# Is this CraigsList response for real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 25, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646 "2007-02-25T22:52:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/1 "2007-02-25T22:52:30Z")
I posted a washer and dryer combo for sale on CraigsList for $125.00 So far, one fellow has responded in email… > [@](#): > > Hello there,i will like to know if the above listed item is still available for sale? Please get back to me asap. I responded via email that they are indeed, still available. Also, to please give me a phone number to contact him directly. He responded > [@](#): > > Thank you for the prompt response to my mail > enquiry am quite satisfied with the condition of the > item and price.Am very much interested in buying the > item from you and i would like to make an outright > purchase immediately so i will advice that you > withdraw the advert from the web.I will be paying with > a certified check.Furthermore my mover will be coming > over for the pick up as i might not be available for > the pick up myself i would have love to come and look > it up but presently am not chance to do that but am OK > with the information from the ad.I will need the > following information details to make payment > arrangement 1,Your full name to be on the > Payment.2,Your postal address. 3,Your phone number > both land and mobile. 4,Your postal code. > Get me the following information as soon as possible. There are some grammatical and syntax errors that I can overlook, but my BS-meter is starting to peg because… -He gave no phone number as requested. -He noted “the item” or “it” rather than “the washer and dryer”. -He won’t come out in person. -Cashier’s check (BIG red flag!) -He refers to “the ad” and “on the web” rather than “CraigsList”. A friend of mine thinks I’m overreacting and to set up to sell the item given the parameters set forth by the potential buyer. I’m smelling a scam. Your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/2 "2007-02-25T22:57:16Z")
Scam. S/he probably copied and pasted that shit. The response is way too impersonal and damn certain about the way you MUST do things… ‘‘I would advise you withdraw the advert from the web’’? That’s so sketchy. I would think a normal person would inquire, ''Cashier’s check okay? Can you…(blah blah)? Nope, this is highly suspicious. I would not do business with this person. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/3 "2007-02-25T22:58:05Z")
Of course it’s a scam. He’s “satisfied with the condition of the item” without looking at it, he wants to make an “outright purchase immediately,” which reads more like a response to an ebay ad, and he wants to pay with a cashier’s check. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason to even respond to this email. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/4 "2007-02-25T23:03:13Z")
Note that the same wording appears in the scam email mentioned [here](http://www.d1011820.dotsterhost.com/applications/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1389&view=next&sid=b77def80b30a343217b45cf600172b6d). ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/5 "2007-02-25T23:22:47Z")
It’s a phish. He’s a crook. Screw him. Tris ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/6 "2007-02-25T23:28:51Z")
Write back and say you will only accept green tickets with dead presidents. You won’t hear back. ---
**Author:** ![enigm4tic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@enigm4tic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigm4tic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/7 "2007-02-26T01:05:46Z")
just of curiosity, assuming you receive the cashier’s check, how can they scam you, presumably the cashier’s check is valid? or can one fake a cashier’s check that you discover only after attempting to cash it (and after the item has been taken possesion of) that it is invalid? ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/8 "2007-02-26T01:08:23Z")
Exactly, **enigm4tic** – a scam is for the cashier’s check to be faked, and the bank doesn’t catch it for a few weeks. However, they credited the money immediately, and the goods have already shipped, so the seller is SOL. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/9 "2007-02-26T01:09:37Z")
[QUOTE=enigm4tic] or can one fake a cashier’s check that you discover only after attempting to cash it (and after the item has been taken possesion of) that it is invalid? [/QUOTE] Most people deposit them. The bank of deposit usually has no way to tell if it’s a valid check, but when the issuing bank refuses payment, the bank of deposit will then take the funds back out of the depositor’s account. At that point, you’re screwed. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/10 "2007-02-26T01:25:45Z")
Notwithstanding all the good advice so far, just answer with, "As a matter of course, your item will be shipped four weeks after your cashier’s check has been deposited. When remitting your check, please supply your full name, complete street address, birth date and social security, and driver’s license details. “The four week detail is needed because I have all of my goods personally delivered by Guido’s Movers. Their service is 100 percent guaranteed.” ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/11 "2007-02-26T01:30:47Z")
They guy doesn’t want your stuff, and could care less if you deposit the check. The movers won’t arrive. It’s all a scam to get you to go to the web site of the “bank” where you will be expected to enter name, address, etc. to get the Guaranteed Bank Check sent to you by extremely reliable folks. It’s a fake web site, and your name and address and whatever numbers he can get you to enter are all he wants. It’s called Phishing. Tris. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/12 "2007-02-26T02:26:07Z")
Either that or he’ll claim that he wants the cashier’s check to be in an amount higher than the value of the items you are selling, and would you please just deposit the check and give the difference to the movers as their payment. Scam. Very common one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/13 "2007-02-26T02:32:11Z")
[QUOTE=catsix] Scam. Very common one, too. [/QUOTE] Yep. So much so, that Craigslist specifically warns users against it. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/14 "2007-02-26T04:13:20Z")
Very real. I deeply believe that there is probably an actual human being who copied, pasted, and emailed you and is planning on taking your money. I want to think that not everything is truly automated yet…and that some professions have not been taken over entirely by computers. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/15 "2007-02-26T04:23:48Z")
“In God we trust”, all others pay cash. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/16 "2007-02-26T14:08:15Z")
Ah. Well, I guess that answers my question! The cut-and-paste-whole-cloth-from-a-completely-different-ad is the one that convinced my friend that, just possibly, it might be a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/17 "2007-02-26T15:39:51Z")
Deja vu? Two months ago, I got a response to ad ad I posted about a sofa and here’s how it went: > [@](#): > > Hello saller,i saw your item list on craigslist for sale,will like to buy it from you,will like to buy the item from you,pls get back to me if you have the item avilbler for sale,will like to pay you with money order,will like to have the infomatiom that will send the payment to you,will need your NAME…ADDRESS…PHONE NUMBER,will like to hear back from you soon,so that will make the payment with you in time,ASAP, Full name…Home and mobile phone…Home address…city and state…zip code…please go and withdrawl the advert on net to avoid , disturbance as i have believe its almost mine now. Please mail me ASAP to let me know if you are ok with this. regards . > > Thanks and God Bless you Something about her creeped me out and I didn’t bother replying to her. At first I thought I was just being prejudiced against people who can’t form coherent sentences, let alone spell, but now I realize I am not the only one who’d be suspicious about similar replies. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/18 "2007-02-26T15:43:20Z")
This should be a lesson to every American child to stay in school and master basic grammar. If you don’t, nobody will ever sell you anything online! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/19 "2007-02-26T15:54:13Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] This should be a lesson to every American child to stay in school and master basic grammar. If you don’t, nobody will ever sell you anything online! 😃 [/QUOTE] You joke, but I actually choose my freecycle giftees based on the grammar and spelling, and even style, of their emails. I’ve no problem with obvious ESL situations, and I’m happy to work with them, but L33T me or write in all caps or come across as a demanding snot, and I’m moving down to the next person on the list. I would do the same on Craigslist, assuming I had more than one offer. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-craigslist-response-for-real/393646/20 "2007-02-26T18:53:18Z")
The first and best clue to a scam is the “your item” phrase instad of the actual thing being sold. These I just delete immediately. If you advertise on craigslist (which is very good), get an extra Hotmail or Yahoo email address with no clue as to your real name, and use that. I’ve sold a lot of stuff this way, and almost every time get at least one scam reply.