’s really a shame that the government doesn’t have some agency set-up to try and get these guys. I was gung-ho about contacting someone to nab ‘Mr. Feo’ when I figured out that he was a con artist. Unfortunately, internet fraud is not really being cracked down on. What a shame!

  58. Hello,

    We have sold a truck on craiglist and very soon after it was posted to sell we got an email from a guy who wanted to trade us a buch of electronics,gaming equipment etc. for the truck. We never responded to him. Now we are trying to sell my daughters car and get a similar email, is this a new scam, possibly pawing off stolen merchandise. For the record, we are NOT trading car for merchandise only CASH money IN PERSON.

  59. Got the same scam even have his phone number his e mail address that he is using is fehoes04@hotmail.com.
    below is what he wrote//
    Hello,

    Am very sorry,i will not be able to make the payment through Company Check again,ue to the nature of my profession, and there short notice traveling jobs, I had to leave town and will be back in a week, The easiest way for me to pay for your item is thought Electronic Cashier’s Check, which is an E-Check, draw from (Bank Of America) and all what you need for the E-check is to buy Business Check Paper at Walmart, Office max, Office Depot, Stationery Store, Shopping Mall. And it cost $10. Once you purchase the business check paper. The echeck will be send immediately thought email, for you to have it printed. then you will proceed to your bank and deposit the check. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the E-check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that the E-check will use two or three days before the check will clear at your bank.

    Get back to me ASAP to know if this helps

    Christopher Feo
    54 Bristol Rd
    Narragansett.RI 02881

    what a scam will tell him i only accept cash

  60. Same scam here to ship a sofa listed on craigslist. The name she (or he) is using is Meghan Hopkins, using the emails: mhopkins034@care2.com, and mhopkins000@gmail.com. The grammar does seem better than some of replies listed, but all of the other traits of the scam are there. She is deaf and needs all of my contact info. Here is the last email:

    Good, I’ll send a draft from my bank to cover the cost as I’m satisfied with what I’ve seen so far, anyways i’ll not be available for the pick-up due to my job transfer and shortness of time, but my intention is to hire a mover to pick it up. I will need the details of whom & where to mail the draft. It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 2-3 days. Please note ‘ups’ does not deliver to P.O.Box addresses.
    1.Name to be on the check
    2.Home address
    3.Telephone
    Kindly delete the posting. I’m totally committed to buying the item from you to save my costs.

  61. Here is one from today, email addy is giannabest00@hotmail.com
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Thank you very much for your reply to my request, it is best of my knowledge that i surpose come and look at the item and confirm what you wrote about the vehicle in your advert. But due to a new business which i have engaged in now, i will not be able to come over there to look at it, but i believe i can rely on what i read in the advert regarding the condition of the item.

    Further more, since i will not come over there to see it, that means i can not offer cash or complete this transaction in person but i have contact my bank to process your payment via E-check which will be sent to you via email. E-check is a new means of payment mainly use for distance transaction, E-check is fast, convenient and secured means of payment because i have to wait till the check clear in your Bank before i will call on the shipping company that will come for the pick. Clink on this link to read more about the E-check Legitimacy http://web.archive.org/web/20041204185543/http://insticheck.com/Download.htm

    Then get back to me to know if we can proceed on the transaction.

  62. I get emails from different scammers every time I list something on Craigslist. I got the EXACT same email from “Gianna” a couple of days ago.

    Being the responsible netizen that I am, I felt it was my duty to inform him that I was going to hunt him down, rip his head off and %^$# down his throat. Then I told him I would hunt down his family too! Haven’t heard a word from him since.

    Honestly, you should all try messing with the scammers. Not only is it a lot of fun, it’s a great stress reliever too. Best of all, you can threaten and harass THEM all you want – they can’t do anything about it!

    If you really want to get creative, go to google’s language translator, type up a gibberish email and tranlate it into another language. Copy the translated gibberish and email it to the scammer. Every time I do this, I include the address and phone number of my local police department so that the scammer sees an address but can’t make sense of anything else. They get really upset about it! I’ll see if I can find some of my old correspondence with these a-holes and post it.

  63. FYI – though it is a lot of fun to mess with these people, you don’t really know who you’re messing with. So please be careful. If you’ve emailed with them then they know your email address and it is SO easy to get your work, home address, personal information just by googling your email address and/or name.

    PLEASE be careful out there.

  64. Excellent point PK, that’s why I always use a disposable email address. If you use Yahoo, then you have access to Yahoo disposable address’s. My personal favorite however is sneakemail (go to http://www.sneakemail.com). I never give out my ‘real’ address to anyone, always a disposable address. Then is it gets compromised (excessive spam, viruses, whatever), you pitch it an create a new one. In my world each person or company I correspond with gets their own, unique sneakemail address.

    1. Attention Dear Good Friend
      i am Barrister. barrister John Williams, the personal Attorney to one Mr. Morris Godwin, who worked with the Shell-Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Nigeria, however on the 22nd of MAY 2011 my client, his wife and their two children were involved in a auto-crash along the ever busy Sagumu-Ibadan High Way unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquirers to their embassy to locate any of my clients extended relations but to no avail I then decided to get in touch with you as one who i can present to the Bank as the cousin/ next of kin to my late client, so I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and Property left behind by my client before they get Confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this Huge deposits were lodge Particularly.
      However the finance company where the deceased had an account valued at about ten Million US Dollars has issue me a notice to provide the next of kin of The deceased or have the account confiscated within a shot Period of time. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now so I seek your consent to present you as the Next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this Account valued at $10 million US dollars can be paid to you and Then you and me can share the money. 60%to me and 40% to You. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used To backup any claim we may make All I require is your Honest cooperation to enable this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate Arrangement.
      that will protect you from any breach of the law as to avoid any problem from anywhere.Please get in touch with me and send to me your Telephone number also follow with your full Name, to enable us further about this Transaction. you can reach me on +234-8163457695

      waiting for your respond.

      Yours Faithfully
      Barrister John Williams.

      I NEEDED YOUR RESPONSE.

  65. Dick, this is a great suggestion! In fact, you’ve given me more incentive to start doing this. I’ve been rather sloppy about not in the past.

  66. Christopher Feo has many faces. This individual will likely be around for quite some time for reasons i’m entirely at odds with. While we have such a wonderful homeland security system, (yeah right), local and federal law enforcement officials seem to be unable to stop these type of poeple from using LLC’s and worldwide financial institutions to scam poeple of their personal finances. The fact that some of our own banking institutions will honor counterfeit checks and transfer funds regardless if their suspect indicates the burden is on YOU/US. The only place you can notify of this type of fraud is spam@uce.gov . Other than trying to file complaints and even providing law enforcement with the opportunity to catch these poeple, rest assured that this will likey fall upon deaf ears. I have a check now from Mr. Feo that looks fairly authentic. Surely the bank will be glad to withdraw the funds from my bank account and the proudly hold me responsible for the non existant funds. Hmmm. Maybe I should let Mr. Feo know a couple hundred bucks worth of a postal money order (U.S. of course) will like get him the funds he’s been waiting soooo long for. Take care eveyone………Michael and Goofy lovebird

  67. What a helpful forum. I recieved 2 different emails concerning a truck I am selling, one from Christopher Feo and another from a Gionne Graetz. I didn’t respond to Feo’s, but after responding to Graetz’ grammar massacre, it fits every bill I ‘ve seen of these scams. This person listed their address as Yarmouth, ME, but Google only turned up one Gionne Graetz in Maryland, and she is the project manager of the American Society for Addictive Diseases. Not someone you would expect to sound like this:

    “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 Cashier Check from my Bank.
    I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Cashier Check to go through at your bank or anything, then you will have to proceed to your bank and cash the check when you receive it. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Cashier Check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my account with Bank Of America. Which is Confirms to All American Banking
    Association rules and standards and attach a pics of it for me to see how beautifull it is and email me your full name and address with your phone number for me to send you the check”

    Let’s hear it for Community Awareness!!!!!

    -btw, the ejector seat had me rolling…

  68. I got the same scam today.

    Thanks for getting back. The easiest way for me to pay for your item is to mail you a Certified Company Bank Check. And also don’t worry with the shipment,the item will be pick up by my private shipping company. So i will wait for your bank to clear the check and verify it before we proceed with shipment.

    Get back to me ASAP to know if this helps

    Christopher Feo
    54 Bristol Rd
    Narragansett.RI 02882

  69. I just got my second email from Gionne and I live in Minnesota. After sending the below response I too googled the name and found the same as others above and finally this website.

    “To: ‘Gionne Graetz’
    Subject: RE: The Contemporary Queen Convertible Sleeper Sofa, like new – $1250

    This still seems questionable, plus I don’t bank in Minnesota where I live so I will only accept, as posted on the listing, cash or Paypal from a verified account.
    A) You haven’t asked any questions about it
    B) You haven’t seen it
    C) Your address says Maine and you haven’t inquired about shipping.
    D) There are photos on the posting, what more do you want?

    You are trying to scam me……
    See this ……
    ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

  70. Gionne Graetz tried to get me, but I am no fool. I played along with his little games, and asked him to send me the check that I was still waiting for it. In turn I will send the check in to be investigated.

  71. Thanks for your post, ladies and gents. I got a response to an ad I had for a hospital bed on Graigslist. It was from a “Gionne Graetz, C25 Juniper E, Yarmouth, ME 04096”. The e-mail was almost an exact duplicate of the e-mail Ethan described (posted February 16, 2008 at 7:28 am).
    Even after I told this person that I was selling it locally, they responded with the following: “I will take care of the Shipping my self, In which the Shipper will be coming to make the Pickup at your side as soon as you must have gotten my check in Hand. Email me Your Full Information to send the check to you. Thanks”. Definately something fishy going on there.
    Thanks to your post, I have avoided what could have been an ugly situation. It is much appreciated. Thank you.

  72. I just want everyone to know in regards to Gionne Graetz aka Christohpher Feo, that I filed out online an Internet Crime Complaint form that is looked into by the Feds. I have a check from him that I am saving as evidence and all our emailings. Please I urge everyone to do the same. If there are enough files on this guy maybe he will get caught.

  73. Hi all,
    If someone can give me the link to file on this Gionne guy I will take the time to do so.
    Got an inquiry about a dining set on Craigslist. I’m in Washington state and he is in Maine. Give me a break…it would be more to ship then to purchase. He even had the nerve to mention about “the horrible scammers out there and assure me he is not one”. Thank God some of us are smart enough to see red flags before we get sucked in too far.
    I decided to google his name and got this website. Thanks for whoever started this so it would come up and alert us poor souls trying to make an innocent dollar or two.

    1. Michelle » What do you mean by “file on this guy”? Are you asking who to send his info to to complain? You can always send the emails you have from him to the “abuse@” mailbox of his ISP. That usually will effect the shutdown of his email address. Or you can do what Stacey above did and send his contact info to the Internet Crime Complaint.

      Stacey » Thanks for this helpful tip!

  74. or just ignore it and forget about it….This scam has been around forever….No one ever gets caught….Its not worth the time to pursue..IMO…the scam is very well known,its on the front page of the craigs list website in BOLD LETTERS…

  75. A few days ago, I also received a response on a Craigslist posting from “Gionne Graetz, C25 Juniper E Yarmouth, ME 04096” using the email address gionnegraetz06@hotmail.com. I immediately recognized it as a scammer, and reported the e-mail address to abuse@hotmail.com.

    Then I thought to look up the address on Google Earth. It’s hard to know for sure, but I think the location is not just a post office box or mail center box that can be canceled. It looks like a new development area, perhaps a mini-storage unit or apartment.

    So, I’ve ordered Gionne a BUNCH of free catalogs. I Googled ‘free catalog’ and signed up for the first three pages worth. I feel kinda guilty that the postal workers will have to put out extra effort, not to mention the waste of paper, but maybe it will cause just a little frustration for this jerk. Hee hee!

  76. I am getting the same scam for an amp I am selling. The scammer’s name is Frank Larry in one place and Larry Frank in the other. His email address is franklarry8@gmail.com.

    Here is the email—
    Thanks for the prompt response, i’ll like to make an instant purchase right away, i will send a draft via my bank to cover the cost as am satisfied with the item. I will need the details of whom & where to mail the draft. It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 2 days. Please note ‘ups’ do not deliver to P.O.Box addresses.The require detail needed are : Name to be on check, Address to deliver the draft and your phone number should in case i might have someone call you on my behave because i am deaf. Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you to save me cost.

    Frank Larry

  77. Thank you so much for posting this info. I just got an email the other day from Gionne Gratz. It was kind of unusual to me. I gave them my info to mail the check to and after I google her address I saw what all you guys posted. Thanks to you I have avoided a scam.

  78. I just received an email from the infamous Gionne Graetz. Thanks for the email address vanceman… I sent him an interesting email.

  79. Yep…”if it sounds to good to be true”, etc. “Gionne Graetz” wants to buy an antique amoire I have posted on Craig’s List. Does it sound a little strange that he offers to send me $2000 over the ask price to arrange shipping and never see anything but 4 pictures posted online? I’ll wait for the check, but my guess is that it never arrives. And, Gionne, if you are reading this….get some help! You are wasting my time and yours if you think I would not check you out before doing business with you or anyone else off a public posting service.

  80. I got a response to my Laminator I had for sale on craigslist, too, and I had a inkling something was amiss. I had never done any selling online before, so I would have been an easy target. The first guy was a for sure scammer-I could tell that, don’t have his email address since my trashed stuff gets totally trashed every so many days. But the next guy, different from anyone elses here,took me for a ride until I read this forum. This is what follows:

    From: sharon lenon <sharonlenon@gmail.com
    Hello Seller,
    I got your advert for sale and am really interested in buying the
    item,pls get back to me if the item is still available and kindly let
    me know the last price of the item.lastly the resent pisx of the item.
    Thanks

    “I reply,”
    The item is still availabale. Although someone is asking to buy it right now. The transaction is going a bit shady and if you pipe up, I will sell it to you.
    You asked for resent pisx of the item. Does that mean pictures? If so, the pictures I have listed are pictures of the identical laminating machine but not the one we are selling. I took a picture for the serial number with my phone but do not think a picture of the laminator will come out on my camera phone, so I used some pictures that are on file on the computer.
    Make an offer on this machine. I need it moved yesterday and my boss wants it out of the shop. Please just make an offer and pick it up ASAP.
    Thanks for your interest, we’ll go from there.
    Sincerely,
    Goober(I’ll call myself Goober)

    “sharonlenon@gmail”
    Hello,
    Thanks for your response to my email and sorry for the late in my reply.I am glad to hear that the item is still down for sale.Actually i live in miami but i am out of town for work.I called my financer for your payment and he told me that he can only make payment via a certified check and i will instruct the shipper to come for the pick up,as soon as you confirm my check good.I will like you to get back to me with your payment information such as your full name,your mailing address,state,zipcode and your telephone number so as to send you the payment immiediately if my mode of payment suits you.
    Thanks and have a lovely day

    “I reply after 2 days”
    Are you still interested in the Laminator Sharon? The other person backed out as I presumed. Which is better for you.
    It is a great deal and in very good shape.
    Let me know how much you want to buy it for and let’s finish this business transaction.
    Thank You Kindly,
    Goober

    “I write again”
    Dear Sharon,
    Can you verify an offer? Can you please call me or email me back with your offer.
    If your certified check is issued by your bank, then it would be one that I can verify. That would be fine. Pick-up would be when the check is verified payable.
    You must be in contact with me for the pick-up. My boss has nothing to do with this machine(it’s our neighbors) so please do not have shipper bother workers. Just me, Goober.
    Call me as soon as you can so I can confirm this transaction 000-000-0000.
    I appreciate your business!
    I will add my personal address in case the certified check needs to have that information also. I commute and work in CA but live in TN.
    (I gave him my home address and my work address, I did not have any idea of scammers, shame on me. I am truly a Goober here)

    “sharonlenon@gmail emails”
    Hey,
    Thanks so much for the info,i will like you let you know that the payment would be sent via UPS Courier Service, FEDEX or Dhland am sending a check,and the item will be picked up as soon as you receive the payment,and get it payment cashed.Then I will instruct my shipper to get in contact with you for the pick up schedule time and date.I will like to tell you that i would be sending a payment worth of $7,300 to cover the shipment of the items bought.As soon as you receive the check have it cashed and remove your money for the item and send the funds to my shipper by western union or money gram money transfer.My shipper is also picking some of other items at the same city of yours,that is why you need to transfer the amount to my shipper.I will like you to remove $20 for runing around that I have caused you during the transaction period.Please let me know if i can trust you on this so we can move forward from here.
    HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.Regard

    “I reply, & we are asking $5,000 for the item”
    Thanks Sharon,
    I am going to run over this with you.
    1) You will send funds for the Seal Image 400 Laminator of which you will pay me $5,020($20 for running around). 2) You are sending $7,300 and want me to cash it and send $2,280 to your shipper via Western Union or MOney Gram, which will cost a fee on my end.
    3) Your shipper is going to come pack it, pick it up and ship it with various other items you purchased in San Deigo.

    Question:
    -What kind of check is being sent via currier? I would like you to send me the name of the institution for the check and check number so I can be ready to verify funds and then cash it.
    -Can you give me your full name, phone number, and address to make sure this transaction runs smoothly? Since I work full time in chemicals, I don’t have the time to leave work figuring out what to do if your shipper doesn’t arrive, etc.

    I want you to call me to finalize this transaction and I will give you until the end of this week to receive the money.
    Here is my phone number 000-000-0000, my name is Goober.

    Sincerely,
    Goober,xixixix
    San Diego, CA 44444

    “again I replied and was getting suspicious”
    I have another question for you. Can your financer pay by Pay-Pal? It would be a really smooth transaction and protect us both…
    REgards,
    Goober

    “I reply even more suspicious because I read a bit about scammers.”
    Dear Sharon (I honestly hope that’s your name, forgive me if it isn’t),
    Can we just have this paid by Pay-pal.
    If you agree, I will have a PayPal invoice sent to your email address or your companies email address who is going to pay for this item. Please let me know, OK?

    Sincerely
    Goober

    “sharonlenon@gmail writes and has the audacity to include “god bless you’.”
    Hello Goober,
    Am very sorry for my late response i called my sec. and she said the payment as been issued out and i will surely get back to you with the tracking number today or tomorrow.
    Thanks and god bless yo

    “I respond being taken aback”
    OK, that’s fine.
    Can you still give me your work phone number where I will resume transactions with you once funds have been received. And whom your shipper is. And could I have your name?
    Regards,
    Goober
    000-000-0000

    “again I respond”
    What is your name?
    Where do you live?

    Regards,
    Goober

    “by this time I am reading this website and am pretty pissed and copy what some of you wrote and changed it over to my items names “laminator” and send it to the guy. Notice my silly word play”
    Dear MrsMrSharon
    What you are proposing is not acceptable. When we originally posted this item we posted on the local Craigslist so we could meet face to face with the buyer. Based on your emails I know you are not local to me. So, first off I need to know more about you. I would like you to tell me more about who you are so I know who I’m dealing with.
    Please reply with your Address and a phone number in case we need to talk.
    Your proposal to send more money than the amount for the item is also not acceptable. I will only accept payment for the item itself, you will have to deal with the cargo company yourself, I will not be a middle man.
    There was a time in this world when a money order or cashiers check was an acceptable form of payment. Unfortunately those days are long gone. My bank tells me there is only one truly safe way to do this. You send cash via FedEx and insure it for your protection. I will then be able to release the Laminator to your cargo company immediately upon receipt of the cash.
    I will notify you immediately upon receipt of your cash payment.

