# Sale details sound strange to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2005, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372 "2005-01-06T11:32:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cedric45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@cedric45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cedric45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/1 "2005-01-06T11:32:53Z")
I listed two baby scales for sale on Craig’s List. I got this response… HELLO I"M INTESTED IN YOUR baby & kid stuff \<[http://raleigh.craigslist.org/bab/](http://raleigh.craigslist.org/bab/)\> FOR SALE AND I WE LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME THE LAST PRICE AND THE CONDITION,PICS,AND MY MODE OF PAYMENT WILL BE A CASHIER CHECK SO I WE LIKE TO READ FROM YOU A,S,A,P I sent the requested details and asked the potential buyer to call my toll-free voice mail and leave contact information in order to iron out the details. I received this response… THANKS FOR YOUR MAIL,I AM OKAY WITH THE PRICE AND THANKS FOR TELLING ME THE CONDITIONS OF THE OF IT.I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT PAYMENT WILL BE MADE OUT TO YOU BY A CLIENT OF MINE WHO WAS OWING ME THE SUM OF $3,000 FROM THE LAST TRANSACTION WE DID,I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU HE WILL BE THE ONE SENDING YOU DOWN THE CHECK SO YOU WILL BE RECEIVING THE CHECK OF $3,000 WHICH MY CLIENT IS OWING ME AND YOU WILL DEDUCT YOUR SELLING PRICE AND EXCESS BEEN SEND TO MY SHIPPING AGENT BY WESTEN UNION WHO WILL BE COMING FOR THE PICK-UP.SO,I WILL WANT YOU TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE DETAILS YOU WILL LIKE TO BE ON THE CHECK (NAME,ADDRESS,PHONE NUMBER,CITY,COUNTRY,ZIPCODE)SO THAT I CAN FORWARD IT TO MY CLIENT FOR QUICK PAYMENT TO BE MADE OUTTO YOU WITH OUT DELEYANCE. I WILL AWAIT YOUR REPLY SOONEST Does this sound strange to anyone? It does to me and my wife; alarm bells everywhere. All CAPS and terrible English. Why did he not call the voice-mail? Western Union is going to pick up the merchandise?? I didn’t know they were in the shipping business. Why would he send a third-party cashiers check for 10 times the sale price? (I wouldn’t trust family members with that much money much less a total stranger!) Any help in finding out what is really going on here would be appreciated. Thanks, CedricR. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spacedog/32/9932_2.png) [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/2 "2005-01-06T11:42:17Z")
> [@cedric45](#): > > Why did he not call the voice-mail? Western Union is going to pick up the merchandise?? I didn’t know they were in the shipping business. Why would he send a third-party cashiers check for 10 times the sale price? (I wouldn’t trust family members with that much money much less a total stranger!) Any help in finding out what is really going on here would be appreciated. > > Thanks, CedricR. It’s a scam. They want you to take the money, deposit the check and send him the balance. The check is fake tho’ and after a few weeks the bank will notice and cancel the credit to your account. Bingo, bango he has your money and you’re out the difference from the 3 grand. I’ll try and find you a link about it. SD ---
**Author:** ![SpaceDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spacedog/32/9932_2.png) [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/3 "2005-01-06T11:45:22Z")
[Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/carsale.asp) link. ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/4 "2005-01-06T12:37:29Z")
aye, i’ve heard of this scam too. If you have contact info for the guy, forward it to appropriate authorities… (FBI?) ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/5 "2005-01-06T13:00:07Z")
> [@jester21](#): > > aye, i’ve heard of this scam too. If you have contact info for the guy, forward it to appropriate authorities… (FBI?) Probably the Financial Crimes Division of the U.S. Secret Service. They handle other email scams from Nigeria. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/6 "2005-01-06T13:05:19Z")
Scam, and it’s scary that there are people that haven’t heard of it yet. No offense to the OP. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/7 "2005-01-06T13:57:54Z")
> [@SpaceDog](#): > > [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/carsale.asp) link. The scammers are expanding their base of operations to appeal to more smaller fish (suckers). The bigger the pond the more total fish product , i.e. the more $$$! ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/8 "2005-01-06T16:35:26Z")
It would be cute to go along with the scammer. When you receive the check, send a check for $12,000.00 along with a note explaining that you find yourself in a similar situation to his. Ask that he deposit the check and send you the difference. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/9 "2005-01-06T16:59:13Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > It would be cute to go along with the scammer. When you receive the check, send a check for $12,000.00 along with a note explaining that you find yourself in a similar situation to his. Ask that he deposit the check and send you the difference. With a home made check made with a purple crayon. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/10 "2005-01-06T17:40:24Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > It would be cute to go along with the scammer. When you receive the check, send a check for $12,000.00 along with a note explaining that you find yourself in a similar situation to his. Ask that he deposit the check and send you the difference. Funny. It would be my luck that the FBI would end up prosecuting me if I did that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/11 "2005-01-06T17:51:20Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Funny. It would be my luck that the FBI would end up prosecuting me if I did that. 😃 Very good point! I hate to have to say it but you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/12 "2005-01-06T17:54:05Z")
