Classifieds Scam?

[tslanier]

We have bought a 2000 34 Limited with Sofa SO and have had it renovated including new drapes. I listed the drapes which came in it on the forums for sale. They are in excellent condition, cream with a khaki border. I received an email from someone who said they wanted to purchase them for the price of $500 which was the price I listed them for. I paid $125 to have them porfessionally cleaned.
They have sent me a "cashiers" check for $1500 and emailed me to wire the "extra" $1000 to an address in the UK. The bank said it was very possibly a scam and the check which I have deposited likely would come back but it could take 3 weeks to know. I have email the people to say that I can not send the $1000 to them until the bank confirms that the money is good funds.
I will be listing the drapes on the forums again!

[silverleeper]

You bet it's a scam... Why would anybody over pay for an item and then expect you to wire them the overage?

Please don't wire them the money or send them your drapes.

Look here: snopes.com: Cashier Check Scam

[1953 Flying]

Not to be mean. But I can't believe people actually fall for this scam. This should be classified under "What are you thinking?" category.

[silverleeper]

Originally Posted by 1953 Flying

Not to be mean. But I can't believe people actually fall for this scam. This should be classified under "What are you thinking?" category.

Geeze Robert, I know you said "Not to be mean" but every time I read your post it seems mean.

Yep! It's a fact that this type of scam happens everyday. Someone right as we speak(type) is wiring some money to a scammer.

Bottom line is that people everyday are taken advantage of because they trust in the good will of all man kind. The Internet exposes people to people that take advantage of there good will.

tslanier, I'm glad you didn't get scammed. Be careful!

[Minno]

tslanier - yup, it's a scam. Above all, do not be tempted to send them a personal check for the "extra" $1000. That'll just give them direct access to your checking account via forged checks.

Chris

[tslanier]

Interestly, there were quick to respond when I questioned why they sent an extra $1000 with the instructions to wire it out today and to respond immediately to them with the confirmation of the wire. However, they have not responded to the email telling them I'd have to wait at least three weeks for their check to be cleared by the bank.
Born at night, but not last night.

[CanoeStream]

This is so basic. You'd get hit by placing a classifieds with your local newspaper, Craigslist & certainly here. Contact a mod ASAP when an offer seems too good to be true. They start by asking for your "best price" but then want to lay out more money than you asked to combine the sale & shipping? C'mon...

Components of a cashier check scam:

1. Easily agreeing to your price.
2. Price ... and then some. It sounds practical that they agree to pay for shipping. But then send you a check with extra so you have to compensate the pick-up person.
3. Cashier check sent to you is a fraud. Ya can make anything look good on a computer these days. ALWAYS talk to your bank if you consider depositing these checks. They will tell you that it takes a couple weeks for the check to come back as fraudulent. Credit to your account will be removed at that point. But your item is gone by then. And you're left holding the bag for paying the shipper.

How could we make this more obvious?
Savvy Classifieds advice
And at classifieds...


Sorry this happens again and again. But just like an ad in your newspaper, each seller performs all the disclosure & dealing. To remind every one, your communication from the very start of an inquiry does not occur on this site at all.

It's the nature of scammers that they have identities that are up one day and never active again. Many of these are caught and banned -- but not always before they can communicate with you. It's a rough, raw world. Please tell us any time you get a too-good-to-be-true inquiry. And be careful out there....

[Stefrobrts]

I don't know how anyone falls for this. When I'm going to go buy something from a complete stranger sight-unseen, the LAST thing I would do is send them an extra $1000 and trust them to send it back to me. It's just people's inherent honesty that makes them go 'well of course I'll send that back to you' without thinking it through. But who would trust a stranger to do that, really?