    Bad news. The Laminator caught fire and exploded. There’s still some good parts left. Do you still want to buy it?
    Regards,
    Goober

    OK, I couldn’t help myself with that last suggestion another poster wrote. The money is in the mail as we speak 3-5-2008. So I am going to have to figure out what to do with the fake check. I will probably have my hubby take care of this on his end at the bank and see what they say.
    Thank You all for posting your email letters of “intent to fraud you” by someone else. You have no idea how much gratitude I feel here. Goodness gracious, what could have happened had we gone through with it?

    Thank You Kindly, and from my heart “May God Bless You”
    Ver_n_TN

  81. Verv_n_TN »

    Great dialog, thanks for sharing with us all! The longer this forum gets, the better help it can be to others like yourself. 🙂

  82. Hey, after sending him that email I have above, the guy wrote me back! Here it is:

    —–Original Message—–
    From: sharon given
    Subject: Re: Used Seal Image 400 Double Heat Laminator Laminating Machine – $5000

    Hello Goober,
    My name is
    Sharon given by name i live at 144 ramsey road apt 17 in maima

    “I replied”
    Ho Okay, I bet the weather is really cold there right now. You have a lot of snow?
    Regards,
    Goober

    I thought I would use some of the witty questions some of you folks used…I’ll keep ya’ll posted!

  83. I would just let it go…This scam is as old as the internet itself..Its so well known ,look on the front page of craigs list.They warn you about it…

  84. Ya know Chris, it may be as old as the internet, but if you have never sold anything on the internet before, you would never know! How would somone know this kind of thing could even happen before you had it happen to you and even knew what to look for?
    I knew the basics, but did not know about anything of this sort, and the guy had me ridin. IN fact, he still is in touch with me and if you notice what I said in the post before, I said he was commiting a crime and the laminator blew up! His response email proved he doesn’t know English and this very web-site allowed me to understand and see that.
    So while your saying blow it off, I am still in the midst of this and am going to recieve a phony check in the next couple days….

  85. um, count me in with the ignorant… i’m in the process of trying to sell on craigslist and this guy christopher feo replied and said he would be “very interested”… i emailed back saying that he was in RI, and i am so NOT. he replied with the whole echeck thing. i thought i’d just google his name and see if anything comes up, and this site did with these blogs and emails that look very much like ones i will soon be getting. since its blogging, though, i guess i’m having a hard time following… so he is a scammer???? help, since i haven’t given him any information yet, but definately don’t want to if he’s just trying to steal my sh*t!!!
    thanks…

  86. sadbuddha,

    Yes, he’s a scammer and he wants your money. Read my entry in the list from November 2, 2007 at 11:22 am, it attempts to explain how this scam works.

    You an waste a lot of time playing with these guys nut my recommendation is to block his address and move on. I’ve given up attempting to sell most things on Craigslist because you have to spend so much time with the scammers emails.

  87. wow, thanks a bunch.

    after the comment that i posted here, i did go ahead and block his email, report it as spam (what good does that actually do) and set up a filter on my email.

    why do stupid people with nothing else but time on their hands to screw other people over have to mess up a perfectly good idea (i.e craigslist, ebay, etc.)???

    thank you again, and good luck to everyone else out there. i’ll post the email address just in case someone else hasn’t yet heard of
    CHRISTOPHER FEO
    54 BRISTOL RD
    NARRAGANSETT, RI 02882

    Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to keep other people from going through the same hassle’s that they’ve gone through.

    sadbuddha

  88. I was almost Gionne Graetz’s victim, but his ‘too good to be true’ email correspondence raised a major red flag. With that seed of doubt embedded, I proceeded to relay his proposal to numerous co-workers and everybody agreed … how could I lose if he sent a check and waited for it to clear my bank before arranging pickup??? Sounded like a win-win situation all ’round.

    Being the distrusting soul that I have grown to become, I searched anywho.com and Gionne Graetz was not listed in Yarmouth or anywhere else in Maine. Then I ‘googled’ the name and discovered this website.

    Thanks for the ‘heads up’ … and keep up the good work!

    A recap of our email dialog …

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    From: Gionne Graetz
    Subject: Antique Dining Furniture – $2000

    Hello,
    Let me know if it is still available for sale.

    Thanks.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ME:
    Yes, still available. Would be happy to schedule a mutually agreeable time for you to view, if interested.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    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 Cashier Check from my Bank. I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Cashier Check to go through at your bank or anything, then you will have to proceed to your bank and cash the check when you receive it. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Cashier Check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my account. Which is Confirmed to All American Banking Association rules and standards and attach pics of it for me to see how beautifull it is and email me your full name and address with your phone number for me to send you the check

    Please Email me back and let me know if this helps

    Best Regards

    Gionne Graetz
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ME:
    Waiting for a Casher’s check to clear is agreeable, however, because the Craig’s listing location is “South Tulsa” in Oklahoma, we assumed someone local would buy the furniture. How do you propose to arrange for shipping?

    Are you an individual buyer or a dealer?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I will take care of the Shipping my self, In which the Shipper will be coming to make the Pickup at your side as soon as you must have gotten my check in hand. Email me Your Full Information to send the check to you. Thanks
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ME:
    Phone number?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    NO RESPONSE.

  89. Hi Ya’all,
    I have more from Sharon. But he/she answers by Sharon Given now. Check out the info he/she wrote back and notice the addresses that the guy gives from the ones above. He said earlier he lives in 144 Ramsey Road, Miami, then says to send the western union to a chick in 144 Ramsey Road, Bradford, PA! By the way, no such place or person, couldn’t even find it on google, maquest, even Western Union!

    Hello Goober,

    Firstly,I must say a big sorry for the delaying caused in getting the check arrived but glad to announce to you that payment will be delivered to your doorstep by UPS carrier services on monday and here is the tracking number for the payment package #XXXXXXXXXX@!@!@!. And I believe you know what you should do as soon as you receive the payment:
    1.) Go straight to your bank and deposit the check in your bank account.

    2.) After you must have deposited the payment into your account, you are to deduct the excess funds.

    3.) Visit the nearest Western Union Outlet around your area with the excess funds and have it sent to the shipper’s senior accountant info as I have previously told you.

    4) Here is her western union info to send the FUNDS to:

    NAME: MARY MILLER
    ADRESS: 144 RAMSEY ROAD APT 14
    CITY: BRADFORD
    STATE: PENNSYLYVANIA
    ZIPCODE: 16701

    5.) You are to deduct the Western Union fees from the excess money.

    6.) Do get back to me with the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN),Sender’s name and address, Exact amount sent.

    7) Again,kindly let me know when your convenient date and time when pick up could be made ofcourse I get this would be okay by you?

    Pls, get back to me with the Western Union details and the pick up information,as the shippers are greatly in a haste to come for the pick up.

    Thanks,regards
    Sharon

    OK posters, after I told the guy this laminator blew up, he is still at it. I can’t believe he doesn’t realize I see he said he lived off 144 Ramsay road in Apt 17, Miami and now wants me to send the Western Union to 144 Ramsay Road Apt 14, Bradford, PA! I did take the tracking number and skewed it from ya’ll, I just went on UPS and entered in the number he sent and UPS said “Not Available.” Interesting huh?

    I’ll keep you posted. I plan on taking this to my bank and speak to the manager without opening this letter and see what they tell me to do. I do have some info on this person, has to be near PA.
    Let ya know….
    Verv_n_TN

  90. Hey guys! Just searched the Gionne name because his email was too good to be true. His email is exactly like the ones posted on here. If I wouldn’t have read this first I would have been scammed. Thanks to all of you!
    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 Cashier Check from my Bank. I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Cashier Check to go through at your bank or anything, then you will have to proceed to your bank and cash the check when you receive it. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Cashier Check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my account. Which is Confirmed to All American Banking Association rules and standards and attach a pics of it for me to see how beautifull it is and email me your full name and address with your phone number for me to send you the check

    Please Email me back and let me know if this helps

    Best Regards

    Gionne Graetz
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096

  91. i got a 2500 check in the mail from frank larry it looks real but i dont trust it i think il just frame it hah

  92. Hi –

    Just got the same offer from on Gionne Graetz. Almost had us going. Good info here.

    I’m wondering, has anyone out there actually deposited a check and waited for funds to clear? What is the scam? Do they try to have the item shipped before funds do clear? Or are they trying to get your bank info somehow? What?

    BTW – I google “C25 Juniper E” and it one hit was for Latter Day Saints Missionaries. The address looks to actually be property associated with the Mormons.

    Thanks – Shawn

  93. Hi Shawn,

    I think the scam is well explained here but I realize that few of us have time to read the whole thing, so I’ll attempt to give my short explanation as I understand it.

    The Scam:
    * You deposit the check in your bank
    * You pay the shipper (this area is a little grey, I don’t believe the shipper ever shows up, you probably get a call saying to send so much money to such and such and the pickup will take place on some date in the future).
    * The shipper (in cahoots with the scammer, actually probably is the scammer) takes your money.
    * The bank notifies you that the check you deposited is no good and they want their money back NOW! (Of course you don’t have it all because you sent a tidy sum to the ‘shipper’)
    * Your reputation with the bank is damaged, possible criminal charges for passing a bad check, etc. etc.
    * Scammer heard laughing all the way to his real bank.

    So far as the address is concerned, I suspect the address’s the scammers use are really address’s someone was foolish enough to share with them. If you did, maybe you’ll see your address posted here someday, I keep expecting mine to show up. (That’s just a little consolation, misery loves company).

    I hope this helps. It may not be 100% accurate but it is my understanding of how this scam works.

    Dick

  94. thanks to all the people who posted on here. I have a suspicious sounding response to a craigslist posting – same as one quoted in RD’s post. I googled the name and address and found this website with all similar experiences described. Just a head’s up… the address used in emails to me was the same, but now is listed with a different name…

    Deitrick Mitchell
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096

    thanks again.

  95. Thanks for the great site. Something just didn’t feel right about the response I received to my craigslist post! I’m glad I googled Gionne Graetz and was startled to find out that I was possibly a statistic! CRAZY!! Another interesting thing that tipped me off was this person signed their email “clara”, but then included a different name and address. Too strange…

    Gionne Graetz
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096

    Thanks.

  96. hi, just today i got an email from Gionne Graetz C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096 about my item on craigs list. i ended up giving the scammer my phone number and name. but i got this weird feeling to google this person. i didnt even think it was a scammer, i guess i just wanted to know more. Gionne emailed me back signing this one Clara. I think im just gonna tell her i have deciced not to sell the item.

    P.S. this was the latest email from Gionne

    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 Cashier Check from my Bank. I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Cashier Check to go through at your bank or anything, then you will have to proceed to your bank and cash the check when you receive it. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Cashier Check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my account, which is Confirmed to All American Banking Association rules and standards. Attach a pics of it for me to see how beautifull it is and email me your full name and address with your phone number for me to send you the check.Thanks.

    Please Email me back and let me know if this helps

    Best Regards
    clara.

    Gionne Graetz
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096

  97. I have finished with the scammer “SharonGiven”

    Sharon wrote:
    “I intentionally asked of when the check could be cashed,as the shipping firm hinted me some days ago that…..Possibly my order might be cancelled If not here from me financially at the given date.This was actually due to the fact that,Its long have asked for their services.”

    On 3/17/08, Verv_n_TN wrote:
    When I get back to TN I will take care of it. I am in CA and cannot take care of it until I get to TN. I don’t know why you sent it to TN. The item is not located there. The payment was supposed to be sent to San Diego, Ca. I specifically gave instructions on where to send the cashiers check. But you probably don’t even know where San Diego is. It will be inspected when I get to TN.
    Regards
    Goober”

    On 3/17/08, sharon given wrote:
    Well,I dont think am at fault at this very aspect of sending the check to TN.Afterall,you gave me an address in Tn and not San Diego okay?(YES I DID)But neverthless I am sorry and let me know when you will be cashing the check as I really need to pay this shipping firm..so arrangement could be made asap.
    Thnks”

    “From: sharon given
    To: Verv_n_TN
    Sent: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:37 pm
    Subject: Re: Used Seal Image 400 Double Heat Laminator Laminating Machine – $5000
    Hello,
    why didnt i see your reply.cous the payment is already with you.and i belive you will send the shipper there fund so that they can come for the pickup.
    Thanks”

    OK guys, I was out of TN and the check arrived and my kids tore open the UPS package(they got in trouble for opening my mail), and when I got back I looked at the Cashiers check. I do not have every reply this Sharon person gave me posted here. Remember though, that this guy gave all kinds of addresses. I want to post the addresses here and what kind of a “cashiers” check this is:
    OUTSIDE OF UPS PACKAGE: Kerrie D Constance
    711 Bridge St.
    Veronia, OR 97064
    CASHIERS CHECK FROM: Sanford Business-to-Business
    PO Box 92026
    Chicago, IL 60675
    MADE OUT FROM BANK: Northern Trust Bank Of Ohio
    801 South Canal St.
    Chicago, IL 60607
    312-630-8004
    The Banks name wasn’t printed out on the ink-jet printer very well. I could tell it was printed at home. BUT HERE’S THE SCARY PART: I looked up on the web this business name. Found it and also found the EXACT signature of “BOB” the CEO on the website, copied and pasted onto the signature part of the check. Just “BOB” no last name. So I called the Company, “Sanford Business-to-Busuness”, and spoke with “BOB’s” secretary. Asked her if they had indeed purchased a laminator, she talked with Bob. He said NO! Per her request, I faxed a copy of the cashiers check and a couple pages of the selling transacation between Sharon and I. She informed me it was indeed a forgery and fraud and that Bob does no buying for this company or signing of checks. I told them it might be best for them to remove “BOB’s” signature from their website and indeed she agreed. Since no harm was done to them, they didn’t need any further information and told me to handle whatever I needed on my end.

    So I have finished this stuff, I emailed “Sharon”:
    “Answer every question I give, IN English:
    Your companies name this laminator goes to:
    Address of company:
    Phone Number of company:
    Managers name:
    Your Name:
    Your Phone number:
    Where am I supposed to do a Western Union:
    Shippers Name:
    Shippers Phone number:
    Approximate date of pick-up:

    I will not have an unknown shipping company come and pick up an item. I must have the shippers information. This is a professional business and we don’t have time to have Mr. Joe Blow knock on our door.
    I will not proceed without every question filled in. There are too many discrepancies in your correspondence. I am still not in TN to finalize this transaction. But I will not finalize it until you give me this information above.
    Regards,
    Goober”

    Sharon replies:
    From: sharon given
    To: Verv_n_TN
    Sent: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 7:52 am
    Subject: Re: Information Please
    Hey sorry for the late in my response.It was actually due to my son bad condition,Lungs problem and which remains aggravate rather than alleviate.So now regarding your mail,well I wont be able to furnish you with all the shipper’s info as I was already given these by them:
    NAME: MARY MILLER
    ADRESS: 144 RAMSEY ROAD APT 14
    CITY: BRADFORD
    STATE: PENNSYLYVANIA
    ZIPCODE: 16701

    Again,for further enquriy you could easily contact her through her email address @mhilda29@yahoo.com
    Thanks and would be very glad to hearing from you
    feel free to call me +447031937679
    Awiating for the western information.
    Thanks”

    HERE IS MY FINAL RESPONSE BACK:
    “Here is the information.
    The check you sent me was FRAUD. It was fake! I found the website where you ILLEGALLY copied and pasted the CEO’s name. I called the company on the check and talked with “Bob’s” Secretary and “Bob” does not sign the corporate checks. Nor did they issue the check!

    Did you really think I would go through with cashing a fraudulent check????? If I could I would reach through the internet at you and have you ARRESTED.

    You do not have a son that has lung problems. You are a liar and a THEIF!

    Mary Mi does not live at this address and you don’t either. Mary Miller off 144 Ramsey Road in PA and you off 144 Ramsey Road in Miami! NO SUCH ADDRESS FOR EITHER OF THEM, THEY ARE FAKE MISTER!

    I hope you one day wind up in jail for a long time stealing innocent peoples money!” THE END

    I am done, this has gone on too long. I Hope that if any of these addresses come up and people Google them, they will find them here and find that they are frauds or being used in frauds. This is truly proposterous and I thank all of you for sharing your copies of emails so we can be further informed by these illegal operations.
    See ya’ll
    Peace,
    Verv_n_TN

  98. I wish I would have followed my gut feeling and also looked at some of these posts before I went through with my ‘sofa selling’. I am in the process of being scammed from Gionne Graetz. He/she got $3,000 from us, and now is threatening my family!

    I posted my sofa and matching love seat here for $1,600. We got an e-mail a couple days later asking if they were still for sale. We replied yes, and Gionne Graetz replied with:

    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 Cashier Check from my Bank. I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the Cashier Check to go through at your bank or anything, then you will have to proceed to your bank and cash the check when you receive it. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Cashier Check before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my account. Which is Confirmed to All American Banking Association rules and standards and attach pics of it for me to see how beautifull it is and email me your full name and address with your phone number for me to send you the check.

    I thought about it, and let her know where we are located, and that how was shipping going to be paid for. Gionne said that they would pay for it. And I thought, “Ok”. So about a week later we get a ‘cashiers check’ UPS for $3,600. Gionne said that we need to pay for the shippers though moneygram as soon as possible. I replied that as soon as the check clears I will do so, even though I was a little nervous to do so. Well, my bank put a hold on the check, and later it cleared. So I went and moneygramed the $2,000 to a Christopher Williams; 3129 Kansas Ave. Norfolk, VA 23513. I thought that was weird considering Gionne said they were in Maine. Why a Virginia shipper to come and pick up in Oklahoma? Well, a few days later of the ‘shippers’ getting the $2,000 we get another e-mail saying that wasn’t enough money for the shipping, Gionne also said that it was gonna cost another $3,000. Supposedly she purchased other items in OK and was having it all picked up from the same ‘shippers’. Well, thats when I replied back saying that I was tired of being the middle man in the shipping, I was just the seller. Gionne said that she didn’t trust the ‘shippers’ with her information. And that the check had already been sent, to deposit like before, and do it moneygram. Well, I deposited it into my account, the bank did another hold on the check, and it cleared. So i went to Wal-mart and did a moneygram. Well, its been a month and still no shippers, I keep asking when are they supposed to come and get these couches, and she just keeps making excuses. Well, one day we got another check from UPS, in the amount of $5,500. Gionne said that she wanted us to do a favor for her and her friend. She wanted us to deposit this check into our account, and send her friend $5,000 and for us to keep $500 for everything that we have done for her. Mind you are couches are still at my house.Well, I take it to my bank manager and she tells me its fraud, so I have her check on the other checks. The $3,000 one she couldn’t tell me anything, that was a waiting game. Well, the very next day that $3,000 check bounced!!! Gionne had stolen someone’s account information form California and has been issuing checks. Well, my bank manager told me to tell Gionne that I had deposited the $5,500 in my account (but I didn’t actually deposit it). Well, I kept getting e-mails from her asking when was I gonna send the $5,000 to her friend. Well I couldn’t hold it in any longer, and I spilled the beans the Gionne that we had found her out. Well, now Gionne is threatening my family, that if we don’t send the money she is sending some one to my home.

    I am curious what other information you have on this Gionne Graetz character, I am going to our local police department and our District Attorney’s office tomorrow and all the info you have would be a great help on catching this person. I also found out that if you do get a cashier’s check that it would say it on there. I would go to your local bank and ask them to see what a cashier’s check looks like for in the future. Thank you for reading this sorry its long.

