I’ve been trying to sell some antiques on craigslist. The responses have been really strange. I get lots of contacts that say they want to buy, but I send them back my phone number, and no one has ever called.
Also, when I respond to the emails, most, but not all, of them go to a different email address than the one that appears on the sent line. I’m not talking about the craigslist email address that forwards the email, I’m saying that when I hit respond, it goes to a third email address. Sometimes the sender leaves yet another email address in the text. Is this some kind of spammer spoofing?
The only responses I have gotten back are people that want to send a certified check and then have someone pick up the merchandise. I’m certain that these are con artists. Way too fishy, and sometimes I get different versions of the same cockamamie story as to why they want to do this thing. Some even offer to pay more than I am asking, and say they won’t have the merchandise picked up until the check clears. I know these are con artists, and not interested in dealing with anyone anyway that does not come here and give me cash in hand. But I have to admit, I am interested in how a scam would work if I am able to wait on the check cashing before the merchandise is picked up.
I believe you, and i figured that was so, (otherwise how else would the scam work) but I would have thought that they would be going after the writer, not the casher. But I guess with a counterfeit check, they would have little recourse. Still, it surprises me that banks can’t sort out counterfeit cashier’s checks right when they are being cashed, and just not give you the money. In this day of computerized everything, how come the bank would not be able to check right away to see if the check was good?
The people who don’t answer you back are just fishing for your email address. When you respond to them, it doesn’t go back through CL, it goes directly to the person. Then later you get bombed with spam.
As noted, the certified check is a scam. They will send you a check for more than the amount, then ask you to send back the difference with the item. Then the check bounces and you’re on the hook for the full amount, plus you’re out the money you sent back.
Cash only, in person, is how I do it. I also never post an email, only a phone number. If you don’t want to call me, you’re not really interested. I’ve sold nearly every item I’ve ever posted on CL this way, including two cars.
E-mail addresses are free. If you don’t have a separate e-mail address to use for posting things on craigslist, you need to do so immediately.
ALWAYS check the person’s e-mail address for anything fishy. Does it match their name? Is it a random string of characters? Does it look like the terribly fake names that Nigerian scams come up with? If so, don’t respond to them!
Don’t respond to “is this item for sale? I’m very interested in this item.” Notice that they never actually refer to what you’re selling - they’re using the generic “this item” because they spam out the same e-mail to every single posting on craigslist. Don’t respond to that.
I personally don’t like posting my phone number on the internet, and find using my alternate e-mail address perfectly acceptable when dealing on craigslist.
In these scams, I had the impression that the cashiers check would be drawn on a foreign bank, so could take a couple of weeks before your local bank was notified that it was counterfeit.
It is also worth noting that even legitimate responses are very often time wasters. It is a good idea to state in your posting “I will take the item down as soon as it is sold. If the ad is still here it is still available!”. Of course you will still get the inevitable “Is it still available?” queries, but you might cut down on them. Much worse are the people who make appointments and never follow up.
I have also learned never to put an item on craigslist without a good picture and complete measurements. It is a good idea to ask yourself “What would I want to know about this item if I were looking for one?”. If someone does ask you a question about it, put that info in the ad.
By far the most useful way to use craigslist is when you just want to get rid of stuff. I had a cherry (solid wood) kitchen table. I thought sure it would sell. I started it at $80 and went down gradually to $20. No takers. I put it in free stuff, Put Curb Alert in the title (with no way to contact me), put it out on the curb and it was gone within a half hour. I have used the same technique for much less desirable (but still useful) items. It has never failed to work. Free is a magic word.
As far as antiques are concerned, in my experience the only folks who are buying are people who want to resell. If you see your hanging lamp for sale in an antique store for $300.00, you are not likely to get more than $100.00 for it. People do not browse craigslist to find antiques to furnish their home. You are selling at wholesale to people who know how to dicker.