CraigsList payment... am I getting scammed?

[TWRackers]

Okay, I've listed an electric mobility scooter for sale on CraigsList, and have had one email inquiry so far as to whether the scooter is still available. When I replied it was, I got this email (name removed).

Am okay with the price & condition. my mode of payment will be via
certified check drawn on my Bank, the check we be delivered to you online
www.iversacheck.com. Only a VersaCheck paper(business size) is required
to receive & cash the check which you can easily get from any of this stores
(staples,stationary stores,office depot,walmart) cost $10. to keep you rest
assured on this form of payment I will wait till you cash the check and have
your cash at hand before i arrange for it to be picked up. kindly provide me
your full name & contact address which the check will be payable-to.

This is sending up way too many red flags for me. The web link he sent LOOKS legit, but that proves nothing. By the way, the name in his email address doesn't match the name at the end of the email, and the address he gave is in Louisiana.

Has anybody heard of this IVersaCheck thing? When I click it (maybe that wasn't real bright in retrospect) I end up athttps://www.FreeQuickwire.com; www.FreeQuickwire.com; I've never heard of either of them.

I think I have two good options: (1) require cash payment from whoever does the pick-up, or (2) tell him thanks but no thanks.

UPDATE: I just read more info on the FreeQuickwire web site, and they admit they don't verify that the checks they transmit are valid, they just transmit the data. Ain't no way no how I'm going that route.

 

[CharlaineC]

DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS PERSON. I can alredy tell you that their going to send to much money then say it was a mistake and for you to send the ballence back. it is a scam they are fake and will coast you alot ot time money and court fees.

 

[sunward]

........

you need to ask?

https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

 

[TWRackers]

I did look at the FreeQuickwire thing, and it MAY be legit, but they admit on their site that they don't verify that the issued check will clear, meaning they should only be used between trusted parties like any other check. After thinking about it, I replied to the person with a "sorry, cash only" message. Chances are I won't hear from him again.

Meanwhile, would anyone here be interested in a slightly used electric mobility scooter?

 

[TWRackers]

DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS PERSON. I can alredy tell you that their going to send to much money then say it was a mistake and for you to send the ballence back. it is a scam they are fake and will coast you alot ot time money and court fees.

They wouldn't even have to do that, since the check can't be verified beforehand, they could end up with the scooter and I'd be hit by the bank for cashing a worthless check. I'd be out the whole purchase price. I give 10 to 1 odds that I don't hear back from him or he tries to convince me to do it his way; there's probably only a slim chance that he's serious and actually comes up with the cash. Of course, that means whoever would pick up the unit would have to have the cash, and he never did say if it would be picked up by a friend or by a shipping company. Fortunately I'm not as stupid as I look. :eyepop:

 

[RoyAtl]

As someone who's worked on check imaging and Check21 software, I would say VersaCheck and QuickWire are legit. An image of a check is just as good as one you saw written in front of you. For instance, under Check21 rules, any check (and as intended, most checks) you write may end up in the trash (hopefully shredded) and may never even grace the insides of a bank.

The software I designed for many banks is distributed to their merchant customers with small check scanners. The merchants scan the checks in their offices and transmit the information to the bank through the internet (at some Walmarts the check is scanned at checkout and handed back to you!). This drives my 87 year old Mom up the wall because she expects cancelled checks to be in that envelope she gets from the bank each month. Instead now, she just has to take the bank on its word.

The company I wrote that software for is now taking it a step further and allowing all of their customers to scan checks on flatbed scanners and deposit them via the web.

Remember, when you deal with checks, you have few or none of the protections required of, say, the credit card companies. If you accept a check, it's completely your responsibility.

So, I'd say if you're uncomfortable with that, go cash only.

 

[dave carver]

Yes, it's a scam an be prepared to have your in box and junk mail filled with "you have won eleventy bazillon dollars11!!1"

It gets sooo bad I can identify the scammers without opening the email, I just click the check mark an mark it as a phishing scam.

Some of them even claim to be from Robert Meuller lll, director of the FBI!! Talk about hutzba

The smartest thing to do is to set up an email account just for Craigs list, something you can just forget about when your done(lesson learned the hard way)

Just thought I'd add I've gotten 4 checks like that totaling over $20,000. I gave them and the emails to the local FBI, something you should do whenever your sent one of these checks. It's interstate fraud.