  99. Well im sorry you fell for this scam. Craigslist is a great idea but you have to deal locally. If its too good to be true, it really is not true. I would love to know what the DA and the cops say. Please keep us posted.

  100. I’m disgusted with everyone’s postings and unfortunately found this website because I too was duped by an unscrupulous user of Craig’s list. My situation is a bit different though. I am in the process of selling my condo and posted my condo for sale on Craigslist. suddenly myself and my realtor started getting strange inquiries about the condo for rent. well, long story short, someone named victoremmanuel29@yahoo.com used our for sale ad and posted his own for rent ad. he is trying to get folks to send him $800 so he can send them the condo keys since he is on a mission in AFrica and then going to Alberta Canada and blah, blah, blah is too busy and out of the country to show them the place. Grrrr. I’ve had Craigslist remove the ad once and come to find out he reposted at least once already. what sucks is that there are probably good intentioned people out there using craigslist but because of a few rotten people like Mr. Emmanuel I don’t trust the site.

  101. That’s another thing common from Craigslist. I’ve noticed that people will respond to an ad with nothing more than “send pictures”. You send the pics of the car, the house, the pet, whatever, and they REPOST those pics with their own ad in another state!
    unbelievable how much progress could be made in some folks lives if they spent that much time learning a skill, or helping others…..

  102. Brittany, please keep us posted with what is going on with the feds. I have a copy of the cashiers check that I never deposited because I found this website first and realized what was going on. If you need the check for evidence let me know. I’ll be glad to help catch the crook!

  103. I also have a fake “cashiers” check for evidence ($7,500!), and the UPS envelope it came in. So if someone gets something together or an “authority” of some sort interested in cracking these crackpots, please let us know!!!!!
    Ver_n_TN

  104. YES!
    Please keep us informed as to any results from the police, FBI, Postal Service(Mail Fraud), political officials – good or bad – and which anyone has had any success with so we can take action in our states. Sorry for everyone’s losses… of time & money.

  105. I too was scammed, just received a check today, in a UPS envelope. i had listed a dining room set for sale. So I suppose that is what this is supposed to be for, however there are no names of anyone that I have corresponded with anywhere on the check or envelope.

  106. I just got an email from a Samuel Westfall trying to buy my granite inlaid table that is $2995. He wanted my phone number also and I gave it to him but thought the message was a bit strange so I decided to look up. He has not asked for additional funds but said ” I’m on the way to France for an official business trip and won’t be back for several weeks so I’ll need my shipper to sign off and take some pictures so I can identify any damages made during the shipping, since I have not seen it personally myself…….I would also like to inquire about a minimum price.” Lots of the prior key phrases were in the emails, I emailed him back that he should be advised that regardless of his circumstance I would need cash payment and haven’t heard back from him yet.

    Best of luck and thank you for your posting, we can at least keep these scams from working if we all work together.

    Kerrie

  107. I just got a response to my overpriced car ad from Gianna Bello (isn’t that an Italian rock singer?), and ended up at your site when I googled the name. Thanks for all the good stuff you’ve posted–now I can have some fun with this one.

    BTW, “Gianna Bello” is now using a new email address:
    Bello Gianna [giannabello2@live.com]

    Cheers!
    DaveO

  108. Got a reply this morning from giannabello2@live.com. It all looks very familiar: My business won’t allow me to check it out or offer cash in person, etc. Here’s the change:

    “The payment will be made through an e-check which will be processed and sent to your email address via iversa check, while i will wait till you have the cash before calling my shipper to come for the pick up.

    “I-versa check is new means of making convenient payment through internet in collaboration with buyer’s Bank where the fund will be release to you at demand. You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy.”

    Apparently the action taken by InstiCheck is having its effect. If someone else has the time to check out IversaCheck, that would be great!

    Cheers!

  109. I got emails from two scammers in response to my Craigslist ad yesterday. Thanks for posting this – now I know exactly what I’m dealing with.

    The first was from Frank Larry (franklarry12@gmail.com)

    “Thanks for the prompt response, i’ll like to make an instant purchase right away, i will send a draft via my bank to cover the cost as am satisfied with the item. I will need the details of whom & where to mail the draft. It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 2 days. Please note ‘ups’ do not deliver to P.O.Box addresses.The require detail needed are : Name to be on check, Address to deliver the draft and your phone number should in case i might have someone call you on my behave because i am deaf. Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you to save me cost, above all, you don’t need bother about the shipping i will have my mover come for the pick up as soon as you have get the payment.

    Frank Larry”

    The second was from Dave Jones (davejones21@gmail.com)
    “Hello
    I appreciate your response to my enquiry. Am interested in buying it from you. I would love to come and check it myself but I just got married and am presently on an honeymoon trip to Hawaii with my wife. I would love a surprise change of furniture in our home on our return. Pls do withdraw ,with immediate efftect, the advert from Web as i dont mind adding $50 for you to do that, so i can be rest assured that the item is held for me. I should believe it is in good condition as stated. I will be making the payment via a Certified Check, which my secretary will mail across to you. I’ll be picking the item from you with the aid of my mover. My Mover will be coming to pick it from you once the Certified Check has been cashed. Pls I will need both your full name and physical address along with you phone number to issue out the payment.
    I await your urgent response.”

    I traced both emails to Washington D.C. I especially thought the one from “Jones” was odd – who cruises Craigslist while on their honeymoon in Hawaii?? I sent them both emails that I would only accept cash and haven’t received anything back. I’ll let you know if I do. I hope these jerks get caught. Good luck to those who are going to the cops.

  110. I’m still stringing along giannabello2@live.com, but in the meantime had a chance to lookup the new iversacheck.com. It’s apparently legit, out of San Diego, and they had a major launch of their service in Jan 2008, via freequickwire.com and G7 Productivity. I sent them an email inviting them to peruse this forum. Maybe they can chime in. It also appears you need special ink or toner to print legitimate checks, but I guess if it’s a fake that’s a moot point.

    Cheers!

  111. I’ve also received emails now from “Rooney Davis” (davisrooney008@yahoo.com) Interestingly his name pops up for 419 scams. I guess enough people caught onto that one.

    He claims to be from the UK but is visiting Holland for work (not sure why this is part of his story.) I’m stringing him along for the fun of it. Rooney seems quite distraught that I keep having questions and have yet to give him my address and phone #. I figure the whole “But how will my bank know the check is in USD and not pounds??” line of questioning could easily take a few emails. 😀

  112. Sharon Given had the audacity to invite me to “gmail” after I emailed him/her that they are a liar and a THEIF! Message below:

    [I’ve been using Gmail and thought you might like to try it out. Here’s
    an invitation to create an account.

    ———————————————————————–

    sharon given has invited you to open a free Gmail account.]

    What are these people’s brains made of????
    Regards,
    Verv_n_TN

  113. Kerrie,

    I received a similar email from Samuel Westfall as well….did you ever receive payment? What happened?

    Thanks,
    pk

  114. I recently posted an ad on Craigslist for a TV and got this inquiry from RoyalVersion8@aim.com:

    “Thank you very much for your mail,about the status of the item,i very much appreciate your reply and i believe that the item is in its best condition? and can be presented as a gift?i will offer you US $500.00 including the shipping overseas,i’m very serious about this transaction so i dont want you to take it lightly and i want us to make everything snappy cos im very busy at work nowadays,i dont have much time for the internet.
    I will make the payment via paypal cos i believe its the best to make an online transaction,so send me your paypal email address or request for a payment so that i can proceed with the payment of the item asap.
    Thank you very much hope to hear from you soon”

    A bit overly-enthusiastic, wouldn’t you say? So being the cynical human being I am, I googled his email address, and found some complains about him on this site. What a loser!

    ROYALVERSION8@AIM.COM = SCAMMER!!!

  115. And here’s another scammer… HNANSYINFO@GMAIL.COM! Gotta love ’em. Here’s his (or her?) extremely well-written attempt at purchasing my TV, despite the fact that he’s the so-called “busy type.” Ha.

    Hi,
    Thanks allot for the email.. I’m highly interested in your item.
    I won’t be able to come take a look at it as I’m the busy type.
    But believe it’s exactly what you stated in the Ad.Mind you,I’ll be
    paying you with
    a certified bank check and my shipping agency will be coming for the pick up of
    the item from
    your location as soon as you confirm to me that you receive the check
    and it’s clears in your bank.also i will include extra fund on the check for the shipper
    as they have other item to pickup for us in your location.
    .If this arrangement is okay by you,P ls,kindly provide your:

    1:Full Name…………..
    2:Contact Address……..
    3:Valid Cell Number……

    so that I can forward it to my financier to mail the payment to you ASAP.
    Hope to read from you soonest.
    thanks.
    hanson

  116. I have eleven checks from various scammers who are doing the same stuff everyone is describing here. Having advertised and sold numerous items on craigslist, and have seen this scam before, I was prepared when the emails started rolling in. I noticed that the only time they pursue the scam is when I put my email address in the body of the listing. A rookie scammer may do the standard craigslist reply but the email will contain a warning about moneygram/western union scams. Anyway, I string along the scammers in order to get them to overnight a bogus check to me. At this point I simply add the fake check to my collection and chuckle about them wasting their money to overnight the check to me. Thanks for all the experiences shared.

  117. A few more for the google searches:
    leo_chapy@hotmail.com
    hellen_cares4u@yahoo.ca
    c_k1722@yahoo.com

    Hellen had the oddest one:
    “My name is hellen kelly my orientation is straight,well behaved and well understanding.I saw your advert on the internet that why i decided to contact you in regards to your place,Am a South African Citizen and presently in South Africa.
    I’m a student am coming to have my Bsc and i will be needing athe sofa , i can make the payments as soon as possible to show how interested i am.
    I will so much glad if you email me and also provide me with the details of the rent (monthly + deposit if required),
    Thanks very much, hope to hear from you soon..”

    Why would I care if she was straight??

  118. I got to this page by Googling “send a draft from my bank”! Here’s the scam response I just got:

    Thanks, I’ll send a draft from my bank to cover the cost as I’m
    satisfied with what I’ve seen so far, anyways i’ll not be available
    for the pick-up due to my job transfer and shortness of time, but my
    intention is to hire a mover to pick it up. I will need the details of
    whom & where to mail the draft. It will be delivered by the United
    Parcel Service within 2-3 days. Please note ‘ups’ does not deliver to
    P.O.Box addresses. 1.Name to be on the check 2.Home address 3.Cell
    phone 4 Final price. Kindly delete the posting as I’m totally
    committed to buying the item from you to save my costs.

    sill.

  119. It’s almost like these are all the same guy. The wording is almost identical. Or is there a web-site out there in “No-wher-land” that advertises “How to steal money and dupe Americans! Use our templates with the generic words to take money from them.”
    Goodness, the more I read, I can’t believe I fell for it for so long. Thanks to this web-site, Americans are being saved THOUSANDS of dollars! At least I didn’t cash the $7,300 fake cashiers check!
    Ver_n_TN

  120. I have been contacted for an item we have on Craigs List by a Joanne Gunderson,(joa_nne_gun04@yahoo.com)who added her client of Tara. (tara4lynn@yahoo.com) Same type of “I’m not interested in the item you have for sale, but please take my money” scam. I found this web site and decided to have fun with it. Since we are on the fire/rescue department in our home town, we talked to a cop friend of ours and we listed the sheriff departments name and address for the payment information. Try to use that for your next scam!!! Dummies. In further research, if anyone would like to file a complaint with the FBI, you can get more information about how this scam works and file a complaint here: http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx I hope this helps and if we hear anything back on it, I will keep you posted.

  121. I just recieved the same scam email today from Amanda McKenney Thankfully I knew it was a scam to begin with, but I wonder how many people fall for this and get taken. I thought it funny the “God Bless” at the end. LOL!

  122. I got one from Lt. Darlene Christmas claiming to be in the merchant navy and is too busy to come pick up the item in person. Here is her email with instructions:

    got your message here once again. I got all Information i needed about the Williams & Sonoma Marisol Pattern Dishes, Whole Set, I’m a Merchant Navy (Chief Cook) I just got a contract and i really need to stay focused and get things.. I will handle the Shipping to the naval base here..
    The mode of my payment will be made via (Cashier Check) in which i will handle the Shipping, we have a Shipping company that works for the navy and their price are pretty low. Check will be mailed via (FedEx) providing with tracking number for proper inspection…

    As soon as Check gets to you, you will take the Check to your Bank or a Registered cashing Point to cash, In which the remaining of the Fund will be disburse to the people who will come for the pick-up via Westernunion…They people will be right there after they must have gotten their fund. Once you are satisfied with my mode of payment you can proceed to delete the advert of the Williams & Sonoma Marisol Pattern Dishes, Whole Set..
    The amount on the check will cover the cost of the Item and the cost of the shipping…You will assist me to disburse the remaining fund on my check will be transfered to the people who will come for the pick-up, a time will be scheduled for the pick-up as soon as you have cash at hand
    from your Bank….

    Kindly get back to me with the following Info. in other to proceed with the payment. (1) Full Name (2) Address and (3) Phone Number.
    As soon as i get this information, i shall proceed in mailing the check to you.
    Best Regards,
    Lt. Darlene Christmas.

    Did you understand any of that?!! When I asked for clarification – that perhaps there was a languange barrier, this is the response I got:

    Well, here is the break down. A check will be sent to you to cover the cost of the Williams & Sonoma Marisol Pattern Dishes, Whole Set, and also for the shipping. As soon as you cash the check and have cash at hand. You’ll deduct your $400 , you’ll assist me in wiring the Shipper’s fund to them via westernunion… Does that make any sense?

    Hmmm… suddenly the English improves. Why does a Merchant Navy Lt. need fancy dishes? Perhaps I’ll string her along, if I could figure out where to turn her in.

  123. A friend turned me on to Craigslist last week after he had sold his old VW in 3 hours and gotten his price. (I am waiting to hear that he got a phony cashier’s check). I responded to ads for six autos, five of which turned out to be scams! The big thing now seems to be “I am being sent to (or am stationed in( Iraq/Afghanistan” or “I desperately need cash to avoid foreclosure on my home.” Different names on all. Caveat emptor/vendor!! I have decided that Craigslist is just too riddled with these scammers to be worth wasting time on.

  124. Well, I’m glad I found this site. I’ve had several scammers email me about my item on Craigslist. Here is one that I think is a scammer: maria.adeeko@yahoo.com. The Paypal thing make her look legitimate but I’m almost positive she’s a scammer. when I look up the address listed below, I got Aerators, Inc.,and Instrument Services, Inc. I have a business account and that’s the information I generally give out – not my personal. Or I’ll use my employers address, but never mine.

    Maria sent the payment via paypal with a shipment address to Nigeria after I made it clear that I only ship USA and prefer dealing locally.
    Your order was cancelled as I do not ship internationally.

    Invoice Details

    Request Sent

    From:
    WQATS, LLC
    To:
    maria.adeeko@yahoo.com

    Amount:
    $485.00 USD
    Status:
    Canceled
    Date Canceled:
    May 26, 2008

    Subject:
    Air Conditioner – Window Unit

    Maria Adeeko wrote:
    Ok. let me have your Paypal ID for payment as you told that the shipping cost will be $300.
    Maria

    Delivery Information

    Address: VICTORIA ADEEKO
    NO.60 OSUN ROAD,ATIKORI
    IJEBU-IGBO,OGUN STATE
    NIGERIA.
    234037.

    The payment made by ” Maria Adeeko ” has been APPROVED but the funds can only be credited into your account immediately we confirm that you have ship the Item to the Buyers specify address. We therefore implore you to dispatch the item and provide the Customer Service section at shipment.info_helpline@usa.com an evidence of (Postage Receipt or Tracking number and the Courier Service used). Then you will then be sent a URL that will link you into your account. This is to secure both the Buyer and the Seller. Sorry for any inconveniences.

    VICTORIA ADEEKO
    NO.60 OSUN ROAD,ATIKORI
    IJEBU-IGBO,OGUN STATE
    NIGERIA.
    234037.
    MOBILE NO:+2348077200580

    Address Status: Confirmed

    **PLEASE NOTE**
    Once the shipment is confirmed, your funds will become operational in your account and you will receive a ” CONFIRMATION “email from PayPal informing you that the Money has been credited.
    Thank you for using PayPal.
    The PayPal Team.

    MOBILE NO:+2348077200580

    I cancelled the order, notified her the order was being cancelled as I don’t ship internationally and have not heard from her again.

    Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 11:47:23 -0700 (PDT)
    From: “SWilson” View Contact Details Add Mobile Alert
    Subject: Re: Portable Air Conditioner – $185
    To: maria.adeeko@yahoo.com

    Maria,

    Shipping estimates are listed below. Shipping won’t cost less than $300.00.

    From: Swilson

    Maria,

    Your email below indicates you wanted the item shipped within the USA. Your payment indicates you want the item shipped to Nigeria. I DO NOT ship internationally. The shipment cost was calculated based on the information provided below.

    This is my full name and address as follow:
    Maria Adeeko
    11765 Main St.
    Roscoe, IL 61073))

    Maria Adeeko wrote:

    Hello Swilson…

    This is my full name and address as follow:
    Maria Adeeko
    11765 Main St.
    Roscoe, IL 61073.

    And i prefer shipment by (EMS) Speed post it is shipper than UPS so i want the shiping of this Air Conditioner through EMS.and get back to me with your Paypal ID to arrange for the payment immediately with any delay.
    Thanks and stay bless
    Maria

    ………………

    Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 10:33:45 -0700 (PDT)
    From: “SWilson” View Contact Details Add Mobile Alert
    Subject: Re: Portable Air Conditioner – $185
    To: maria.adeeko@yahoo.com

    Maria,
    Send me your zip code please to determine the shipping costs. Once I know that I could easily send you all the information you need to pay via paypal. I would suggest you insure the item in case it gets damaged during shipment.

    Hello…..

    Thanks for your quick response, I want to buy the item for my daughter as a gift for her wedding coming soon, Due to fast approach of the wedding and they want the item to be bless by there pastor before the engagement day.My mode of payment would be via ( Paypal ) if you don’t know about Paypal you can read more about Paypal at http://www.paypal.com .it is safer and secured way of paying and Not to delay the transaction.To proceed with payment, l will need you to register with Paypal if my mode of payment is acceptable by you and after registering with Paypal you can email me back with your Paypal ID and if the mode of payment is acceptable and also i will add an extra fee of $200 to your total price to cover shipping cost via Express Mail Service(EMS). So get back to asap.

    Thanks and Stay bless
    Maria

    — On Fri, 5/23/08, SWilson wrote:

    From: SWilson
    Subject: Re: Portable Air Conditioner – $185
    To: maria.adeeko@yahoo.com
    Date: Friday, May 23, 2008, 7:03 AM

    Item still available. Excellent condition – like new. I do not accept checks. Prefer payment by Paypal. Money must clear bank before item is picked up.

    Thanks.

    Maria Adeeko wrote:

    Hi….I use this medium to ask you if this item placed on C/L advert is still available. if yes, am highly interested in buying and knowing the present condition to make an outright purchase now. Maria

  125. Here are two other scammer from Craigslist: betterdays01@gmail.com and Mr dan Williams” ……

    Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 05:34:13 -0500
    From: “Mr Andy Ford”

    Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by gmail.com.

    To: slw689@yahoo.com
    Subject: Re: Portable Air Conditioner – $185

    Hello 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 Craigslist. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check due to the distance as currently out of town.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
    3.Your phone number.

