# Asking a Craigslist seller to ship something **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489 "2017-06-21T00:22:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489/1 "2017-06-21T00:22:45Z")
So I found something I want on Craigslist. Catch is it’s in Champaign and I’m in Minneapolis. If I say offered a seller $100 or so to ship an item listed for $30, are they likely to just think it’s a scam or do people make successful transactions that way. It would fit in reasonably sized box, I’m not trying to buy a bunch of cement blocks or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489/2 "2017-06-21T00:25:42Z")
I would think it was a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489/3 "2017-06-21T00:31:39Z")
If you made me that offer, and your response was clear, concise, not full of weird punctuation and made sense, I’d think about it. Include a phone number or offer to call to work out details. Shouldn’t be impossible to determine you are for real. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489/4 "2017-06-21T00:45:42Z")
That screams “scam” with sirens and flashing strobe lights. Never in a million years. Have you not read [craigslist | about | help](https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams) ? It starts out: > [@](#): > > Deal locally, face-to-face —follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts. > > Do not extend payment to anyone you have not met in person. > > Beware offers involving shipping ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-a-craigslist-seller-to-ship-something/789489/5 "2017-06-21T02:26:21Z")
If you are serious, let the seller know, but don’t mention money or even shipping. Let him know about the distance issue and see if he can come up with a solution (who knows, maybe he’s planning a trip to the Mall or something). After you have communicated and cannot come up with a solution, examine shipping, but don’t offer an outrageous amount ($100 seems outrageous to me). Good Luck!