# Financial Scams via Craigslist

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 16, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700 "2013-07-16T21:08:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700/1 "2013-07-16T21:08:09Z")

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“A Craigslist user allegedly swindled a West Des Moines man out of $2,600 last week, according to a West Des Moines police report.  
A West Des Moines woman told police on Friday that she received an email in late June from a man responding to her Craigslist ad. The woman placed the ad because she was looking for secretarial work, the report stated…  
She told police her first task was to receive a check in the mail, deposit the check, wait 24 hours before withdrawing the money, and then transfer that money to someone in Mississippi”

> **[The Des Moines Register - Des Moines, Iowa, News and Sports](https://www.desmoinesregister.com/)**
>
> The Des Moines Register is the number one source for Des Moines and Iowa breaking, politics, business, agriculture, Iowa sports and entertainment news.

Are these types of scams common?

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700/2 "2013-07-16T21:25:35Z")

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> [@PastTense](#):
>
> Are these types of scams common?

Yes, and very profitable, apparently. That one is a textbook example.

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**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700/3 "2013-07-16T21:25:43Z")

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> [@PastTense](#):
>
> Are these types of scams common?

The most common.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-scams-via-craigslist/663700/4 "2013-07-16T21:32:42Z")

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Common as muck.