    **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**

    On 5/22/08, SWilson wrote:
    > Yes, it is still available.
    >
    > Mr Andy Ford wrote: Do you still
    have the item
    > available for sale…
    > —
    > Mr Andy Ford

    Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 04:02:07 +0100

    From: “Mr dan Williams”

    Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by gmail.com. Learn more

    To: srntexan117@yahoo.com
    Subject: GOOD DAY SELLER

    Dear seller

    I am Mr Dan Williams,i am interested in buying your item listed above and i would like to know if its still available because i will like to make an instant purchase,so pls do respond back to me with the Amount of your Item. so i can start making the arrangement to buy your it. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via Cashier check,and it will be over night payment due to the distance .Regarding the shipping,You do not have to bother yourself for the shipping as I’ll instruct my Client to send down his shipper across to you for the pick-up of the (Electronics) as soon as you receive the payment.
    And also be (NOTIFY)that my client shall be including an (Over Payment) in the check he will be sending to you in which you shall deduct the money for the (Electronics)and then send the rest to the shipper who will be coming across to you for the pick up of the (Electronics). So 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
    3.Your phone number.
    4, The amount of the Item

    Please Directly Contact me by [ mrdan.williams@yahoo.com ]
    **Once again ,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 your payment cashed **

    Have a nice day…

    Mr Dan

  126. I just got the scam from Amanda Mckenney, kapol008@hotmail.com. Interestingly, it has the name Ralph Hinkson, in Reston, Virginia listed. It was strange to me so I Googled her name. Fortunately I looked a few pages and I found this site.

    I am toying with the best method of response. I will keep you posted.

  127. Hey Jordan,
    I have been emailed by the same person haha.

    Amanda Mckenney, kapol03@hotmail.com wrote:

    I got all information i needed about it, since you can assure me the goodness of it, i will be purchasing it Like i said earlier, with additional $200 of your asking price. I wish i could visit you to take a look at it but due to my present Business engagement, i will not be able to come over there to look at it or offer you cash in person, and we have a private shipping company that will handle everything after you have your money in hand. As there are too many scams on internet as regards buying and selling with large bogus account, we need to protect our self, that is why our mode of payment will be via electronic cashier check. Echeck is simple, secured, legal, fast and it is setup to eliminate the stress of putting check in mail for days. You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy. you must received cash from your bank before the shipping company will come to pick it up. All what you just need to do is to get a business versacheck paper and versaink, cost of $51.97. Once you have this, i will send the electronic check to your email for printing. You can then print and proceed to clear and cash the check at your bank. The cost of procuring the check paper and ink will be added to the bottom price. you can get business versa check paper and versa ink, at office depot, officemax, staples or any stationary store wal-mart shopping moll around. I will be waiting to read from you soon. get back to me as soon as you get the check paper and ink. you are not the only one i asked from, and first come first serve, buy the material today, to make it faster.
    Thanks God bless you.

    Amanda McKenney
    1834 rail Lake,
    Reston Virginia 20190
    ————————————————————–
    I write away had a suspicion after it had a fake address and even tho saying it was a safe way of sending money, its obviously a scam.

  128. Gionne Graetz is now Norman C Reynolds” <norman01011@hotmail.com at the same postal addy. I told him to f!@# off 🙂

  129. I caught this scammer and called her bluff. I told her that I only accept PayPal and if this person didn’t agree and they haven’t written me since. This is the email I received:
    Hello,

    I will like to know if your Beautiful Wedding Gown Size 16 is still available for sale.Kindly get back to me and let me know the Price with present condition.I look forward to your email.

    Thanks.
    Elizabeth.

    Hi,

    Yes the dress is still for sale, the price is $500.00 plus the cost of shipping (unknown). The dress is in fantastic condition, the only thing is it needs to be cleaned. If your still interested please reply back and we’ll take it from there. Also, I am located in Atlantic city just for some info. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for responding yo my ad.

    Sincerely,

    Jennifer

    Hello,

    Thanks very much for your email.The price is fine and the condition stated is alright.My wedding is coming at the end of this month June and I want you to kindly consider your Dress sold to me and I will be compensating you with additional $30 if this is done by you.I don’t have any problem with the collection because my Wedding planner is presently coming over there to pickup some wedding items for me and who will also be handling the Dress collection for me at your location as soon as the transaction is sealed.

    I will be able to make payment with a certified cashier’s check and regarding the payment,I have decided to get in touch with a client of mine in U.S who is owing me a sum of $3,500 to issue out the check in your name.Though the check is more than the value of your Dress but I ‘m willing to trust you with the rest of the money.As soon as you receive the check and clears your Bank,then you will deduct the cost of your Dress and the remaining balance of the money will be send to my wedding planner via western union money transfer for immediate pickup of the Dress.If this is clear and acceptable by you do get back to me with your Name in full,Contact/mailing address and phone number so I can have it forwarded to my client and instruct him to issue out the check in your Name Asap.

    I look forward to read from yo soonest.

    Thanks and Best regard,
    Elizabeth..

  130. Scammer emails I got that started out exactly like Savarkar’s email they received. This time the email address is rbmails035@fresnomail.com

    FIRST EMAIL:

    I am satisfied with the description and condition of the
    item listed above by you on the Ad, Please let me know if
    the piece is still available for sale and kindly attach more
    pictures if available. I have a problem talking on phone
    because I’m hearing impaired I look forward to hearing from
    you soon.

    Rob
    Sent by [CompanyName] Mail

    ———————————————–

    SECOND EMAIL:

    Good, I’ll send a draft from my bank to cover the cost as I’m satisfied with what I’ve seen so far, anyways I’ll not be available for the pick-up due to my job transfer, busy schedule and shortness of time, but my intention is to hire a mover to pick it up. I will need the details of whom & where to mail the draft. It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 2-3 days. Please note ‘ups’ does not deliver to P.O.Box addresses.
    1.Name to be on the check
    2.Home address
    3.Telephone
    Kindly delete the posting. I’m totally committed to buying the item from you to save my costs please I’ll appreciate if you’ll get back to me as soon as possible.

    ———————————————–

    THIRD EMAIL

    Hi,
    How was your day? I will like to inform you that i contacted my bank to confirm if your payment has been mailed out , I was made to
    understand that instead of the actual amount for the item the bank made out check for $2500. The payment was already posted before I was informed about this but is a little problem which we can handle amicably. I wouldn’t want this to delay the sales, as I have rectify
    this with my Bank and all you have to do is that, once you have the payment do take it to your Bank and have it cashed and you will then
    deduct the money for your goods and in addition a $100 (the cost of your running around).

    The excess fund on the payment will then be wired to my mover via money gram that same day, so that she can come for pick up as I’ve
    already plan on using the excess fund the payment to offset the costof the previous shipments he has undertaken on my behalf. Do let me know if I can trust you to have the excess fund sent to my mover. Thanks and God Bless.

    Rob

  131. Yes I just encountered this scammer today!
    when I received this email, I knew something fishy was going on, because it says that they wanted to come view the dress, when I am across the United States…I’m so glad I googled and found this website!

    Thanks a lot for your prompt mail, i really appreciate it a lot .I would have loved to give you a call or come over to view it up but am very busy i have alot of consignment this time, The easiest way for me to pay is probably Cashier Check from my Bank. i will ask my client to send you a Check so that you can have the payment before the end of the week please get back with your contact address,phone number the Payment will be mail out to you this week .So in view of the above, Here are some of the details I will need for final assurance of the
    payment to you below:

    (1) Full Name
    (2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
    (3) Your Cell and home telephone number

    Regarding the shipping, I have a shipping company that would take care of the pick up of my consignment for me and ship to my destination and all arrangement about the Sales Documentation and the pick up(pickup and shipping to the final destination).as well as the money to be paid to the
    company that will take care of the pickup and the documentation with you.Once you get back to me with all the above, The payment will be issued out immediately and it will be sent to you . Hope to hear from you immediately.

    Regards

    Norman C Reynolds norman01011@hotmail.com
    C25 JuniperS Yarmouth, ME 04096

  132. Wow, I feel really stupid now. However we did feel that it was a scam so we gave the guy my husbands companies address. My husband was going to take the check to our dear friend who’s a bank official. But now that I read all of this, which I realize I should have done before, I see that I should have just ignored this guy. This was our first time selling on craigs list and didn’t know anything about it. Does anyone have any advice on what the next step should be? Thanks so much. Julie

  133. I feel stupid too because I actually gave him my address and he sent the “payment” before I realized it was a scam. I had my doubts about him and I should have just ignored him to begin with. It was my first time selling something online too. It’s just kinda scary that he has my address now.

  134. It is funny, I just went through this. And right before I got to the cashing in the check part. I saw this and realized it was a Scam. Then a week later, he e-mailed me saying that he had notified the FBI about my “Scam” and I would be arrested at 4:32 p.m. this evening. I started laughing and I reported him to the Police. 2 Days later, I saw that I had a missed call from the Sheriff. They had found this “Kyle Ruselle” and arrested him. I visit him in Jail regularly now, laughing at him.

  135. I just got the same scam e-mail response to something that I posted for sale. After reading some of the posts here, I thought about jerking him around a little. Then I read some of the posts here about people getting threats from this guy and decided to just block his e-mail address. Maybe I’ll sign him up for a gay porno newsletter or something.

    What I realy wanted to comment about though, is that you should all realize that this person is most likely aware of this website and probably checks it out once in a while. This site comes up at or near the top of the goolge results when you google the fake name and versacheck scams. I’d be a little carefull about the specific info you share here. Just to be cautious.

  136. Sean, If these scammers are reading this website, well, they are very slow learners. Fact is those of us who are aware of these scams are a tiny minority out of the big pool of fish the scammers are feeding on.

    I bet this website is not as annoying to the scammers as one flea is to a dog.

    If we are going to be concerned about the criminal element by what we share in an open forum, then we have already given up our freedom. I prefer to subscribe to the “Live Free or Die” motto of the State of New Hampshire.

  137. I’m talking with “Amanda” now… string follows.

    Most recent reply:

    That is the only way i can pay your money to make me feel confortable, due to the nature of my health. I-versacheck, it very reliable, secure and fast, You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy. If you consider the offer you can get back to me as soon as you you get it. I am in no rush with you as i will await bank clearance before we proceed further .i will add to your asking price with additional offer for the stress and strain i might put you through.Please email me back today if you will be able to get time for this so that i can send the check to you immediately i think it will facilitate your payment. I will be able to send the check to your email for printing, get it today to make it faster, get
    God bless you.

    ——————————————————————————–
    Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:16:39 -0700
    From: goin2oz@yahoo.com
    Subject: Re: ok Bedroom Set – Elegant Solid Oak 6 Pc King Lighted Pier – $2500 (Dry Creek & Mineral – Centen-Li
    To: kapol02@hotmail.com

    I’m confused…

    —– Original Message —-
    From: Amanda McKenney
    To: Karen Leonard
    Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 5:25:03 AM
    Subject: ok Bedroom Set – Elegant Solid Oak 6 Pc King Lighted Pier – $2500 (Dry Creek & Mineral – Centen-Li

    I got all information i needed about it, since you can assure me the goodness of it, i will be purchasing it Like i said earlier, with additional $200 of your asking price. I wish i could visit you to take a look at it but due to doctor prescription about the nature of my health, i will be making your payment today through i will not be able to come over there to look at it or offer you cash in person, but i have a private shipper who will handle that, i will be making your payment today through electronic cashier check. Echeck is simple, secured, legal, fast and it is setup to eliminate the stress of putting check in mail for days. You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy. You must received cash from your bank before the shipping company will come to pick it up. All what you just need to do is to get a business versacheck paper and versaink, cost of $21.37. Once you have this, i will send the electronic check to your email for printing. You can then print and proceed to clear and cash the check at your bank. The cost of procuring the check paper and ink will be added to the bottom price. you can get business versa check paper and versa ink, at office depot, officemax, staples or any stationary store wal-mart shopping moll around. I will be waiting to read from you soon. get back to me as soon as you get the check paper and ink. you are not the only one i asked from, and first come first serve, buy the material today, to make it faster. This involves a lot of trust and sincerity so if you are not trustworthy please do not bother to email me. You can also call me 206-338-3031. God bless you.
    Amanda McKenney
    6523 Sleek crane,
    Reston, Virginia, 20190

  138. AD THIS GUY TO THE LIST OF SCAMMERS

    Mr Andy Ford SCAMMER
    betterdays01@gmail.com SCAMMER

    Hello 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 Craigslist. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check due to the distance as currently out of town.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
    3.Your phone number.

    **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**

  139. HERES A NEW SCAMMER

    Renata Martinez renmrt31@yahoo.com SCAMMER

    Hello,

    The machine is in perfect condition. The amount you will have to pay in order to own this machine is $3,200 with shipping costs and insurance included. It’s perfect in every way. The machine is at shipping center from San Jose/CA. It sealed and ready to be shipped. Shipping to your location will be made through DAS, the eBay shipping company and will be take 3 days. They will handle the transaction for me.

    You will make the payment to eBay and they will hold the money until you receive the machine. ONLY AFTER you will receive and test for 10 days the machine, eBay will release the money to me. This way we are both protected.

    I just finished the divorce process with my husband and as a single woman I don’t need this machine. Now I am in Portugal/Europe at my parents. Right now I am in Lisbon.
    I am in a wheel-chair. It was an accident two years ago. In fact this is the divorce reason. My husband told me that he want a young and healthy woman because I have 35 years and he don’t need me anymore.

    You will also receive all the documentation required for registration. I will send you all the papers and documents. Since it is on eBay I have to make the transaction through them.

    For I can start the deal at eBay I need your full name and shipping address. I’ll wait your decision regarding my machine as soon as possible.

    Looking forward to hear from you,
    Renata Martinez
    Rua das Janelas Verdes, 47 1200-690 Lisbon, Portugal

  140. I am so glad you guys have this blog. Things felt funny when he asked for my address and then ever wierder when his story changed about the money. Thats when I started doing some internet checking.

    I feel so stupid and I gave him my address and phone number. Now I’m scared!! What do I do?

    Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 12:31 AM, Norman C Reynolds wrote:

    ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

    Hello,
    Hope this item still for sale?if yes get back to me with your last asking price for it and get back to me with phone number.

    Norman C. Reynolds
    C25 Juniper E
    Yarmouth, ME 04096.

    Thanks

    ¬¬
    Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:16 AM

    Hi Norman,

    Yes, this item is available. The last asking price is $600 and I can be reached at (I gave him my phone number!!!). Give me a call anytime, if you get the voicemail, I will call you back ASAP.

    Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 11:27 AM
    Catherine
    To Norman C Reynolds
    subjectRe: Designer Mon Cheri Wedding Dress-Style TV2046 – $600 (Woodbridge/Lorton)

    Norman,

    Were you still interested in the wedding dress? I got another person interested, but you had emailed first.

    ~Catherine

    Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 2:43 PM
    Norman C Reynolds
    To Catherine

    subjectok: Designer Mon Cheri Wedding Dress-Style TV2046 – $600 (Woodbridge/Lorton)

    Thanks a lot for your prompt mail, i really appreciate it a lot .I would have loved to give you a call or come over to view it up but am very busy i have alot of consignment this time, The easiest way for me to pay is probably Cashier Check from my Bank. i will ask my client to send you a Check so that you can have the payment before the end of the week please get back with your contact address,phone number the Payment will be mail out to you this week .So in view of the above, Here are some of the details I will need for final assurance of the
    payment to you below:

    (1) Full Name
    (2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
    (3) Your Cell and home telephone number

    Regarding the shipping, I have a shipping company that would take care of the pick up of my consignment for me and ship to my destination and all arrangement about the Sales Documentation and the pick up(pickup and shipping to the final destination).as well as the money to be paid to the company that will take care of the pickup and the documentation with you.Once you get back to me with all the above, The payment will be issued out immediately and it will be sent to you . Hope to hear from you immediately.

    Regards

    ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

    Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 3:51 PM, Catherine wrote:

    Norman,

    This sounds great. You have everything covered. My information is as follows:

    Catherine Here’s where I gave him my info!!!

    Thanks,
    Cat

    ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
    Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:12:30 -0400
    From: cecilvalley@gmail.com
    To: norman0100112@hotmail.com
    Subject: Re: ok: Designer Mon Cheri Wedding Dress-Style TV2046 -$600 (Woodbridge/Lorton)

    Norman,

    How is everything coming? Do you know when I can expect payment and your shipping arrangements?

    Catherine

    fromNorman C Reynolds
    to Catherine

    dateMon, Jun 16, 2008 at 11:05 PM
    subjectCHECK SENT,

    Hello ,

    I’m very sorry for the late response. I have been very busy lately and i just got the tracking information at http://www.fedex.com tracking # 790527168680 for the funds sent to you by my client, The cheque was sent via a company that i did a software installation for and therefore they are sending you my payment in the amount of $3500 as they cant make the cheque into two place for me and you, so you will proceed to deduct your payment of $600 when you have received the cheque and cleared it at your bank and then send the rest funds of $2900 to the wedding planner and for hall reservations. The fedex envelope will Probably get to you first thing tommorow Morning. So i just wanted to let you know that the payment has been sent to your home address.Please update me as soon as you have received the cheque in regards to when the item will be sent out for shipment and when the rest of the funds will be sent to the wedding planner and the hall reservations, so here is the information on where the item will be sent to and also
    where the rest of the funds will be sent to below. I’m very sorry for the delay and inconveniences. I wait to hear from you urgently as receipt of this email..here is the information on where to send the item via USPS Express Mail Service (EMS) and the rest of the funds will also be sent to the wedding planner and the hall reservation via Money Gram Money Transfer. You can find a location near you at http://www.moneygram.com. you will only need to get back to me with the details such as the USPS tracking number and also the Money Gram Money Transfer 8 digit reference number of Money Gram and also total amount sent after the Money Gram charges and shipment charges have been deducted. and also senders full name and address for the pick up of the funds to be easy.

    Name:Candy Croom
    Address:181 E Commonwealth Ave,
    City: Fullerton,
    State:CA
    Zipcode:92832

    so please email me with the above details as soon as you have received this email.

    Regards.

    Norman.

  141. YEAH ..HE JUST REACHED ME TWO….SOMETHING TOLD ME HE WAS OFF. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP. I WILL TELL HIM TO F*$& OFF JUST LIKE YA’LL….THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!

  142. I knew it was a scam and had a little fun with the guy. Thanks to this site I now know how they make their money.

  143. I just received an email for an offer to purchase my item for an additional $200 ontop of my asking price. This is what he wrote “I got all information i needed about it, since you can assure me the goodness of it, i will be purchasing it Like i said earlier, with additional $200 of your asking price. I wish i could visit you to take a look at it but due to doctor prescription about the nature of my health, i will be making your payment today through i will not be able to come over there to look at it or offer you cash in person, but i have a private shipper who will handle that, i will be making your payment today through electronic cashier check. Echeck is simple, secured, legal, fast and it is setup to eliminate the stress of putting check in mail for days. You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy. You must received cash from your bank before the shipping company will come to pick it up. All what you just need to do is to get a business versacheck paper and versaink, cost of $21.37. Once you have this, i will send the electronic check to your email for printing. You can then print and proceed to clear and cash the check at your bank. The cost of procuring the check paper and ink will be added to the bottom price. you can get business versa check paper and versa ink, at office depot, officemax, staples or any stationary store wal-mart shopping moll around. I will be waiting to read from you soon. get back to me as soon as you get the check paper and ink. you are not the only one i asked from, and first come first serve, buy the material today, to make it faster. This involves a lot of trust and sincerity so if you are not trust worthy please do not bother to email me. You can also call me 206-338-3031. Thanks God bless you.”
    Name used
    Michael Smith
    6523 Sleek crane,
    Reston, Virginia, 20190
    Phone 206-338-3031.

