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Mtnlvrs · 03-13-2013, 09:57 AM

There's a 2004 19 ft Bambi on Craigslist (Charlotte,NC) for $9,000. So, common sense tells you it's not legit, but I asked about it...if we could take a look. The response came back..."I just recently divorced..move to Lincoln NE (!) for a new job...trailer at the shipping co. in NE,...ready to ship with free delivery...try it out for 5 days, send it back at my expense if you don't like it, etc......Yikes!! This is really scary to me. I flagged it. I saw the same pictures in an ad for what appears to be the same trailer in Arizona...but the price is something like $23,500, so I can only assume they got it from there.

fleurdenola · 03-13-2013, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mtnlvrs

There's a 2004 19 ft Bambi on Craigslist (Charlotte,NC) for $9,000. So, common sense tells you it's not legit, but I asked about it...if we could take a look. The response came back..."I just recently divorced..move to Lincoln NE (!) for a new job...trailer at the shipping co. in NE,...ready to ship with free delivery...try it out for 5 days, send it back at my expense if you don't like it, etc......Yikes!! This is really scary to me. I flagged it. I saw the same pictures in an ad for what appears to be the same trailer in Arizona...but the price is something like $23,500, so I can only assume they got it from there.

It's also listed in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and more. Mass craigslist scam posting!

**DKB_SATX** · 03-13-2013, 10:02 AM

I flagged that one on a couple of Texas craigslist sites. Standard stuff, unfortunately.

T4HALO · 03-13-2013, 10:18 AM

Their english is getting better, only a few mistakes.

A good friend of mine is a Detective for my local Sheriiffs department and takes 5 to 7 complaints a year from people falling for these scams. Has to tell the poor folks that there is nothing he can do. And, I do not live in a very populated county. Makes you wonder how many good people are swindled by these criminals.

T4

featherbedder · 03-13-2013, 10:48 AM

Avoid Craig lists scams do not go to Craig Lists web site to many scams....

interstateflyer · 03-13-2013, 10:52 AM

Was in LA area a couple of weeks ago. We emailed back and forth. I could tell by the language that it had scam written all over it.

**DKB_SATX** · 03-13-2013, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by featherbedder

Avoid Craig lists scams do not go to Craig Lists web site to many scams....

That's a bit of an overstatement. A little common sense helps weed out most of the scams in the first place, and sticking to a rule of "no money changes hands until I see the merchandise" cleans up most of the rest.

I found our Argosy on Craigslist... 12 miles from our house, literally being sold by a preacher. No scamming involved.

afneill · 03-13-2013, 11:34 AM

I agree with DKB. Let's not paint with too broad a brush. I found my AS on Craigslist. As always, use some common sense when dealing with someone you don't know. Well......even if it is someone you do know.

mocus · 03-13-2013, 12:14 PM

Ditto on the Craigslistings. I played along with one of the offers and it was exactly like you say, only different wording. I wish there was a way to notify ALL AS'ers before they bite.

Jim Clark · 03-13-2013, 12:33 PM

I have bought and sold on Craigslist. Not only are many of the for sale items scams so are many of the buyers. Common sense will weed both out, and don't get in a hurry to close the deal.

**Kevin245** · 03-13-2013, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

That's a bit of an overstatement. A little common sense helps weed out most of the scams in the first place, and sticking to a rule of "no money changes hands until I see the merchandise" cleans up most of the rest.

I found our Argosy on Craigslist... 12 miles from our house, literally being sold by a preacher. No scamming involved.

Ditto. We purchased a new rig last Fall from a CL ad. I asked the pertinent questions and received the correct answers from the seller. I had cash and they had a clear title.

It is incumbent upon both the seller and the buyer to do their due diligence. If it looks to good to be true then it usually is.

Now I do have a Harley-Davidson that was once owned by Elvis. Then by a little old lady who of course only rode it to church on Sunday. It was recently discovered in a barn on some ocean front property near Flagstaff, AZ.

.

mocus · 03-14-2013, 11:35 AM

Think it would help to have a "Scam Alert" page on this website?

Protagonist · 03-14-2013, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocus

Think it would help to have a "Scam Alert" page on this website?

Probably not, in my opinion. Scams come and go, but forum posts hang around forever. Where's the value in a scam alert page that will be out of date within a month due to old scams fizzling out and new ones replacing them? Just one more thing for overworked moderators to keep track of.

On the other hand, stickies somewhere on the Air Forums on "How to recognize a scam" and "What to do if you suspect a scam" would be of lasting benefit to newbies and old-timers alike.

On the latter subject, one thing I repeatedly post in scam threads is, "Please, don't play 'bait the scammer.'" As soon as you have reason to think it's a scam, report it, with the information you have already collected, to your local FBI office. Then walk away and let them handle it. The FBI investigates internet fraud. If it turns out you're wrong and it wasn't a scam, no harm done except for the poor FBI agent who has to follow a trail to a dead end. But if it is a real scam, and the FBI office can catch them in a sting or by tracking down an IP address to a real physical address, they might be able to take one more scammer out of circulation.

Playing 'bait the scammer' may seem like fun, but what you'd really be doing is educating the scammer on how to improve his game.

Not that you or anyone else on this thread would do do something like that. But there have been posters to other scam threads that openly admitted to leading the scammer on for the entertainment value, to see how long they can drag it out before the one party or the other gives up.

mocus · 03-16-2013, 02:14 PM

Good point.

**DKB_SATX** · 03-18-2013, 08:05 PM

I got a bit of a laugh at the dirtbags' expense this evening. Apparently they had a bit of a cross-up with the templates they use for their attempts at thievery. In the various craigslist locations around where we live, which I have on an automated search for the word "airstream", the numbskulls posted a bunch of sedan and pickup ads which all had description about a "stubborn dressage saddle" and hidden keywords of "airstream" somewhere. Every one of the listings was 10%-20% of an honest price for the vehicle advertised, just like the do with Airstreams. I flagged every one, of course.

mocus · 03-19-2013, 05:33 PM

I do the same thing...flag'em.

AWCHIEF · 03-19-2013, 06:51 PM

Nothing wrong with shopping and buying on Craigs List. Common sense is in order. I found my trailer on CL and had it checked out by a member here that lived close by. He reported back that it was a good deal on a fine old trailer. I drove over (250+ miles one way) bought it and dragged it back home. Not one regret in the past year with buying a Craigs List Airstream.

Protagonist · 03-20-2013, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Nothing wrong with shopping and buying on Craigs List. Common sense is in order. I found my trailer on CL and had it checked out by a member here that lived close by. He reported back that it was a good deal on a fine old trailer. I drove over (250+ miles one way) bought it and dragged it back home. Not one regret in the past year with buying a Craigs List Airstream.

The difference is, even though you found it on Craigslist, you still relied upon the Mark I eyeball and not just endless back-and-forth e-mails.

AWCHIEF · 03-20-2013, 07:07 AM

I summarized the process. We did swap numerous emails and phone calls. So I am not sure what your point is.

Protagonist · 03-20-2013, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I summarized the process. We did swap numerous emails and phone calls. So I am not sure what your point is.

The point is, scammers will never want to do anything face-to-face, and will always want to deal through an unnamed agent, whether buying or selling.

You sent someone over to check it out for you first, but you still did the purchase in person. The person you bought from agreed to meet you for the sale, rather than working through some third party. Yes?

Sooner or later, it all comes down to face-to-face, even when dealing with Craigslist.