BTW Craig’s List has a warning link at the top of the page in red letters [Cashier Check and Wire Scams](http://raleigh.craigslist.org/about/scams.html) Kinda hard to miss. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/13 "2005-01-06T19:07:23Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Funny. It would be my luck that the FBI would end up prosecuting me if I did that. 😃 And with _my_ luck, the FBI agent would look nothing like Jody Foster. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/14 "2005-01-06T20:33:54Z")
Slight Hijack; Why do the people that attempt these scams **always** use poor english? You would think if they are clever and bold enough to try to steal peoples money that they would at least attempt to make the thing sound legit by using a spell check of some sort. Do they think that broken english makes them sound more like the average shmoe, some dumb guy that isn’t smart enough to pull off some scam? **All** the scams and spams that end up in my inbox are always poorly written. That’s the best way for me to tell if something is legit or not, -proper english. I’ll get this as the subject of an E-mail; \*\*You’ve have ben slected to our speshel refizance terms of .4%\*\*from sleazysuzette@sphincter;com or **Cash in for now to have great savings by lowest rates in ever** from goatse@hotmall;com or **Cum start sw ingning with u s at marrydbutsingle.,com** from tyidh6kd@hotmall;com What are people thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/15 "2005-01-06T20:42:17Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > I’ll get this as the subject of an E-mail; > > \*\*You’ve have ben slected to our speshel refizance terms of .4%\*\*from sleazysuzette@sphincter;com > or > **Cash in for now to have great savings by lowest rates in ever** from goatse@hotmall;com > or > **Cum start sw ingning with u s at marrydbutsingle.,com** from tyidh6kd@hotmall;com > > What are people thinking? Those are probably to get past the spam filters. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/16 "2005-01-06T21:04:27Z")
But do they really get enough dimwits who think, “Ohh! Even though these guys can’t spell right or use proper capitalisation, I’m still going to trust that they’re competent enough to supply my medication needs!” to make a profit? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/17 "2005-01-06T22:49:40Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Slight Hijack; > > Why do the people that attempt these scams **always** use poor english? > You would think if they are clever and bold enough to try to steal peoples money that they would at least attempt to make the thing sound legit by using a spell check of some sort. > Do they think that broken english makes them sound more like the average shmoe, some dumb guy that isn’t smart enough to pull off some scam? > **All** the scams and spams that end up in my inbox are always poorly written. That’s the best way for me to tell if something is legit or not, -proper english. Perhaps some of them don’t speak English to begin with? ---
**Author:** ![cedric45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@cedric45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cedric45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/18 "2005-01-06T23:00:54Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > BTW Craig’s List has a warning link at the top of the page in red letters > > [Cashier Check and Wire Scams](http://raleigh.craigslist.org/about/scams.html) > > Kinda hard to miss. Yeah, when I went back to the site I saw that. Missed it when I listed my stuff because I was in a hurry. CedricR. ---
**Author:** ![cedric45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@cedric45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cedric45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/19 "2005-01-06T23:06:22Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Slight Hijack; > > Why do the people that attempt these scams **always** use poor english? Dead giveaway to me that something’s up. Another clue are those letters with excellent grammer, punctuation, etc. but they go on and on and on and on and never give you ANY details of any kind; these are mostly on tv though. CedricR. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372/20 "2005-01-07T02:55:35Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Perhaps some of them don’t speak English to begin with? That’s always my first inclination. If **I** didn’t know the language (Spanish for instance) I would certainly take reasonable steps to run whatever I was trying to type through some _Spanish_ spell check. :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sale-details-sound-strange-to-you/283372.md?page=2)