  144. Just got my first $2500 UPS overnight delivered fake check. Waiting for the contact to start phase II of Scambaiter.

  145. Thank you to the people who’ve taken the time to publish their experiences with this scam. I have recently been exposed to it by someone using the name & email “Barry Wood “. It was all very similar to what’s been posted above; he’ll send an electronic cashier’s check, I have to buy the paper, he’ll send more money than the asking price of the sale item, I’ll forward the difference immediately to the shipper CEO. What a load of hog wash.
    Thank you for fighting this foolishness.

  146. Addendum:
    the name and email used in the Craigs List scam I experienced is Barry Wood .

  147. Hello everyone!

    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

  148. C (from July 18, 2008 posting),

    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

  149. To A (August 9, 2008 posting),

    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

  150. New One: Jerry Collins (jcolls100@gmail.com)

    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.

  151. I posted a tub on Craig’s list and got a reply from Jerry Collins. He offered $50 to hold. I sent him my info and then I came a bit concerned as I read the Craig’s list warnings about cashier’s checks. He has not sent the check yet. Should I tell him deals off? Report it to Craig’s list, the FTC??

  152. I just received another offer wiht the same waring from a James Mike. both he a Jerry collins are with gmail.

  153. Just thought i would let everyone know to be on the look out for another name being used since i did not see it mentioned. I received the same type of email from a Daniel Stephen at email stedan5@live.com. Something just seemed off about somebody wanting to buy something without seeing it at all (other than the pics posted). Had never done an E-check which he stated was going to be the method of payment, so upon doing the research I came across this site. am i glad i did as i would like to think that my gut feeling would have gotten the better of me eventually. This just keeps me from even having the urge to take the offer as things are really tight right now and every penny is being stretched so the money would have really come in handy. Thank you for bring this to light and for those it might help later here a copy of the email he sent me after i told him the item was still available:

    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

    *************************

    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.

  154. Check this out guys!!!!!!!!
    THe same guy as we all know Sean James” AND/OR “Brian Johnson”

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

    My reply
    *********************************************************
    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
    ***********************************************************

    His reply
    ***************************************************************

    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.
    ****************************************************************

    BY NOW, I KNEW THIS WAS A STUPID SCAM……

    MY REPLY
    *************************************************************

    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…..
    *********************************************************
    AFTER MY REPLY WHICH WAS TRUTH, HE NEVER CONTACTED ME AGAIN!!!!!!!

  155. Just yesterday I placed an ad on Craig’s list for my dresser, and received a reply this morning from Kelldesmondtextile@gmail, asking if I still have it.
    I responded, but have yet to hear back. Then I googled this persons address and found your site listing him (her) as a scammer!!! Boy am I bummed. However, I look forward to toying with this person. I’ve had the same attempt at a scam run at me a few times, and so far have just replied, thanks but no thanks. This guy though, really got my hopes up. My dresser is high end and I was asking big bucks. I thought I’d just made an easy sale. Well, two can play this game. I loved reading how you played with your scammer and intend to fully follow your example. Bright spot is, I know I’m not the only one who’s seen these idiots in action.

  156. I just received this email from kelldesmondtextiles@gmail.com:

    Hi
    Thanks for geting back to me, I’m really happy that you still have it available for sale please i will like you to get back to me with more pictures of the item and i will also like to know your last asking price,Kindly get back to me as soon as possible because i will not be coming over to see it at your home am a very busy kind of person and i intend making the payment and arrange for the pick up as soon as am okay with the pics.
    Thanks

    And then here is my response: (Please note, he never referred to himself as Kelvin, this is something I picked up here…I’ll be interested to see if he notices me calling him by his *real* name)
    Thank you for you interest, Kelvin. Here is a recent photo, and the asking price is 750.00 (cash). Please let me know as soon as possible when you would be able come see it and/or pick it up. It is a very beautiful piece and I have had several other people interested as well, some even offering me well above the asking price!!! Can you imagine? Well, a piece like this does retail for 750.00 on the mirror alone, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised! I am also being very busy, so if you please, let me know again, as soon as possible when you can bring the cash. I would appreciate selling it to you, since you were the first responder, but you know! Whoever can show up here with the money first, you know! Ah! What fun! I never knew so many people would be so interested! Thanks again!

    I was trying to sound like him, but it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. I wonder if he’ll be replying back?

  157. As I am sitting here drinking a beer googlizing my friends, I searched my roomate Chris Feo.  Just to put all your minds at ease, hes a good kid and his identity was stolen.  I found this to be hilarious because he infact already knew this and never mentioned it to me.  But good luck and I never even knew blogs like this existed. 

  158. Hi
    I listed two sets of furniture on Craigslist two days ago (separately). Immediately I received emails from two different persons for each ad. The similarity of the text of those emails, the fact that the person was very busy and couldn’t come and see the furniture, made me take a closer look at the senders and that’s why I ended up here. The emails are from “Kelvin Desmond” (kelldesmond12@gmail.com) and “Kelvin Harrison” (kelldesmond11@gmail.com). I searched for the similar part of the address “Kelvin Desmond” and I found it in Dick’s respond as “Kelvin Desmond” (kelldesmondtextile@gmail.com). The interesting part is that the guy is using the same name in the email address. Fortunately I just sent one email to him and don’t have to spent more time on it.
    Thanks to Dick and to all of you.
    Pan

  159. Here is a scam just like the one above.  I told this guy that I would only accept cash or PayPal for payment and he sent the following:

    I will not be able to make your payment through paypal due to some reasons, someone gain acess to my paypal account and trying to screw my money so i have reported it to the paypal authority and my account has has been suspended for a while,  that means, due to the nature of my health, i will not be able to come over there to take look at it, and that is the only way i can pay your money to make me feel confortable, so i-versacheck, it very reliable, secure and f ast, since you will have your money in hand before shipping company will come to pick it, You can read more on how i-versa check works at http://www.iversacheck.com and also to let you know more about its legitimacy. You just need to get versacheck paper with versaink, and get back to me as soon as you get it, i will be able to send you the check  to your mail, which you will be able to have the check printed, the check will be cleared before my shipping company will come to pick it up,  and i will pay for the cost of the check paper and ink, buy it today to make it faster, get back to as soon as possible.
    Thanks  God bless you.

    What do these people get out of this scammimg?

  160. Beware of jcolls100@gmail.com as well.  I couldn’t figure out why the guy was so interested in my old refrigerator so I googled his email address and found your blog.  THANK you so much.  I knew I wasn’t going to reply as I was suspicious, but I could not figure out the point of the scam.  I advise everyone here to post an ad on Craigslist notifying of this scam.  I found another warning posted in another state for this email address, so that would be a great help. 

  161. I got the same message. He wanted my address and full name. He said he was honeymooning in Hawaii. I replied by asking him to call me. I became suspicious and Googled his email address and that brought me to Electrolund

  162. I just got the identical e-mail response as Jennifer (October 19) from kelldesmond12@gmail.com for an entertainment center on Craigslist.   Funny, but I haven’t heard back since I told him I could only accept cash.

  163. If its the same person I received a fishy email from, what they really want is your full name and phone number. What I ended up doing was telling the guy the item has sold.

  164. I just posted my late father’s scooter chair on Craig’s List and got the same email from a Ralph Hinkson in Virginia. Luckily, we looked up the name before proceeding. Thanks!

  165. I have to say I am glad this site exists too.   We posted a handicap ramp on Craigslist/Chicago.  When my husband got the email and told me it was from a man in Reston, VA: Scott Hardy, the first warning flag went up.  Then when I read his long convoluted instructions for payment via iversacheck, I said wait a minute, let’s check this out.  First we discovered the area code (206) was not from VA, but WA. Then we couldn’t find anybody by the name of Scott Hardy living in Reston.  Finally, I did this search and found almost the same email word for word on this site.  In sum, add SCOTT HARDY to the list, though I’m sure he will soon be developing a new persona.  What a world! 

  166. I have had contact rom Michael D Mckay of Alhambra California- wanting to rent my room in Salt LAke City for his 21 year old daughter- and he required me to get some equipment to print his check- from Office Depot or Staples. I had a lot of trouble believing this and told him in any case that I would not rent the room to anyone until after I meet them. Then I googled his name and found this site. He doesn’t need my name or phone number- the phone number was in the ad and he could find the name with reverse phone directory. I think what he eventually wanted was my routing and account number. No way he would ever get that from me.

    I am getting  quite a few scammers and have been for the last year. I am very distrustful of anyone who says they are out of town and want to pay in advance. And usually the English is pretty scetchy- though in this case, that was not a problem.

  167. My husband and I are trying to sell his car on craiglist and we just got the same kind of email. The guy is supposedly a doctor, he said he is from houston town in texas state. Why not just say houston, texas. He also said that he is away in Canada for two months to check on his business there and he wants us to remove our ad from craigslist and he will pay us via electronic cashiers check as soon as we go and purchase the proper printing paper. He then said his shipping company would come to our house, we live in Pennsylvania, and transport the car to Texas?? I had to laugh at his grammar and spelling, being a doctor I would have thought it would have been correct, but it was not. I am definately not amused by this at all, and I am glad I found your story confirming my thoughts that this whole electronic cashiers check business is a scam. I wonder if it was the same person that sent your message because they sounded very similar. If so, guess he didn’t learn.

  168. dfranck7209@hotmail.com This guy has been trying to buy my wheels and tires for a week now. Same e-check, same private business company, same add money for your problmes, same everything im toying with him now thanks to this website. I have listed his e-mail address to anyone who wants to join the fun.  Thanks again

  169. You are my new hero! I just got the same email response to my craigslist ad. Thankfully smart enough to google the phone number and find the scam. Thanks for your recap of the scam!

  170. Here’s the one I got, in case anyone decides to google it in the future…

    Sounds Good,

    I am satisfied with the present condition and okay to pay you your asking price and I am interested in buying it ASAP, I am from Houston town in Texas state but i am out of states presently to Canada on 2 months business visit to inspect my businesses here.

    Therefore, I will use cashier check to pay you and I will contact my client right now to issue the check on your name and send it to your address via ups or fedex. I will arrange for pick up via a shipper after the check clear in your bank to come to your address for pick up of the item and also to sign the title transfer on my behalf.

    However, kindly delete the advert from Craigslists website and give me your full name, full address and your phone number so that the check will be issued on your name and send to your address via ups next day delivery method

    Waiting for your immediate reply with your full name, full address and your contact number so that the check will be issued and send to your address today and will be deliver to you tomorrow afternoon and I will wait for the check to clear in your bank before proceeding further for pick up and title transfer.

    Dr. Clement Joel

    Email is: polin polin <polin008@live.com>

    Sounded fishy to me, so decided to google it.  Not much info out there on this one.

  171. I felt funny about a response to an add on craigslist did some research found this site thanks I almost went for it. Here is one of the email I received.
     
     Hello,
    Thanks for your reply i got all your information about the item, and am ok with it, I would have come in person,but due to the nature of my health i wont. I will be making your payment today i need your full name and address and yourphone number to make the  payment today through certified check i will handle the shipment myself. The check will get to you in 2-3 days time through UPS andwhen you receive the check you can then get the check cashed or depsited into your account,at your Bank, I will wait for you to confirm and clear the check so you can deduct your own money and send the remaning excess fund to the shipping company via Money gram so as to cover thewhole cost of shipping for the item from your place to it’s destination.The  Shipping company will be there to sign all the necessary document. You can call me on 610-456-9959 for more information..
    Thanks and God Bless
     
     
    You have to love the God Bless just like the panhandler sings.
    Dan
     

  172. “I throw this in for obvious confusion, just to make sure he’s awake. I mean, who confuses “Bill” for a woman’s name”

    Just to be pedantic, but one of the main characters of the BBC comedy “2 Point 4 Children” was a woman called Bill.

    -Duncan

  173. Here’s my craigslist scam email.   This is not the firs so I’ve been playing along.

    Sounds Good,
    I work as search resuce,So i will not be able to come see it but i
    trust in your words and hope all goes fine.I wanted to purchase it for
    a pastor,Let the know the total amount plus shipment to Texas..The
    easiest way for me to pay is probably Electrnonic Cashier’s check
    which is E-Check draw from my Bank.. I have no problem with you
    waiting for the E-Check to go through at your bank or anything….Read
    more on Echeck at there
    websitehttp://www.g7ps.com/scripts/instantchecks.asp . here is a thing
    from the E-Check: You will probably need to buy Versa Check Paper, at
    Shopping Mall,Stationery Store,Office Depot or Office max.And it cost
    $30.Once you purchase the check paper.I will email you the check and
    you will have it printed.then proceed to your bank and cash the
    check.I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Echeck before
    we proceed with shipment.As my Bank Operator informed me that it will
    clear immidiately at your bank.Which is Conforms to All American
    Banking Association rules and standards this is to stop C.O.D.
    Email me back your full contact address and also name plus valid phone
    number for the echeck today.

    Thanks


  174. This looks like a scam to me. They want me to print and send checks via versacheck software?

    So far I don’t see the scam… Because I said I was not willing to buy the materials to print the checks but they said they would send them to me for free. So I’m going to play along here and see what they say.
    Delivered-To: bestasitis@gmail.com
    Received: by 10.150.155.11 with SMTP id c11cs127096ybe;
    Sun, 5 Apr 2009 04:35:26 -0700 (PDT)
    MIME-Version: 1.0
    Received: by 10.229.97.202 with SMTP id m10mr729345qcn.77.1238931326064; Sun,
    05 Apr 2009 04:35:26 -0700 (PDT)
    In-Reply-To: <001b01c9b57d$4c317960$e4946c20$@com>
    References: <001b01c9b57d$4c317960$e4946c20$@com>
    Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 04:35:26 -0700
    Message-ID: <1d281fbb0904050435y6040bbd2p4e0730c86a223e19@mail.gmail.com>
    Subject: Re: We Need You In A Survey Program
    From: Recruit Agent <recruitagent001@gmail.com>
    To: Ryan Laur <bestasitis@gmail.com>
    Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

    Sorry the secret shopper position is not available anymore but We have
    a job opening for the position of VersaCheck Processing and you will
    be working from your home office to do this job at your convinient
    time but our demand is to process 150-200 checks per day.

    Company Description:
    Please carefully read through. MD Textile Company is a  well
    established Manufacturing in Malaysia Firm,That delivers high quality
    of  all cloth and different textile and best known company far back in
    Asia, Europe ,the Regions Of America  and Rest of The world for a long
    time. You will find our high quality textile  best products in the
    market today.

    Job Description:
    Your primary task for now as a Versacheck Processor of the company is
    to be printing and sending payments to most of our clients in the
    United States and Canada through Versacheck Printing Software then
    mailing them  out with our UPS or Fedex account. Fill the Infomations
    below to proccess your application file:

    First name……………..
    Middle name…………….
    Last name………………
    Address Line 1………….
    Address Line 2………….
    Sex…………………….
    City…………………….
    State…………………..
    Zip/Postal code………….
    Age…………………….
    Marital Status…………..
    Nationality………………
    Home phone……………..
    Cell phone……………….
    YM/MSN………………..

    A swift acknowledgement of the receipt of this email will be appreciated.
    Thanks For Your Total Understanding.
    Matthew Christopher
    Staffing and Recruiting Dept,
    Regional Manager,
    MD Textle Company
    Website: w w w . mdtextile . c o m
    STATUS OF YOUR RESUME !
     

  175. This pisses me off. Look out for Peter Kelvin (peter4real@gmail.com) . He replied to my add 3 hours after i posed to buy a 5 string bass off me without even seeing any pictures. I didnt post any up yet.  I didnt start checking out craigslist scams till after i sent him name adress and cell. How bad do you think that is? F*ck these scammers!

  176. Andy,
    Don’t worry.  He’ll just have someone in the US send you a bogus cashier’s check and tell you to wire him the amount in excess of your sale price.  Don’t do it. 

    You can have fun with them, though, by continuing to receive these bogus checks.  It’s costing someone $15 in overnight shipping fees every time a check is sent.  I have a collection of about 27 checks from various items I sold on Craigslist.  To avoid future scams just don’t put your email address in the body of the listing.  These lazy afrikans can’t/won’t do anything with your address.  They just want to send you the bogus check to start the scam.

  177. haha good point! ya im not cashing sh*t. f*ck them. thanks to everyone for the many posts on this page. i want to get the word out there. im letting all my friends know.

  178. Don’t you just love these names?  Morris Garza?  I got 2 yesterday, one from James Gomes, and one from both Damon Diaz and Damond Diaz.   Also, I noticed that they have 2 eemail addresses and one never works.   Maybe we should spam the working email addresses. 

  179. Be ware of  Ben Sutton  bensutton005@live.com  Same type of e-mail. Willing to pay for a 500 pound wood stove site unseen.  The first thing I ask him was how he was going to pick it up?  Then I felt weird about it. No one needs a wood stove that bad. So I searched and ended up here.. Thanks everyone.

  180. The name changes, but the game is the same. Got an email from “Peter Santo”, email addy is peter0295@live.com. And he/she/they are now using iversacheck.com.

  181. Well, my scammer was using a womans name. lol. caroline brand..misscaroline2@live.co.uk
    She never blinked when I told her I’d raised the price to $1,000.  Never did hear back  from her, lol. But I DID email her back and told her that insticheck was used by scammers, that she better beware, lol…then, I said but I bet you already knew that didnt ya. I sent the following info to craigslist. 

    As for Ebay and Paypal, they might as well be invisible. I’ll never use either of them again. I paid $100.00 for a cell phone that broke in 2 days. I followed the instructions and sent it back to the company. Never could get them to give me a straight answer and Ebay and Paypal did not stand behind me. I never got a phone or my money. And any correspondence was answered with the same ol hoorah. After about 6 months I gave up. In my opinion, Ebay and paypal are scams too, lol.

    FYI, the following is the last email I got from miss caroline.

    Sounds Good,
    Ok am ready and willing to carry on with this transaction with full interest.I will
    send your payment asap via Bank Check which should clear before we proceed with any further arrangement.The check will be send via Electronic Cashier Check which should be send to you immediately via email and have it print with the use of business check paper.The Business check paper cost $19 only but i will offer you $50 to purchase the Business check paper to print the check at any Any Stationery Stores and Office Depot/Max……..Once you have purchase the  Business check paper,email
    me the name you want on the check and valid email address for the check Read more about how E-check works a http://www.insticheck.com Please Email me back and let me know if this helps out.The item will be pickup by my private shipping company,so you don’t have to worry about the shipment.
    Regard’s
    Caroline brand

    Oh, guess I did get one more, lol…wanting my name, address, and etc.

  182. Excuse me, but I did hear back from her. She never blinked at the raise in the price. After that email I posted here, I never heard back from “her” lol.