 

[eugenefl]

Wow - I'm in the process of car shopping for an inexpensive used car and came across a too-good-to-be-true deal on a 2000 Honda Accord on Craigslist. The ad was listed this morning with an asking price of $3200 for a car which is normally around $5500-6k. I caught it about 30 minutes after it was listed and figured I finally got a jump on a "steal."

Here's the ad:

https://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/1168456190.html

I emailed the seller the following:

Very interested!

1. Is the 2000 Accord SE still available?
2. Are there any mechanical issues or items requiring repair (check engine light, A/C, electrical, etc.)?
3. Is there anything that will cause this vehicle to fail the current NC inspection?
4. Are there any title issues (flood, salvage, theft recovery, accidents, etc.)?

Within 10 minutes I got a reply with the following:

Thanks for replying to my ad. I want you to know the car is in excellent condition with no rust or any kind of damage anywhere and it doesn't need any maintenance. The odometer shows 79,850 miles. I can provide you an Autocheck report for the car. Title is clear and free of liens. This 2000 Honda : Accord SE has an automatic transmission and it's very easy to drive even for a beginner.
My price is $3200. I am now in a divorce with my ex and i am in desperate need of money to pay the mortgage on my house. That's my only reason for selling it otherwise I wouldn't do it.
The deal will be handled by eBay trough their eBay Vehicle Purchase Program . They will handle the title and money transfer and deliver the car to your location. The car is at their office in San Jose CA.
The best part about this is that you'll get 3 days money back guarantee. If at the end of those 3 days you decide not to keep it you'll get a full refund by them. If you want the Accord and if you have the money available all you have to do now is to send me your full name and your address. As soon as I hear that from you I will initiate the transaction through them.
The process is very simple and risk free for both of us.
All the pictures can be seen here: https://s724.photobucket.com/albums/ww244/customer4184/honda/

Thank you

To which my last reply was:

Robert,

Thank you for the prompt response and for the background information on the vehicle. At this time I am only interested in purchasing vehicles which I have the opportunity to personally inspect and test drive before purchasing. I hope you understand. Best of luck with the sale, and thank you for your time.

- Eugenio

I doubt I'll get a reply, but I'll keep you all posted if I do. I just hope I haven't attracted some crazy nut that is going to threaten my personal safety for not buying his car. Time to go sign up for a non-personal Email for Craigslist inquiries.

 

[eugenefl]

OK - definite scam. I forgot to mention that in my original Email I sent the message to the address listed in the advertisement, but also CC'ed the Craigslist "reply-to" address. I got the SAME reply from TWO different people. They just cut, copied, and pasted the verbatim text and replied to my Email. WTF is wrong with people on this country (or outside of this country)?! I'm going to hit the "report ad" button and get it yanked.

 

[sunward]

... I'm going to hit the "report ad" button and get it yanked.

now flagged.

 

[mkadams001]

SCAM, SCAM, SCAM

I have sold a few things on craigslist and it seems when you are selling something for around $500 it triggers a scam network where they will buy it sight unseen and use some variation of what is described in this post. I ignore them.

 

[luke strawwalker]

I did look at the FreeQuickwire thing, and it MAY be legit, but they admit on their site that they don't verify that the issued check will clear, meaning they should only be used between trusted parties like any other check. After thinking about it, I replied to the person with a "sorry, cash only" message. Chances are I won't hear from him again.

Meanwhile, would anyone here be interested in a slightly used electric mobility scooter?

My Dad and Mom might be... They're both partially disabled. PM me with the details and I'll pass it on... Good luck! OL JR

 

[markschnell]

Totally a scam! I listed an apple laptop and experienced my first phishing scam. I'm just glad I didn't go with it. You have to go cash only with craigslist. Any time you get one of these complicated payment deals it's almost always a scam. My experience was that even though the point of craigslist is to sell stuff in person they accepted my price sight unseen and wanted me to ship it. That's what ebay is for!

 

[RoyAtl]

My Dad and Mom might be... They're both partially disabled. PM me with the details and I'll pass it on... Good luck! OL JR

My mom has one for sale as well, but only for someone in the vicinity of Athens, GA who can come pick it up.

 

[TWRackers]

My Dad and Mom might be... They're both partially disabled. PM me with the details and I'll pass it on... Good luck! OL JR

PM sent. ^_^