Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Another Craigslist Scam

I guess I never noticed this before. Since I'm selling a few items on Craigslist lately, I've been getting a lot of scammers contacting me. I'm flattered really, but I would like to get some legitimate buyers. Here's the latest. I'm selling my desk that I've had for the past ten years or so. I got an email through the recommended Craigslist email relay from someone named Bruce Davidovich. He asked if the desk was still available and asked for my email address. I replied from my regular address and got this reply:
From: Dennis Myers (denniskiss0@gmail.com 
Hi there. My name is Dennis Myers. Am the one who sent you an email in the other time concerning this item through craigslist. I've gone through the item on craigslist once again and am okay with your asking price. I'll have my assistant to mail you a check for the payment, cause am out of town now. so once you receive the check in the mail and after you cashed it at your bank. I'll send my delivery service to come and pick up the item for me at your location after you cash the check. I would also offer you an extra $50 on the check for holding the item for me. and kindly take the posting off craigslist and consider it sold to me. Get back to me with your
 NAME:
ADDRESS:
CELL PHONE #. to sent you the check in the mail.
 Thank you
Dennis Myers.

I have no plans to reply to this, but I'm curious and hope you'll help me out in the comments. 

What's the end game on this scam? Is he trying to hack my gmail account?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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3 comments:

  1. greentubOctober 8, 2013 at 4:13 PM

    Hey, Toby.

    The same thing happened to me when I was selling my saxophone on Craig's List. Her story was a little more elaborate, worked in the petroleum industry and so was out of town a lot, blah, blah. In the end, I think she was after my PayPal information. (I didn't do it, but I did have a couple of email exchanges with her).

    It was my first experience with Craig's List and it really turned me off. I've had better luck with eBay. ... But I do have this amp I need to sell and I've been thinking about Craig's List again to keep the market in Nashville.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TobyOctober 8, 2013 at 4:22 PM

      I've started telling folks who offer to send money and have someone else pick up the item that they need to work it out to send cash with their pickup agent. I don't usually hear back after that. They seem to be getting more subtle, but there are always tell-tale signs, like poor syntax and punctuation. They usually sound like someone who doesn't speak English.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousOctober 8, 2013 at 8:58 PM

    I think this may be closer to identity theft. Usually with the check offers, they say they wrote it for too much and ask you to give them the extra in cash. If you fall for it, you're out the cash as the check will be a fake.

    ReplyDelete

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