  183. Another scammer on craigslist. This one is using the name Jordon Smith and he can actually type and talk better…

    Hello ,

    I would love to buy your item,i am okay with the price ,all i wanna
    know if  it’s still in good conditions for use and if you’re willing
    to accept a personal check or cashier check  as a form of payment
    because that is the only way i can make payment available for the item
    .I want this transaction to be fast so if you’re okay with my form of
    payment kindly get back with the following information ‘s for me to
    issue the payment  to  you immediately:

    Full name…  Full address…..  City…  State… Zip code…  phone number…

    as soon as i receive the requires details from you i will immediately
    instruct my secretary to proceed with the issuance of check to your
    name and mailed to your address. And also,, don’t worry about the pick
    up, i know a forwarding courier services here that will pick it up.
    And it would be done after you’ve got your check cashed. I will be
    waiting for your response soonest as i want the item as soon as
    possible. I am really interested because i want to get it for my in
    law,i wouldn’t want to loose it because this is like a surprise
    package for my inlaw so i wouldn’t mind a $70 extra for you for the
    item so you can be able to hold the item for me and also tell other
    interested parties that it has been sold .if this is okay with get
    back with the information today

  184. john derick [johnderick04@hotmail.com] Beware of this guy also, he tried this with me today on buying my pool table.  Same stuff as you all went through with the checks.

  185. I just had the same thing happen to me with the email of Elaina Burnett elainaburnett@gmail.com – claiming to pay me via paypal inside her email.  However, I found this URL in my research and did not go through with the transaction.  I have alerted Portland police because that is where her mailing address was from and IC3 website.

    FYI…

    Elaina Burnett
    1724 ne broadway,
    suite 1699, portland,
    Oregon 97232.

  186. Craigslist scammer alert 5/28/09

    In a message dated 5/27/2009 6:10:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
    david.landerson001@hotmail.com writes:
    Hello,
     
     Sounds good, i would like to purchase it from you as soon as possible. (I am intrested and ready to buy it now) . will  want you to provide me more pictures of this item.The easiest way for me to pay is probably E-Check from my Bank.I know there are a lot of scams so I have no problem with you waiting for the E-Check to go through atyoubank or anything.here is a thing from the E-Check: You will probably need to buy Versal Business Check paper, at any store below in your area,
     
    (1) Shopping Mall
    (2) Stationery Store
    (3) Office Depot
    (4)Office max
      (5)WalMart
    (6)Staples
     
    For $20.Once you purchase the Versal Business Check paper.I will email you the check and you will have it printed.then proceed to your bank and cash or deposite it.I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Echeck before we proceed with shipment.As my Bank Operator informed me that it will clear immidiately at your bank as it was from my global account with.Which is Conforms to All American Banking Association rules and standards this is to stop C.O.D.The item will be pickup by my private shipping company,so you don’t have to worry about the shipment.
     
    Please Email me back and let me know if this helps
     
    Best RegardsDavid  L Anderson
    3405 Craig Ave
    Omaha, NE 68112

  187. Hi!
    I just had a similar email today. I am so glad you guys post this! Plus, the way you handled it is awesome. So funny! I enjoyed reading about it, plus knowing I won’t be scammed!
    BTW the guy’s name this time is Paul Denneys.

  188. If it sounds too good to be true…  In my case it was a guy named Don Ingram [donigram4@live.com] who tried to get me to go with VersaCheck and wanted my name/address/phone to send the check. 

    I wrote back that my work address was more secure and to please mail a check to there instead of my home address.  (per advice on another website – don’t give your own address)

    Don writes that if I don’t give my address, then he’ll have to use InstiCheck to send my payment.  That’s when I knew it was a scam and found this website. 

    THANK YOU!!

  189. From: toddgolstein1@live.com

    Sounds Good
     
    I am okay with the conditon & price. my mode of payment will be via Certified Check Drawn on Bank Of America,you will probably need a VersaCheck Paper (Business Size) or a Business Check Paper to print and cash or deposit the check today, the VersaCheck Paper or Business Check Paper is sold for $15 at any stationery store,office depot or at your local office supply outlet.i will wait for your bank to verify and clear the check before we proceed with the shipping which i will hire my private shipping company to come for the pickup after the check has been cleared at your bank so do not worry about the shipment fee,I will need your name and address to send the E-check, you can read more on how it works at http://www.iversacheck.com.
     
    14821 se marianSt
    Milwaukie Or 97267
    (575)694-7172

  190. Thanks to this site we found out about Elaina Burnett 1724 ne broadway, suite 1699, portland, Oregon 97232 

  191. This Elaina Burnett person has contacted me about a jewelry item I had for sale on craigslist. Her emails are pretty lucid and she seems to be good at this. Pasted emails below; I’m underlined, she’s bolded:

    It is very uneconomical for me to travel all the way from here just
    for this single transaction. However, it’s easy and free to open a
    paypal account.Just go to there website http://www.paypal.com and set up an
    account there. Paypal is the world leading payment master that
    protects both buyer/seller interest.And with paypal, you are on a
    secured transaction. Above all, it’s like instant cash.As soon as you
    open an account, get back to me with the name and email that you
    linked with your paypal account and i shall  have your money sent
    asap.I will also be responsible for the 3% paypal transaction charges.
    And having being a paypal customer for the past 18 months with no
    charge back, I feel more comfortable sending my funds via paypal due
    to there various security measures at ensuring safe and secured
    transaction between both buyer/seller.
    regards

    ME-
    > Sorry. Face to face transaction only. Take care.

    On Jun 13, 2009, at 5:42 PM, Elaina Burnett <elainaburnett@gmail.com> wrote:
    >
    > Good to have your reply, I am Elaina Burnett, from Portland, OR. and
    > would have loved to come and inspect this diamond at your place
    > myself, but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that
    > I manage presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition
    > described. I will appreciate some pictures if available and shall be
    > sending your money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a
    > paypal account that I use for my business and easily send money out
    > without delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments.
    > Get back to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me
    > to have your money sent on time. What is the color/clarity of this
    > diamond and is this your final asking price?.
    > regards
    > Elaina Burnett
    > 1724 ne broadway,
    > suite 1699, portland,
    > Oregon 97232.

    >
    >

    Me-
    > Yes it is.  Do you wish to see it?

    > On Jun 13, 2009, at 1:27 PM, Elaina Burnett <elainaburnett5@gmail.com>
    > wrote:


    Hello, is this particular diamond still available for sale and in good
    condition?
    regards
    Elaina Burnett

    1. Heelah, this is an interesting variation of the scam. (I wrote this blog post, fyi). I of course agree that meeting in person is the best approach. However, depending on the obscurity of the item you’re selling, I myself have found items on Craigslist outside my city and requested to buy them using PayPal. PayPal itself is legitimate, being owned by eBay now. That said, what people do with PayPal is another matter.

      I can also attest to being contacted by people requesting to buy my Craigslist items and using PayPal as the escrow. Just 3 months ago, I sold some math curriculum this way and all went well.

      Good luck!

  192. I applied for a driving job on Craigslist and got the following reply.
    It seems like a scam but how would they get money from me.
    Thanks for any input.

    Greetings to you !

    This driver open is for a personal driver,someone who will be committed and ready to work with good manners and attitude.My name is Roldan Gary and i live here in Makati City Philippines with my wife .You will be driving my wife who has gotten an Evaluation offer to run in many hospitals in some many parts of the United State which includes your state and your city.This scheme is for her Evaluate all Hospital for the time frame she can do them and am only looking for a driver who will be able to take care of the driving duty in good competency.The project which will be starting from July 20TH i suppose you know what an Evaluation is , sometimes you evaluate companies without a notice of evaluation and many times it is secretly done this might include walking in as a patient and then taking records of how you are been attended to and how others feel about the hospital.You have a privileged to work with her after getting the good credibility about you and further more will be discussed.This job is with a good flexible time and you can decide when you can have time as the evaluation has not timely frame of running as you know that hospitals are open 24hrs.

    An arrangement will be made for the car or pick Up that you will drive and also and apartment will be made ready where she will stay for the time being,all this information will get to you as soon as you are confirmed as the driver.The car or Pick Up will be brought to you a day prior to when my wife arrives the State after i have confirmed you for this driver job.

    MORE INFORMATION:

    Dress Code during work: Black Pant and white shirt, well mannered.
    Date work starts: July 25th
    Airport: (Fill in your closest airport for your convenience on booking her flight)

    Weekly pay: $585
    Working Hrs a week: 3 times a week and for 3 Hrs each day

    QUESTIONS:

    What type of Car or Pick Up will you prefer?

    What times will you be available?

    Will You Accept Certified check Had mode of Payment?

    What is your present work places,name and address with phone Number.

    Do you think you are a better driver for this open? Yes….Give reasons.

    If you think you have read and answered this correctly and you have concluded that you are worthy of the open,then i will need some more informations of you.Your name,address and a phone number will be required for my personal documentation .Also the your ADDRESS and FULL
    NAME with a phone Number of you will be required as the car rentals are supposed to make a car delivery to you for this job.

    Reply back answering all questions and details as requested.

    Roldan Gary
    34F Tower One Ayala Triangle
    Ayala Avenue Makati City 1226 Philippines

    ——————————————————————————–
    Download the AOL Classifieds Toolbar for local deals at your fingertips.

  193. I received an identical email from “Elaina Burnett” thank god for this site I had a feeling it was a scam even her wording was identical as the above except changed it to say watch. Talked with someone she did scam she took them for a ring worth 700 this sucks. all beware of this she wanted it shipped to malasyia. Thanks for your site.

  194. Elaina Burnett is still at it below are a few messages
    me:
    I have done some research on your name and address and I will not ship any thing to you
    please do not email me again unless you can have some one pick this up in person and pay with cash
    thank you

    From: Elaina Burnett <elainaburnett@gmail.com>

    Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 7:14:40 PM
    Subject: Re: tag watch – $900 (s. crestview)

    It is very uneconomical for me to travel all the way from here just
    for this single transaction. However, it’s easy and free to open a
    paypal account.Just go to there website http://www.paypal.com and set up an
    account there. Paypal is the world leading payment master that
    protects both buyer/seller interest.And with paypal, you are on a
    secured transaction. Above all, it’s like instant cash.As soon as you
    open an account, get back to me with the name and email that you
    linked with your paypal account and i shall  have your money sent
    asap.I will also be responsible for the 3% paypal transaction charges.
    And having being a paypal customer for the past 18 months with no
    charge back, I feel more comfortable sending my funds via paypal due
    to there various security measures at ensuring safe and secured
    transaction between both buyer/seller.
    regards

    me    On 6/21/09, :
    > sorry due to scams
    > I will only sell this item locally
    > with a face to face sell.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > ________________________________
    > From: Elaina Burnett <elainaburnett@gmail.com>
    > >
    > Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 10:30:16 AM
    > Subject: Re: tag watch – $900 (s. crestview)
    >
    > Good to have your reply, I am Elaina Burnett, from Portland, OR. and
    > would have loved to come and inspect this watch at your place myself,
    > but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that I manage
    > presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition described. I
    > will appreciate some pictures if available and shall be sending your
    > money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a paypal
    > account that I use for my business and easily send money out without
    > delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments. Get back
    > to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me to have
    > your money sent on time. And is this your final asking price?.
    > regards
    > Elaina Burnett
    > 1724 ne broadway,
    > suite 1699, portland,
    > Oregon 97232.
    >
    >
    > On 6/20/09,me wrote:
    >> yes and yes very good condition
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> ________________________________
    >> From: Elaina Burnett <elainaburnett4@gmail.com>
    >> To: sale-m9g3b-1231315255@craigslist.org
    >> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 5:24:01 PM
    >> Subject: tag watch – $900 (s. crestview)
    >>
    >> ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    >> ** Avoid:  wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    >> ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    >> ** More Info:  http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
    >>
    >> —
    >> Hello, is this particular watch still available for sale and in good
    >> condition?
    >> regards
    >> Elaina Burnett
    >>
    >>
    >> ——————————————————————
    >> this message was remailed to you via: sale-m9g3b-1231315255@craigslist.org

  195. this guy just tried me as well except he is using the name Michael Ralph now, same exact stuff, wants to buy my carpet machine truck mount, but thanks to google and you guys posting, i will not be another sucker! thanks everyone!

    EVG

  196. Another name to beware is
    Seth Grant
    He has contacted us multiple times with the same tired scam.
    Good luck out there!

  197. So good to find this site.  I have been hit by scammers and would like others to be aware.  They are ruining craigslist. You have seen this one before

    —–Original Message—–
    From: Elaina Burnett [mailto:elainaburnett@gmail.com]
    Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 2:18 AM
    To: Buzz
    Subject: Re: Wedding – Engagement Diamond Ring in Tiffany Setting- Huge 1.5ct Stone – $2450 (So Florida)
     
    Good to have your reply, I am Elaina Burnett, from Portland, OR. and
    would have loved to come and inspect this ring at your place myself,
    but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that I manage
    presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition described. I
    will appreciate more pictures if available and shall be sending your
    money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a paypal
    account that I use for my business and easily send money out without
    delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments. Get back
    to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me to have
    your money sent on time. And is this your final asking price?.
    regards
    Elaina Burnett
    1724 ne broadway,
    suite 1699, portland,
    Oregon 97232.
     
    On 6/28/09, Buzz  wrote:
    > This ring is still available
    >
    > —–Original Message—–
    > From: Elaina Burnett [mailto:elainaburnett5@gmail.com]
    > Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:56 PM
    > To: sale-zmsza-1242602297@craigslist.org
    > Subject: Wedding – Engagement Diamond Ring in Tiffany Setting- Huge 1.5ct
    > Stone – $2450 (So Florida)
     
    >
    > —
    > Hello, is this particular ring (Clarity 1-1) still available for sale
    > and in good condition?
    > regards
    > Elaina Burnett
     
    —–Original Message—–
    From: David Costas [mailto:h.p.r.t00@gmail.com]
    Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:33 AM
    To: Buzz
    Subject: Re: McDermott Pool Cue – Registered! – $250 (Cape Coral)
     
    Hello,
    Thanks for the swift reply. I am still interested in buying, I am
    satisfied with the conditions and because i read through the AD and i
    will like you to know that, am highly interested in buying this items
    for my Daughter-in-law..I will make my payments with a bank certified
    check..I will be responsible for the pick up when check clears. Please
    get back to me with the following informations so that the payment can
    be endorsed:
     
    ……. Name to be on the check.
    …….Address to mail the payment to.(NOT P.O BOX)
    …….Phone number both land and mobile.
     
    After the information is been supplied,I will give you an update on
    the payment..
     
    I will be highly grateful if you can withdraw the ad from craigslist
    and make me your favorite buyer.
     
    Thanks You!!

     
    FOR THOSE THAT WANT THE CLUES:
     
    1.  They cut and paste these emails, so it will not have specifics, just say “item”
    2. They ask for
     

    ……. Name to be on the check.
    …….Address to mail the payment to.(NOT P.O BOX)
    …….Phone number both land and mobile.
    Do not bother to reply to these people!  It is a numbers game AND THEY DO NOT CARE.  They get info on people, steal their credit and in some cases get into their cc and bank accounts and empty them.  DO NOT RESPOND.  You often have details attached to your email account that you are not aware of.

  198. ***BEWARE***F.3benson@live.com appears to be a new scammer on Criagslist. Goes by name of Frankie Benson, Horn Lake, MS. Tried to get buy my item with e-check. Stated I would have to buy paper, print, etc. This person’s address is only 40 miles from my home. I told him this & stated Cash Only. He emailed back that he was out of town & I should take the E-CHECK.

  199. NICE TO SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH BAD LUCK ALSO, I FOUND TWO(2) VEHICLES ON CRAIGSLIST ALSO, ONE OF THE VEHICLES WAS A 2004 TAHOE Z-71 FULLY LOADED WITH ONLY 43,000 MILES>>>>FOR JUST 4500.00>>>> BUT WAIT IT’S IN GERMANY, THE GUY WANT ME TO USE MY PAY-PAL TO PAY FOR IT………RED FLAG>>>>THEN I FOUND A TRUCK THAT WAS LISTED LOCALLY(IN MY AREA) ON CRAIGSLIST  AND THE LADY GIVE ME A SAD STORY THEN, WITH OUT ANYMORE CONVERSATION SHE WAS READY FOR ME TO USE AN E-BAY PAY ACCOUNT….TURNS OUT THE TRUCK WAS OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY, SO I OFFERED TO FLY IN AND PAY IN PERSON IN WHICH I’M SURE MOST FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO DO, SHE BLEW ME OFF…………………SO THANKS ALOT FOR GETTING MY EYES OPEN……………..

  200. Great site and great information. Thanks for sharing.

    Beware of:

    1. Versacheck
    2. Christ Crathbun
    3. Fred Ray
    4. Ray Fred

    They use the same letters, etc. everyone described. My first time listing on Craig’s List, and what do I get immediately? Two well seasoned scammers. Ridiculous.

  201. JACQUI MACY:
     
    i got that exact same email but it was from Karren Hamby.
    my listing was also for a ring.
    alright guys watch out for Karren Hamby!!!!

  202. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THE SCUM OF THE EARTH NON WORKING COUCH POTATO PIECES OF SH$T WOULD SATURATE CRAIGSSCAM. I NO LONGER USE IT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY LOSERS…KINDA LIKE THE SHIP OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA.
    MY ADVISE ADVERTISE SOMEWHERE ELSE OTHER THAN FLEEC- EBAY OR CRAIG-SCAM
    I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THERE WHERE THAT MANY LOSERS IN THE WORLD….NOW I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL ZERO’S THERE BACK..LOL  BEWARE !!

    1. That’s a little reactionary, Jimmy. I’ve done hundreds of successful sales and buys on both eBay and Craigslist. Don’t let a few rotten apples spoil the whole bushel for you!

  203. KARREN HAMBY
    NEEDS A NEW NAME..LOL

    We’re sorry, no matches were found for Karren Hamby Portland OR
    do you think your the first scammer… your like a disease all over the craigslist….guess its easier than a real job.. blog the name Douche Bag or is it Einstein !!

    Good to have your reply, I am Karren Hamby, from Portland, OR. and
    > would have loved to come and inspect this watch at your place myself,
    > but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that I manage
    > presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition described. I
    > will appreciate more pictures if available and shall be sending your
    > money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a paypal
    > account that I use for my business and easily send money out without
    > delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments. Get back
    > to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me to have
    > your money sent on time. And is this your final asking price?.
    > regards
    > Karren Hamby
    > 1724 ne broadway,
    > suite 1699, portland,
    > Oregon 97232.

  204. hey
    i saw your item on craiglist.and i will like to know if it still available.my
    mode of payment will be via alertpay,i will also add $50 to your asking price
    for the shipment.
    thanks.let me know…..
     
    justine smith  another

  205. This just happened to me yesterday where I was contacted by toddjoel01@live.com. I hope you don’t mind but I stole your line about being an undercover agent. It was too good not to use. And I haven’t heard back from the poor bastard since. This information on-line was very helpful since I was a virgin Craig’s List user before this week. Thank you for keeping all of us so well informed.

  206. Here’s another one; paul@sf-interiors.com and koupal4@sio.midco.net. This guy is so good that he has TWO email addresses to contact him at. This is in response to my same posting that was originally put on Craig’s List 9/01/09 for a vacuum. Before this week I had never been on Craig’s List and now I’m being bombarded by these scam artists. It’s scary. All I’m trying to do is make a sell and I can’t even get a decent response. It’s been a disappointing experience thus far. Again, many thanks to you, Rob, for keeping us informed.

