MetaChat - Someone just tried to scam me on Craigslist!

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

29 September 2008

Someone just tried to scam me on Craigslist! →[More:]It's a pretty stupid attempt, as scam attempts go. I'm selling a fridge, and this has been the only response so far:

Am serious about buying from you, so i want you to take off the Ads from Craigslist.I live in South Dakota ,i know you will be surprise that am looking outside.Out here i couldn't find good ones cos they live and old school life here ,let me say it's a laid back place.I am here due to my work ,i should have bring the one that am using in New york but i thought i will find a better one thats why i sold it.I will mail you a check as my mode of payment ,and as soon as you cash it i will get movers to come move it from your door down to mine.Get me your full name and address with phone number so as to send the check out..I hope doing business with you.

Regards,

post by: muddgirl at: 12:28 | 8 comments

I never knew that they didn't have refrigerators in South Dakota (you know, living the old school life and all).

posted by muddgirl 29 September | 12:30

I'm confused.. what does he expect to do with an address?

posted by Firas 29 September | 12:34

I bet these are not even live people, just scammer bots that trawl CL looking for certain phrases/prices/whatever.

posted by lonefrontranger 29 September | 12:36

But why the broken English? How does that help the scammers?

posted by DarkForest 29 September | 12:44

That was me, i was serious. now all my food is warm. Thanks alot. i like SOME food to be warm,like burritos, but others like milk or ice milk or skim milk deserves to be cold! Next time be more trusting, unless maybe you like making people eat warm otter pops? still awaiting address...

posted by Atom Eyes 29 September | 12:58

DarkForest it looks randomly generated, almost Markovian.

posted by lonefrontranger 29 September | 13:06

I had a similar experience on ebay a few years ago. I was selling a dryer, so my shipping options were limited to (and this was explained explicitly in the listing) LOCAL PICKUP ONLY. So I was quite dismayed when the winning bidder was from Atlanta, GA (I'm in Southern California) who told me to give him my address and he'd have UPS pick it up.

I never did find out what his scam was as I complained to ebay immediately and they let me relist it.

posted by The Gooch 29 September | 14:03

These scams are pretty common. If you reply, it's a good bet that he'll send you a (fake) check for more than the amount you asked for, and he'll ask you to wire back the difference, with real money of course, coming up with some sort of explanation why the amount was too much. Apparently it works, with someone, somewhere, otherwise they wouldn't do it.

posted by Melismata 29 September | 14:26

← Cher || Do people still say "doggone" unironically? →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN