Reporting Scam Attempt from Classifieds Ad

[dbj216]

I recently posted a nice ad for my vintage Airstream on Classifieds. It's a good place to market our trailers.

My first response to this ad is a scam attempt. The purpose of this thread is to alert sellers there are thieves out there. If you catch a thief, show no mercy.

Here is the e-mail I received:

I will like to purchase it, but I cant make it there with cash or to check it out,I will pay you through PayPal and the freight company will pick up after you receive payment and do you have PayPal account?

Obviously the seller stops payment as soon as the freight company leaves your property. Now you have no trailer or no money. Stolen.

David

[Isuzusweet]

Yup,

You don't accept Paypal as a secured form of payment and that once all funds have COMPLETELY cleared into your account, then, and only then will you transfer ownership and release trailer.

You should admend your ad to state the same as it may deter other scammers clogging up your e-mail.

Cheers
Tony

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I recently posted a nice ad for my vintage Airstream on Classifieds. It's a good place to market our trailers.

My first response to this ad is a scam attempt. The purpose of this thread is to alert sellers there are thieves out there. If you catch a thief, show no mercy.

Here is the e-mail I received:

I will like to purchase it, but I cant make it there with cash or to check it out,I will pay you through PayPal and the freight company will pick up after you receive payment and do you have PayPal account?

Obviously the seller stops payment as soon as the freight company leaves your property. Now you have no trailer or no money. Stolen.

David

It doesn't work exactly like that, but the result is the same. The buyer swears that the trailer is not a represented and PayPal pulls the payment back. Or, the buyer gets your PayPal account ID and attacks it to determine your password.

As someone on here previously noted, the best option for the buyer is electronic funds transfer. Once you have it, you have it. Paper checks, even "Cashiers Checks" can be forged. The funds go to your account (on hold) but when your bank tries to pull them, it is denied.

If I were selling a trailer I would post that an inspection is encouraged. Following inspection, funds to be transferred electronically and sale is final.

Al

[ITSNO60]

And not more than an hour ago I told my wife "Craigslist is so full of scammers when we buy our Airstream it will probably be off the forum classifieds". Scammers are everywhere. Wish there was a way to get back at them.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

It doesn't work exactly like that, but the result is the same. The buyer swears that the trailer is not a represented and PayPal pulls the payment back. Or, the buyer gets your PayPal account ID and attacks it to determine your password.

As someone on here previously noted, the best option for the buyer is electronic funds transfer. Once you have it, you have it. Paper checks, even "Cashiers Checks" can be forged. The funds go to your account (on hold) but when your bank tries to pull them, it is denied.

If I were selling a trailer I would post that an inspection is encouraged. Following inspection, funds to be transferred electronically and sale is final.

Al

Hi

The same electronic approach that transfers funds *into* you account can in some cases "reverse" and transfer them right back out again .....

Bob

[jcanavera]

I would talk to your local bank and tell them what you are trying to do. Ask them what is the best form of payment that they would suggest and ask them if there is any recourse once the funds get to your account. Follow their advice and they will give you the best way to accept payment. When I sold my SOB I asked for a Cashier's check but met the buyer at his bank. The teller handed me the check so I knew it was valid and was truly paid for. Doesn't work as well if the buyer is out of town but in my case the buyer was local.

Jack

[paiceman]

Cash. Period. I've sold a motorhome, well into the six figures. I've sold three Airstreams, high price as well and I've sold a number of sports cars, one to a young man from Germany, plus about 20 motorcycles over the years. Each and every transaction has stated, "cash only - prior to title transfer the legality of the cash presented will be verified by a bank of my choosing". Except one instance which precipitated my cash only policy.

I know I've lost sales, I know I've irritated buyers, but I've sold each item and I've gotten paid in full at the time of the transaction. Most transactions have occurred at the storage lot we use to store RVs at OR, at a neutral location or at our home.

When doing transactions of this sort we are both legally armed, These methods I realize are not what one could consider "the norm" and not for everyone. But having been stiffed by a Cashiers Check on a Motorcycle which was eventually made good I have opted for cash only.

Works for us. Good luck

Bud

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by paiceman

Cash. Period. I've sold a motorhome, well into the six figures. I've sold three Airstreams, high price as well and I've sold a number of sports cars, one to a young man from Germany, plus about 20 motorcycles over the years. Each and every transaction has stated, "cash only - prior to title transfer the legality of the cash presented will be verified by a bank of my choosing". Except one instance which precipitated my cash only policy.

I know I've lost sales, I know I've irritated buyers, but I've sold each item and I've gotten paid in full at the time of the transaction. Most transactions have occurred at the storage lot we use to store RVs at OR, at a neutral location or at our home.

When doing transactions of this sort we are both legally armed, These methods I realize are not what one could consider "the norm" and not for everyone. But having been stiffed by a Cashiers Check on a Motorcycle which was eventually made good I have opted for cash only.

Works for us. Good luck

Bud

Hi

They may have a way to set up a "one time use" account for an incoming transfer. I believe there is a waiting period on any transfer to allow for reversal of stupid errors. As noted above, your bank is a much better place to dig into all this than some strange guy named Bob .... Once you have the info, make that part of your selling description.

Bob

[alantbird]

Cash cash cash!!!!

[openroad118]

A quick and easy way to spot a fraudulent Craigslist ad is that their response never mentions the item you are selling. It's a boilerplate response to any ad for airstreams or vacuum cleaners.

[DKB_SATX]

When using AirstreamClassifieds, if you're contacted by email they sent it via the "Contact Seller" dialog box which connects us to their forums login. While it doesn't actually punish the sham "buyers" we do terminate any accounts that are used for this sort of activity. If you receive suspicious emails from fishy buyers, you may forward those to the email address classifieds at airforums.com

[SuzyHomemakr]

Don't reply, and block their email/phone. Remember that these people are criminals!

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

Don't reply, and block their email/phone. Remember that these people are criminals!

This is correct, certainly do not reply, because until you do they do NOT know your email address. When they respond to you via the Classifieds, our servers forward their response and THEIR email address to YOU, but yours is not visible to them unless/until you reply.

If you list your phone number in your ad, they can see that as long as your ad is active. The moment you click the "Mark Sold" button at the bottom of your ad, your phone number is hidden on the ad so it's not an ongoing advertisement of your phone number.

[MitchR55]

I received exactly the same response to my ad on this site, via text, but they first texted me a few questions about condition and my reason for selling. So they put a little more effort into their attempt to scam me, but it was obvious when the second text came in.

I also posted an ad on Craigslist, and found a very nice local buyer. We will complete the deal at the credit union that we both happen to belong to. Local transactions are great!

[dbj216]

Thank you Airstreamers for your replies. I was a bit surprised by this scam attempt. It is a rather common scam, kinda like "you're being sued", or "call the IRS right away".

And thanks for the advice on title <> money transfers. I too like local deals. I too have sold a lot of vehicles privately. I purchase my Trade Wind privately and we did the transfer at our bank. I may try to advertise my Trade Wind in a more local market. We'll see.

David

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Thank you Airstreamers for your replies. I was a bit surprised by this scam attempt. It is a rather common scam, kinda like "you're being sued", or "call the IRS right away".

And thanks for the advice on title <> money transfers. I too like local deals. I too have sold a lot of vehicles privately. I purchase my Trade Wind privately and we did the transfer at our bank. I may try to advertise my Trade Wind in a more local market. We'll see.

David

Hi

It's a very common scam any time you try to sell things on Craig's List. They eventually morph and latch on to other internet "for sale" sites, with basically the same scam.

Bob

[Rzrbrn]

No way would I drive across country with big cash in my pocket. I find a local bank willing to accept a transfer from my bank, then either do the trade in cash or a cashiers check. If buyer does not accept that I just don't buy the item.

[nickclifford]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I recently posted a nice ad for my vintage Airstream on Classifieds. It's a good place to market our trailers.

My first response to this ad is a scam attempt. The purpose of this thread is to alert sellers there are thieves out there. If you catch a thief, show no mercy.

Here is the e-mail I received:

I will like to purchase it, but I cant make it there with cash or to check it out,I will pay you through PayPal and the freight company will pick up after you receive payment and do you have PayPal account?

Obviously the seller stops payment as soon as the freight company leaves your property. Now you have no trailer or no money. Stolen.

David

yep, this a common one .... IGNORE !!

[Rzrbrn]

I am thinking about trying to make big money payment using PayPal. If payment is pending or unclaimed, payment can be rescinded. But once payment is accepted or final it cannot be stopped or rescinded. Seems like an ideal way to make a large purchase, without the risk of having a large amt of cash on hand.
BTW, cops can legally confiscate large amounts of cash during a traffic stop, if they see it while investigating for probable cause. Happens in my State many times.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

BTW, cops can legally confiscate large amounts of cash during a traffic stop, if they see it while investigating for probable cause. Happens in my State many times.

Yes, and it's out of control. It's called "asset forfeiture" and it assumes if you're carrying a large sum of money, you must be a criminal. So the state/county/local/ cops take it and it's up to you to prove you're innocent. Meanwhile, the cops don't want to give it back, so it becomes a nightmare.
I'd never pay in cash (>$1000). I agree, a wire transfer is the best way.

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

I am thinking about trying to make big money payment using PayPal.

As a buyer, PayPal is great. As a seller it's terrible. The buyer has 90 days to change his mind, PayPal almost always sides with the buyer. So I could buy the item, and two months later say I want my money back. The item was not as described. I win.
I've actually bought items at a discounted price by telling the seller I won't use PayPal.