  207. Hello, Thanks for the great info. KARREN HAMBY tried to pull one over on me also. My husband was ready to send our watch to Oregon, I am such a sceptic and did not want to do it. I typed in her name and craigslist scam and your article appeared. We had another one 2 days ago and I sent it to some sight I googled for craigslist scams. Now what to do with this one.
    Thanks again for the info,
    Martha

    From: karrenhamby@gmail.com
    To: Surfvan
    Sent: 9/14/2009 2:33:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
    Subj: Re: ERNST BENZ ~40 mm ChronoSport Automatic Mens Watch ~NEW – $1500 (Troy)

    Ok and kindly send money request to this email address for record
    purpose because, I already have a customer who might be interested in
    this and i shall have your money sent as soon as I conclude all
    transactions with her. As soon as all negotiation is completed with
    the said customer, I shall get back to you on the actual shipping
    address and as an added security measure, paypal shall also list the
    correct shipping address to you on the payment confirmation page that
    you shall receive from paypal notifying you of the said funds and
    instructing you, as soon as I have your money sent. Also, do you still
    have the original receipt for this?
    regards

    On 9/14/09, Surfvan wrote:
    > Bob Piscopo
    > _Surfvan
    > this watch is perfect in every way
    >
    > In a message dated 9/14/200 9 1:00:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
    > karrenhamby@gmail.com writes:
    >
    > Good to have your reply, I am Karren Hamby, from Portland, OR. and
    > would have loved to come and inspect this watch at your place myself,
    > but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that I manage
    > presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition described. I
    > will appreciate more pictures if available and shall be sending your
    > money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a paypal
    > account that I use for my business and easily send money out without
    > delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments. Get back
    > to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me to have
    > your money sent on time. And is this your final asking price?.
    > regards
    > Karren Hamby
    > 2695 ne broadway,
    > suite 1733, portland,
    > Oregon 97232
    >
    >
    > On 9/13/09, surfvan:
    >>
    >> —–Original Message—–
    >> From: Karren Hamby
    >> To: sale-khur9-1371350508@craigslist.org
    >> Sent: Sun, Sep 13, 2009 4:53 pm
    >> Subject: ERNST BENZ ~40 mm ChronoSport Automatic Mens Watch ~NEW – $1500
    >> (Troy)
    >>

    >> ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    >> ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    >> ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    >> ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
    >> —
    >> Hello, is this particular watch still available for sale and in good
    >> condition?
    >> regards
    >> Karren Hamby
    >>
    >>>> ——————————————————————
    >> this message was remailed to you via:
    > sale-khur9-1371350508@craigslist.org
    >> ——————————————————————
    >> yes it is and new never used

  208. I just received the same exact response from Karren Hamby. Earlier today I also received a response from Stone Ferry. Both of them were illiterate. I think I have put my last article on craigslist.

  209. WOW, this is strange I just got contacted by this Karren Hamby person and the messages where exactly the same as above, she has a customer who is interested etc. mmm

  210. Ok and kindly send money request to this email address or simply get
    back to me with the name and email address that you linked with your
    paypal account because, I already have a customer who might be
    interested in this and i shall have your money sent as soon as I
    conclude all transactions with her. As soon as all negotiation is
    completed with the said customer, I shall get back to you on the
    actual shipping address and as an added security measure, paypal shall
    also list the correct shipping address to you on the payment
    confirmation page that you shall receive from paypal notifying you of
    the said funds and instructing you, as soon as i have your money sent.
    Also, do you still have the original receipt for this?
    regards

    On 9/16/09, paultimshel@aol.com wrote:
    >
    > Hi, Karren
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > I am a business owner as well, it is good to deal with professionals,
    >
    > As far as your question of condition. I have been dealing in art and
    > antiques for about 12 yrs, the condition is amazingly good.
    >
    > This belt has?the original leather and has all the rubies and gold carving
    > in place. . The writing on the verso of the?belt says Hollands San Angelo
    > 14k sterling. Their will be no suprises. I can receive Pay Pal payents.
    > Thank You for your time and interest
    > The price is firm. FYI/I have relatives who live near and in Portland,
    > (Monmouth) to the south and a cousin who lives in Eugene
    >
    > Sincerely, Paul Timshel
    > —–Original Message—–
    > From: Karren Hamby
    > To: paultimshel@aol.com
    > Sent: Wed, Sep 16, 2009 8:14 pm
    > Subject: Re: Hollands of San Angelo Belt with Gold, Silver, and 8 Rubies –
    > $2200
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Good to have your reply, I am Karren Hamby, from Portland, OR. and
    > would have loved to come and inspect this belt at your place myself,
    > but I am a very busy woman and have a wholesale business that I manage
    > presently. Pls just make sure this item is in condition described. I
    > will appreciate more pictures if available and shall be sending your
    > money asap. Do you have paypal account? because, I have a paypal
    > account that I use for my business and easily send money out without
    > delay to my customers since it’s good for business payments. Get back
    > to me with your paypal email address and name in order for me to have
    > your money sent on time. And is this your final asking price?.
    > regards
    > Karren Hamby
    > 2695 ne broadway,
    > suite 1733, portland,
    > Oregon 97232
    >
    >
    > On 9/16/09, paultimshel@aol.com wrote:
    >> Yes the belt is still available. My phone # is 834-5159 you can call up to
    >> 10:30 pm Thank you for your interest. Paul
    >>
    >>
    >> —–Original Message—–
    >> From: Karren Hamby
    >> To: sale-jfcut-1377850862@craigslist.org
    >> Sent: Wed, Sep 16, 2009 7:20 pm
    >> Subject: Hollands of San Angelo Belt with Gold, Silver, and 8 Rubies –
    >> $2200
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    >> ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    >> ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    >> ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
    >>
    >> —
    >> Hello, is this particular belt still available for sale and in good
    >> condition?
    >> regards
    >> Karren Hamby
    >>
    >>
    >> ——————————————————————
    >> this message was remailed to you via: sale-jfcut-1377850862@craigslist.org
    >> ——————————————————————
    >>
    >>
    >
    >

  211. Haha this site helped me.. I’m new to craigslist so I wasn’t even aware there was such a thing as craiglist scammers.

    I was getting super frustrated thinking this is some foreign person who doesn’t speak/read English well because she kept saying she is going to send me money and it is going to be more than I am asking so I can cash it then give it to her or some shit..but I kept telling her no I am not going to handle any of the money (its for an apartment) the office will handle it all and they won’t refund you any money.

    Then I was pissed she was ignoring me. Then I thought about it. Then I googled her named and I ended up this site, thanks to the other Kelly that was getting scammed by her.

    So thanks! Now I know.

  212. I just Googled the key words in the email I recieved (in response to an obscure item I put on Craigslist) and came upon your site. What a hoot!

    I am currently being emailed by “Robert Swanson” at rbrtswnsn@sify.com and rbrtswnsnn@gmail.com It looked and sounded pretty fishy. He is using the exact email header that you have posted. Thanks for the info!

    Now to have some fun with, him/her(?)

  213. Just googled ( h.p.r.t00@gmail.com) because his email was too good to be true. And it led me here, thanks for having this site to warn others. Heres what the email said:

    I’m very glad that the item is still available, thanks for the prompt
    response and i will love to make an instant purchase, so please and
    please do withdraw the posting from Craigslist, i don’t mind adding an
    extra $20.00 for you to take the posting down from craigslist so that
    i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item. I will also like
    you to know that i will be paying via check,and it will be over night
    payment due to the distance. You don’t need to bother yourself with
    the shipment ok, i will do take care of that. So i will need you to
    provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of
    the check

    ****Your full name
    **** Your mailing address be it residential address
    ****Your city and state with zip code
    ****Your Phone Number.

    Once again, 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.

    Thanks..

  214. Folks, these are not individual people doing this. These types of scams are run by organized crime syndicates out of Eastern Europe, and Russia for the most part. the Nigerians of course are still in it, but even then it’s still a syndicate. It’s hard to believe that even after all these years of warning, people still fall for this stuff.

    I guess P.T. Barnum was right.

  215. Wow! I just came from the bank asking questions about a response I received after posting an item for sale on Craigs List. The individual interested in buying wanted to pay using a E Check. The bank had never heard of iversacheck. Your posting sheds a lot of light on this situation and we need to continue to spread the word.

    See below from bbellasin1@aol.com:

    Sounds Good

    I am okay with the conditon & price. my mode of payment will be via Certified Check Drawn on Bank Of America,you will probably need a VersaCheck Paper (Business Size) or a Business Check Paper to print and cash or deposit the check today, the VersaCheck Paper or Business Check Paper is sold for $15-$30 (which i will add it to your last asking price)at any stationery store,office depot or at your local office supply outlet.i will wait for your bank to verify and clear the check before we proceed with the shipping which i will hire my private shipping company to come for the pickup after the check has been cleared at your bank so do not worry about the shipment fee,I will need your Full name,Full address and phone # to send the E-check, you can read more on how it works at http://www.iversacheck.com.

    Thanks.

    In a message dated 12/6/2009 10:45:43 P.M. W. Europe Standard Time, scubane@cox.net writes:
    Still have them for $300. I bought an extra set prior to going to Moab last year and they have been sitting in my basement. Have never had a problem with the ones I installed so decided to get rid of these. Where are you located? Hoping to find someone local and avoid shipping which would not be included in the $300 price.


    Edward Whitehill
    Omaha, NE

    —- bbellasin1@aol.com wrote:
    > ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    > ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    > ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    > ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
    >
    > Goodday,
    >
    >
    > I hope you still have this item for sale?if yes get back to me with your
    > last price of the item and also present condition.
    >
    >
    > Thanks
    >
    >
    > ——————————————————————
    > this message was remailed to you via: sale-dky4u-1496731791@craigslist.org

  216. not even an hour after my post guess what ,,,,

    “was up how are you doing, i believe you are cool and how was your
    day? i want to ask if your item is still for sale……..

    name: abiodun lawson email: bebeneedsluv02@gmail.com

    Wow some looser scammer thinks I am cool. Ok here’s my bank account number. No I didn’t respond. You will ask then, how will you know for sure. Common sense for me. maybe not for you.

  217. Just a tad bit late getting to this site from another site concerning scammers.

    Has any one checked out the link everyone has in their posting here????I decided to check on the web site listed below and can’t get to it

    http://www.iversacheck.com

    You see they are now listed under another name where you get your ink and check supplies. This I know cause I use their check writing program and check and ink to print out my own check and deposit tickets.

    The email is a valid one in case you would like to know more.

  218. ALCON;

    “Barry Johnson” or “BJ” is at it again, or so it seems. He is using two email addressess:
    “b_johnson02@live.com” and “mywaytowork@gmail.com”. I did not catch on at first; I must admit, I was a bit excited to sell my truck so quickly, however after numerous times of asking him to contact me, I have finally written this to all of the “abuse” emails I could find. I will update if “he” writes back:

    To whom it may concern;

    Below is email traffic from a person claiming to be “Barry Johnson” of “BJ”. This individual is using your trusted websites and services to scam people of their possesions and money.

    Please understand that I am a member of the United States Army. I risk my life on a daily basis and do not need this undue stress nor on my family. I am also reporting this to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense Counter-Terrorism Unit. The FTC will also be contacted.

    My friends in the US military do not put our lives on the line day in and day out for people like this to exist. We exterminate people of this low caliber!

    Apparently, some form of check “MoneyGram” has already been sent. That check and all forms of email correspondence will be forwarded to the above mentioned authorities. I have also included his email addresses he has used to contact me.

    I would appreciate some form of feedback and a plan of action in which you plan to deal with this individual(s). Thank you for your time and effort.

    v/r
    Mike

  219. Got another one for you guys to add to the list:

    Jennifer Smith

    I was trying to sell some furniture for $650.00. So she responds saying that she can’t come in person because she’s away on business but will send a check for the amount asked now so nobody else will buy it. She also says she’s willing to wait for the check to clear with my bank before getting the furniture. So I said “sure, ok” thinking there’s no risk to me. I didn’t know I can get still get screwed even if the check does clear until I got to this site.

    So a day or so later she sends me an InstiCheck for $2,450.00 saying the extra funds is to pay for her shipping company to come pick up the furniture and I should wire the difference to them via Western Union. So at this point I’m like “what the hell? $1800 to ship something that cost $650???” Furthermore, who the hell sends a complete stranger $2k anyway? So I Google for “InstiCheck” and “Craigslist” and “scam” and came across the “overpayment scam”. Googled for this some more and eventually got to this site.

    I seriously wish I could reach across the Internet and triangle choke this “Jennifer Smith” until she passes out. I’m not sure if I should even respond to this her. Should I? I’d love to tell Jennifer Smith what she can go do with herself, but I bet I’m just one of many thousands of potential victims.

  220. This is what I got today, when i posted my treadmill for sale.. Craziness i tell you . This guys is apparently DEAF.
    from J Ben Mr
    reply-to janizbenson@googlemail.com
    to sale-dpyez-1638130796@craigslist.org
    date Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 6:36 PM
    subject Reebok Treadmill 9500 ES – $850 (ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE ) Date: 2010-03-10, 5:42PM EST Reply to:
    mailed-by craigslist.org
    hide details 6:36 PM (1 hour ago)
    ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html


    Could you kindly get back to me, if this item is still available for
    sale, As i am interested in buying

    Thanks

    ——————————————————————
    this message was remailed to you via: sale-dpyez-1638130796@craigslist.org

    to janizbenson@googlemail.com
    date Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 7:36 PM
    subject Re: Reebok Treadmill 9500 ES – $850 (ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE ) Date: 2010-03-10, 5:42PM EST Reply to:
    mailed-by gmail.com
    hide details 7:36 PM (45 minutes ago)
    Hi
    Yes, the treadmill is still available.

    from john bernard
    reply-to johnisbernard@10tecs.com
    Hello,

    Thanks for the swift response, just to let you know that am okay with
    the condition and price of the item, am ready for its purchase and my
    form of payment will be by sending you Check via UPS next day
    delivery.

    I’ll be responsible for the pick-up and the pick up money will
    be included in your payment to avoid delay and to enable pick up
    company to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up at your
    location after check has been cashed,as i have other properties to be
    moved alongside with yours.

    I would have really love to come for the viewing but due to my work
    frame that might not be possible,but if you have the pics,might want
    to have a good look. Please do get back to me with the following

    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address(Physical as Ups does not deliver to P.O.Box}
    3.Your phone number.

    I appreciate you holding this for me. Please delete the posting as I
    am definitely buying it from you and it would be sad
    for me to have the payment in the mail only to be
    informed of the its sale also am deaf and will like to be contacted via
    email.*Looking forward to receiving this information, so the payment
    can be made out asap

    Thanks and God bless

  221. iam dealing with a guy right now said he send cashier chesk with extra 2500 and to help him out by send 2500 threw western union and pay the shipping with it told him to send check. this guy is on a scam to lets see.told me he wait for check to clear.he called me from cell phone.have number on caller id. iwill post name and number later if anybody wants it.

  222. I just wanted to add to the comment about the fake tickets on craigslist.

    frequenttraveler23@gmail.com
    pifortheairlines@gmail.com

    The guy is obviously insane and has been embarrassing me as well.

    Please look out for emails from him and avoid at all cost. His ad on craigslist is really weird in that there are tons of rules you have to follow in order to get the ticket from him. I should have immediately listened to my instinct when I saw that, but I didn’t. Trust your gut!

  223. I have received one of these scams before going through Craigslist however I was dumbfounded this morning to have learned the person I just received an email from (after responding to the email address left from the relay service) was using the exact same tactics as above… and I posted an ad in the NEWSPAPER! I guess the guys running this scam have access to the newspapers on the internet too. I am going to contact my local newspaper and let them know to run a small story if they will in case anyone else out there doesn’t have the experience that some of us have from Craigslist already.

    His contact info: Peter Cole or Cole Peter (he has used both in the first email alone)
    petcole01@yahoo.com Exact same verbiage as used many times in the posts above.

  224. Heather, I had the exact same thing (relay service) from the same guy. I had an ad in my local newspaper for puppies for sale. It sounded like a scam to me so I googled his email address and it came up as a scammer. I will always trust my instincts from now on.

  225. BN, who commented above was turned into Southwest Airlines for attempting to fraudulently purchase SWA Rapid Rewards. Do I smell ‘Sour Grapes’…I think so!! *Below is the real story…

    PI Guy

    *
    SWA…

    Just in…your latest CROOK!

    PI Guy
    bcc: SWA Fraud

    From: Bita H Nossa
    Date: Wed, Mar 31,
    Flight for Passenger:
    Bita Haidarian Nossa
    T: 512-287-9229

    OUTBOUND
    Flight 1045
    7:10AM Depart Houston
    9:00AM Arrive Nashville

    RETURN
    Flight 2543
    7:00 PM Depart Nashville
    9:10 PM Arrive Houston

    Bita Haidarian Nossa
    Director
    Finding Bibi
    T 512 287 9229
    http://WWW.FINDINGBIBI.COM

  226. Watch out for BRIT DEMO, her e-mail is amataebony11@gmail.com , same exact thing about e-checks and all this bull$%*…after 3 e-mails from her,I decided to google about e-checks and criagslist scams. And its amazing how internet works both ways.
    Thanks for your posts guys !
    and here is my contribution against these Motherf@#%^&*

  227. I got an odd email about a phone I was selling and when I clicked on the link (I shouldn’t have) it sent me to this weird site and now the only way I can get on craigslist is to go through my history and click on a page I have been to. I can’t sign into my account and I need to…..can you help me. thank you

  228. HI there
    I think Mr. Adams is at it again. He was going by the name of Jude Winberly but the email was blladams4@gmail.com and basically exactly the same as above happened to me as you but I didn’t have as much fun with it. I sent a report to craig’s list and the FTC
    Do I need to do anything to protect myself? I sent him my address, phone, name and of course he has my email. I didn’t print the check or give him any banking info.

  229. I received these emails from two different scammers, yesterday; Make sure you block their email addresses from your email account.

    This was from adelerandol3223@yahoo.com.

    “hello is this small beige purse for sale?”

    Then when I replied, “Yes,” I received an automated email, 30 seconds, later. The scammer used Yahoo! Auto Response and wrote:

    “Don’t sell this!

    I just wanted to let you know that I was selling a few things on CL just like
    you. I ended up realizing a lot of people get ripped off, its over-all NOT SAFE
    anymore to meet people from craigslist. A friend of min told me about this
    website I should look at, and I made about $4000 from it last month… I’m
    making more than I was at my job. To try it out go to http://cnbc-news.org/jobs/

    If you need some help getting started let me know.”

    And I received the same scam from sandeeeoff1441@yahoo.com

    “What’s Up were you still looking to get rid of that? Let me know pleasethanks”

    When I replied, “Yes,” I received a response about a few minutes later, from Yahoo! Auto Response.

    “You don’t have to sell this so cheap…

    I used to sell stuff on CL just like you were doing to pay my bills. I ended up
    realizing a lot of people get ripped off, its over-all NOT SAFE anymore to meet
    people from craigslist. My friend told me about this website that I should look
    at so I did, and I made about $3500 last month from it. I’m making more than I
    was at my regular job. If I can do it, you can. Visit http://googlesuccess.org

    If you need help getting started let me know, it’s simple.”

    I’m ashamed of myself; I wish I had known that they were scammers. I live in an area where a lot of young people use slang and write like that, where people who write or speak informally are considered to be “cool” (and anyone else who doesn’t is thought of as a wealthy “snob,” or just plain “weird”), so I just thought that I received e-mails from typical, young, local people.

    1. Melissa – I just did the same thing and have the same questions as you – boy do I feell dumb……

  230. I thought it was interesting that some of you replied to the scammers, trying to invent your own scam stories, but now that I think about it, I’m a little concerned that the scammers might take your advice and improve their grammar, or will copy and paste your own words (your scam stories) and send them to other people, their future scam victims.

    1. s, this is an interesting perspective. I guess you could be right. Depending on how entrepreneurial the scammers are, they might indeed better their technique by studying scam baiting. In fact, I personally have noticed that the scam emails have gotten more intelligible in the last couple years.

      Still, I just can’t help baiting. It’s so funny!

  231. This is another email I got most recently: The guys is till on ………….

    Hello ,
    I would have prefer to visit you and pick up the item but i work as a crew with an airline service and we are currently on a trip now which might take me weeks to return back home and i want the item to be moved with some other household items that i am planning to move to my new house .
    You can visit http://www.iversacheck.com to know more about echeck and proceed immediately to any nearby stationary stores or office depot to purchase a blank business check paper which is sold for about $20 then get back to me when you have it so that can send you the check and instructions on how to print it.

    Thanks

  232. Dude must think that no one would suspect such a thing… a simple Google search found me this page (Thanks Rob!!!!)

    From: winberly0@hotmail.com

    Sounds Good. I’m very busy with work and other important obligations, I will proceed
    with payment via E-check. E-check is just a means to send bank check to your e-mail instead of mailing it to you, as I can’t get around to mail a check at the moment. You will only need a business check paper to print from your e-mail and have it cashed or deposited. You will be able to purchase the business check paper at staples,walmart,office max or any stationery store at cost of $20. I will reimburse you with the cost of supplies to your asking price. I’m in no rush with you till funds clears before pick. I will await your email with the following information so that I can send the check to you once you have supplies.

    1) Full Name(2) Address and(3) Phone Number.
    Get back to me asap.
    Thanks.
    Jude.

  233. I just received an email from this jude winberly also, winberly0@hotmail.com..I went ahead and copied the above and sent it in a reply (to let them know they needed respond, I already had the next message ready to go!)…Isn’t there any agency to report these too, like the FBI? I mean that is banking fraud isn’t it? Stealing account numbers? You would think they would go after these people…I also had one yesterday from

    olowoofuja04@gmail.com
    kechin ton

    show details 3:09 PM (2 hours ago)

    Thanks for responding, I’m ok with the price. I would like to send

    payment asap. Please let me know if a certified cashiers check is
    ok.After my check clears my shipper will come and pick it up at your
    location. I would have loved to come and take a look but I can’t. My
    shipper will though. If you can get back to me with your details I’ll
    get the check out asap. Need your full name and address,zip code and
    your telephone number.N.B UPS does not deliver to aP.O box
    addresses.Regards..

    Sent from my U.S. Cellular BlackBerry®
    smartphone

  234. BEWARE OF JAMES DAVIDS,HE WILL BUY YOUR ITEM IN A SECOND,EVEN ASK HOW YOUR FAMILY IS DOING. BUT, CAN ONLY PAY WITH A U.S. CASHIERS CHECK. BUT, IT WILL BE WRITTEN OVER THE AMOUNT OF PURCHASE DUE TO THERE BEING A MINIMAL “CHECK WRITTING AMOUNT” AND MY OLYMPUS STYLUS 8000 AT $155.00 IS TO SMALL OF AN AMOUNT. BUT,I WAS TO MAIL HIM THE REST. BUT OF COURSE I GET TO KEEP AN EXTRA $100.00 FOR MY TROUBLE MAKING THE TOTAL AMNT OF MY SELL $255.00 HE RECEIVES A COOL $1,000 BUCKS, HE’S EASY TO FIND JUST POST AN ITEM FOR SALE AROUND A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM HIM WITHIN 24 HOURS THEY MOVE QUICK. PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFO TO MAKE AS MANY PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS AND NOT HIS VICTIMS

  235. ANYONE HEARD FROM A JAMES DAVIDS YET ? I THOUGHT I WOULD FOLLOW UP ON IT AFTER I WROTE A LETTER STATING HIS SCAM AND HOW TO DRAW HIM IN. LET ME NO, I WILL BE READING THIS SITE DAILY

  236. “Jude Winberly” just sent me an e-mail reply to a posting of mine. I didn’t reply to him yet because I ALWAYS Google names of people or their e-mails coming to me from Craigslist just in case of stupidness like this. Hence, how I came to this site and learned that this isn’t going to be a legit response!

    As an FYI, the e-mail he is using this time is basholingtoon677@gmail.com

  237. Wow! Thank goodness I googled the name Jude Winberly and saw the link to this page in the #1 spot! It sounded like a scam to me but wasn’t sure. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Also, your replies to him were just good comedy!

  238. Jude is still tryin! His new email..bashcomolingtoon677@gmail

    I listed some items on Craigslist and got the “i’m interested” bite. Google the name and came across this site so I decided to play along for a bit.

    I responded that I still had the item and then got the “I’ll send you an echeck, blah blah blah.”

    So, I sent the following response….think he’ll answer?

    –Sounds great!!!

    But, since I’m not an idiot, I did have enough sense to do a little research and I know that this is your usual lame scam.

    Maybe, if you weren’t a stupid asshole, you would have sense enough to use a different name than you were using 3 years ago.

    Why don’t you just tell everyone that you are a Nigerian Prince…you’d have better luck!

    Good riddance, douchebag.

    1. Sure glad I googled his name too and saw all of these posts. I had another experience with this a couple months ago with the same type of interest but they wanted me to view a picture to see if was a similar item and fortunately, my Virus protection stopped it. This is very frustrating and I hope the FTC looks into these people that are trying to steal from innocent people who are trying to make a few extra dollars, especially with what the economy is today! The guy is so out of touch and he keeps using the same name!

  239. Hello

    i’m interested in buying it, can u get back to me if it’s available for sell.

    regards
    barry

    Hello,

    I’m completely interested in buying it.

    I anticipate that I’ll have a Check issued out to you.I’m in no rush with you till funds are cleared in your bank.I’ll instruct my mover to come for pick up when payment has been cleared. Kindly e-mail me back with your  Name, Address, City, State, Code and Phone Number for the Bank Cheque.The Check should get to you within 2-3 business days via USPS postal service. 

    Please remove the Ad if you are interested in selling it to me to avoid interruption by others.

    Expecting your response with details requested.

    Thanks

    Sent yesterday morning and this morning

  240. Well I believe I have found another just like this. Used 2 different email addresses asking for the tv i wanted to sell not more than an hour after it was posted(1:22am)> The name is Lincoln Smith

  241. Well I believe I have found another just like this. Used 2 different email addresses asking for the tv i wanted to sell not more than an hour after it was posted(1:22am)> The name is Lincoln Smith. Offered to mail me a check and wait till it was cashed before his movers would come collect it. (daytona beach)

  242. Be aware that Barry Johnson is using fake checks with the company name Thomas Industries on them he is not associated in any way with Thomas Industries and the check are no good.

  243. Beware of Jude Winberly anybodyelse? wanting me to buy special paper to print myself a check for items they have not seen ????

    1. Also, got a request from Jude Winberly to purchase my washer/dryer sight unseen and send me an Electronic Cashiers Check. Found this site when I googled his name. Beware

  244. Unfortunately, I fell for this stupid a#@%$ scam. I had a vehicle for sale on craigslist and a day or two later I was sent an email from Barry Johnson(mywaytowork@gmail.com). I deposited this check into my bank but did not touch the money because I wanted to make sure it was going to clear. The guy was insistant on me wiring the funds of $1,000 but I wasn’t that stupid! I wanted to make sure the check was on the level! I researched for a few days. His name, to whom I was wiring the money, his cellphone # location etc. I found this site and pasted a link to it in an email I sent to him. I haven’t heard from him since! I did go directly to my bank and told them what had happened. I gave them a copy of the emails as well. NOW THEY HAVE FROZEN MY ACCOUNT FOR UP TO 10 DAYS! WTF! Every dime I have is in that account! I am also not getting any answers! They make me feel as if I am a criminal being punished! I NEVER touched the money and I notified them!

    1. Well Barry, at least you didn’t send them any money! Your bank should free up your account as soon as they straighten it all out.

  245. Another name is Seth Grant. Using the emails:
    ccsgr24antt41@inbox.lv and then baseline111@gmail.com

    Seth G.
    to me

    show details 4:55 PM (3 hours ago)

    Thank you for the response, I will be sending a Certified Draft which
    is generally acceptable to cover the cost as am completely
    interested. I will need the details below of whom & where to mail the
    payment;

    1.Name to be on the check
    2.Home or office address
    3.Cellphone number

    Please note FedEx do not deliver to P.O Box. However, my mover will
    pick up the item right after the payment as been delivered. Kindly
    delete the posting as am committed to buying it. I recently move here
    on a job transfer and it’s a great buy. Here is my relay # (832)
    390-0679 am hearing impaired and will receive your phone messages
    via email. Hope to read from you shortly. Best regards.

  246. Another name is Nicole Thompson

    Hello,

    Thanks for your response…I will like you to know am interested in buying this item.The method of payment i will be using will be a Bank Certified Check which will be sent via Fedex next day air delivery and this is because i am currently away on a business contract. Also i will be adding $50 to the asking price for the reservation of the item, If you do agree to sell this item to me and have it reserved pending delivery of payment to you

    I will be responsible for the pick-up and the movers payment would be included in the check mailed to you in order to avoid delay and to enable the pick up company to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up at your location as I have other properties to be moved alongside this item to my new home.Please delete the posting as am definitely buying it from you.I will also wait for the check to clear before the pickup is done.If you do have more pictures, please send them to me so I can get a better look.If this is fine with you Please get back to me with the following so that the check can be mailed out to you.

    1. Your Full name which the check would be issued out to.
    2. Residential or Office Address where the check will be mailed to.

    Also i am deaf so i cant communicate to you than via email as my tty and adsl have been sent out for updates.
    Await To Hear From You
    Thanks and stay blessed
    Nicole

    1. I just got this exact email from Baseline111@gmail.com I was sooo amped to finnaly sell my items I gave him what he asked for!! now what? what exactly can he or she do with this info? my name, address and cell #. AWWWW man i know better DAMNITJIM

      “Thank you for the response, I will be sending a Certified Draft whichis generally acceptable to cover the cost as am completelyinterested. I will need the details below of whom & where to mail thepayment; 1.Name to be on the check2.Home or office address3.Cellphone number Please note FedEx do not deliver to P.O Box. However, my mover willpick up the item right after the payment as been delivered. Kindlydelete the posting as am committed to buying it. I recently move hereon a job transfer and it’s a great buy. Here is my relay # (832)390-0679 am hearing impaired and will receive your phone messagesvia email. Hope to read from you shortly. Best regards.”

      1. Well, as long as you didn’t send your bank account number, credit card number, social, that sort of thing. You’ll probably be alright.

  247. Barry Johnson at mywaytowork@gmail.com popped up–responded to my ad offering a car. Here is his message:
    =====
    Hello,
    I’m completely interested in buying it.
    I perfectly understand the present condition as started in the advert.I anticipate that I’ll have a Bank Check issued out to you.I’m in no rush with you till funds are cleared in your bank or anything. I’ll handle the pick up when check has been cleared.Kindly e-mail me back with your Name: Address: City: State: Code :Phone Number. The payment should get to you within 2 to 3 business days via USPS service. Please withdraw the advert from Craigs to avoid interruption.
    Barry Johnson
    E-sea Crew Agent
    206-426-1718
    =====
    I’m looking for my internet Taser app–this fellow needs to feel some serious discomfort.

    Jeff

  248. Nicole Thompson struck again!
    I had a similar email to the one below!

    Hello,

    Thanks for your response…I will like you to know am interested in buying this item.The method of payment i will be using will be a Bank Certified Check which will be sent via Fedex next day air delivery and this is because i am currently away on a business contract. Also i will be adding $50 to the asking price for the reservation of the item, If you do agree to sell this item to me and have it reserved pending delivery of payment to you

    I will be responsible for the pick-up and the movers payment would be included in the check mailed to you in order to avoid delay and to enable the pick up company to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up at your location as I have other properties to be moved alongside this item to my new home.Please delete the posting as am definitely buying it from you.I will also wait for the check to clear before the pickup is done.If you do have more pictures, please send them to me so I can get a better look.If this is fine with you Please get back to me with the following so that the check can be mailed out to you.

    1. Your Full name which the check would be issued out to.
    2. Residential or Office Address where the check will be mailed to.

    Also i am deaf so i cant communicate to you than via email as my tty and adsl have been sent out for updates.
    Await To Hear From You
    Thanks and stay blessed
    Nicole

  249. We received an identical message from Nicole Thompson on April 9, 2011! Not even the key word “item” was rendered specific for the merchandise offered for sale!

  250. We received an identical message from Nicole Thompson on April 9, 2011! Not even the key word “item” was rendered specific for the merchandise offered for sale!

  251. I recvd this today. I was like whatever when I got 1st email but I was curious and responded then got the 2nd one. Yeah right buddy.
    From: tom dubors Add to Contacts
    To:tmb0214

    ——————————————————————————–

    Sounds Good.

    I’m happy it’s still avaliable!

    I’m interested in buying it asap ! I’m very busy with work and other important obligations.I perfectly understand the present condition as started in the advert. I will add additional $150 to your price. My lawyer instruct me not to send cash due to so many bogus advert .I will like to proceed with payment via Certified Bank Check. I’m in no rush with you till funds has been cleared in your bank or anything. I’ll handle the pick up when check has been cleared. Kindly e-mail me back with your Name: Address: City: State: Code :Phone Number. The payment should get to you within 2 to 3 business days via USPS Postal Service. Please withdraw the advert from Craigs to avoid interruption.

    Thanks.
    Barry Johnson
    Deputy Welfare Officer.

    On Mon, May 23, 2011 at 10:37 PM, wrote:

    We do still have its my husbands. He bought everything new im not sure when he bought it but i know he has had it for at least 5 yrs. To me they look good and sound good. But im posting for husband so dont know that much,except the cost. If you would like to see them just let me know thankyou tina

    ——————————————————————————–
    From: Tom Dubors
    To: sale-rsncy-2397400571@craigslist.org
    Sent: Mon, May 23, 2011 9:27:45 AM
    Subject: 5pc Drum set and Proj Acoustom Cymbals w stands – $750 (Decatur)

    ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
    ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
    ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
    ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

    hello seller,

    I was browsing through Cl and saw your item for sale please get
    back to me if its still available. and please let me know the current
    condition and if you are the owner and how long its been yours,
    thanks so much and God bless you.

  252. You really deserve an award!!!! Many applauses for you!!! You have saved many from this bogus person, and one of them is me. Thanks plenty Rob!

  253. This is brilliant. I love his reaction to your ‘undercover’ email.

    I had my first brush with it today…didn’t fall for it, but I reported the guy to the FTC.

    Thank you for instilling some humor into the situation.

  254. Sooooooo Funnnny 😆 Thanks for that! I will be using this the next time I get the chance. I almost want to have the chance.

  255. Carol Marcellino h.p.r.t00@gmail.com
    9:26 PM (10 hours ago)

    to me
    Hello,

    I am very sorry if you cant really understand my first message
    to sent to you, what i mean is i need a honest cleaner person and
    thanks so much for replying my message. I would like you to clean my
    house and get $370 weekly and you will be cleaning every 2 times in
    the Week, and ones during the weekend and you don’t need to worry
    about the cleaning materials since it will be provided to you for the
    cleaning. I will like you to know you will be responsible for general
    cleaning of hallways (dusting, vacuuming and mopping), doors, windows,
    pick up trash in common areas, sweeping and changing light bulbs etc.
    I am Charles Garland by name, i am 54 years old man and don’t have too
    much strength to do most of the cleaning work and that is why i need a
    some honest, i will be paying you by check and i will want you to send
    me your
    Full Names,
    Physical Address where you want the check to be mailed out to
    and your cell number to reach you at and the check can be mailed out
    to you today or tomorrow.

    I will be waiting to read back from you with your info, so that the
    check can be send out to you tonight..Thank you very much..Charles

  256. I have a scammer by the name of Nelson Collins wanted to buy a $20 set of reloading dies .he wanted to send me a check and would I put in USPS shilling box .He sent message check on way .He then told me to cash the check .Keep $100 for my time .And the cost of sending the rest of payment to a address in TN whee he WD going to drive 350 to pick up a $20 item .I cracked up took it all to the police

    Silly boy

  257. SCAMMER: Username- “CollinsJude2”

    Thought his terms sounded strange and found this! Said he was local and when I asked what town he was located in he said “Utah” lol. This is a great thread!

  258. Havent seen anyone else claim this happened to them, yet, but I am sure it happens to many others,
    we own and run alphamaids, what them bastards will do is mail me a check, rubber of course, and then get me to send someone else some money from that rubber check. they need to all be in prison, bastards, all of them.
    i am down here in MIAMI FLORIDA.
    they dont know me from adam, and they sending a “good check”, the one i got just now NOV.17 2017, for over $700usd, oh ya. i may have been born at night, but i wasnt born last night! and FYI, this is her..ya sure. email address,
    carolford09876@gmail.com

    1. Thanks for the comment, received a similar request from same email. Declined her request.

  259. ya sure, keep some of it for your trouble, i very good friend of mine, his son fell for it, well he was pissed, he thought his son knew better, well he does now, they had to pay the bank back, son had spent the money, and glad they didnt end up in jail themselves. WOW, what bastards!!

  260. Yep…and they are still at it…sent us a check for $1900

    —–Original Message—–
    From: carol ford [mailto:carolford09876@gmail.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 12:41 PM
    To:
    Subject: Virginia Beach, VA

    Hello ,

    Thanks for getting back to me.I am a very busy woman,Here is More about the Job and how Urgently i wanted it to be done. I’m relocating with my family from Colorado to Virginia Beach, VA . I just got the house in Virginia Beach, VA and i will like it to be ready before my arrival ending of February, that’s the main reason why i contact you for the total cleaning up of the house and i want the Job to be as soon as possible.The house is 4 beds 3 baths 3,372 sqft and its located at 1244 Course View Cir, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Each room is 12×12 and 8 foot ceilings,trims, windows, doors I want you to totally clean up the rooms,baths and also the living room. You can Visit the house if you care too but i Don’t think its Necessary because i am not in VA now and my mover that will come for the deliver of other items and also some furniture i bought for the new house is the one who will give you access when he arrives in VA ,I believe you can easily make an estimate with the sizes i already gave you.I want you to know that i have already placed an Order for the new furniture to be used in the house.The furniture will be delivered to the house address as soon as the Payment have being made out to you. Give me your Estimate and the Price so i can Proceed with the payment and i will like to know if you accept a check as a means of payment.Thank you and hoping to hear from you soon.

    Carol

  261. They are getting way more creative, they tried to hire the cleaning company I work for and asked for me to pay the movers the rest of the money.:( crazy! last email below- I had asked for her to CALL asap if needed her home cleaned and this was my response, we already got a check for $1900. I also had someone try to scam me with a text to wrap my car in a company logo for $5000 a month they also sent me a check for $3500 I ripped it up and I have NO idea how they got my address.

    carolford09876@gmail.com
    I am so happy to read back from you and i really dont have access to
    phone calls because i work on the oil field,Do have the check
    DEPOSITED and do have the money for the cleaning deducted from it and
    do have the excess funds sent to my mover to have my belongings
    delivered to the house and also open the door to the house for you so
    that cleaning can be done.

    The only delay holding my mover down is the excess funds with you,I
    await your sharp response

    Carol

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