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Craigslist weirdness

NutmegCT

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Say you're looking locally for a late model car. Edmonds and NADA give you a ballpark retail price of $8000 for the year and model you're after.

You search your local Craigslist and find an ad with a couple of photos, brief description saying it runs perfectly, "clean title in hand", and a price of $1000.

You contact the seller by text (that's what's required by the seller). Ask "Is the car still for sale?"

Answer: can

You ask: Does "can" mean it's still for sale?

Answer: mhm

You ask: When can I come take a look?

Answer: yeah

Before you throw the phone at the wall, you ask yourself - what does posting this ad actually do for the seller? Why would anyone bother to go look at the car if the seller is so "language limited", you get no real answers, and the price is ridiculously low?

Not sure it's actually a scam, but would anyone want to buy from this guy? Would someone actually PayPal money to this guy sight unseen?

What am I missing here ...?
 
D

Deleted member 8987

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For something that much cheaper, not even worth calling on. Possibly major internal issues, maybe flood damaged car, salvaged title...maybe he knows where he can steal one for an interested party.

Based upon the conversation, if I was to go have a look, it would be with a backup person who stayed out of the way and he (or she) would have backup.

Then you all go down to DMV to change the title together to make sure the clown doesn't claim you stole the car and title and he has the replacement title in hand or you get the copy and he shows up with the original.

Scam Central.
 

Gliderman8

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37123d8d228778eeee71526e86e43e68.jpg
 

Basil

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There are many scams out there on places like Craigslist. Usually, if something looks too good to be true, it is.
 
OP
NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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Thanks Gents. Agree that it's a "run away!" red flag.

But - are there really people who fall for these ads? Is that why we see them continually popping up on CL, eBay, etc.?

Or is it more that there are some brainless folks who don't realize no one will fall for the scam?

yeesh
 

Gliderman8

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Thanks Gents. Agree that it's a "run away!" red flag.

But - are there really people who fall for these ads? Is that why we see them continually popping up on CL, eBay, etc.?

Or is it more that there are some brainless folks who don't realize no one will fall for the scam?

yeesh

Rember what P.T. Barnum said.....
 

Basil

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Thanks Gents. Agree that it's a "run away!" red flag.

But - are there really people who fall for these ads? Is that why we see them continually popping up on CL, eBay, etc.?

Or is it more that there are some brainless folks who don't realize no one will fall for the scam?

yeesh

Many of them are posted by Bots. I saw the same ad for a Canon Camera (another too good to be true deal) on Craig's List in several cities - the exact same ad!
 
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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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I think the phrase "Too good to be true" pretty much sums up my question.

What does the seller gain by selling at such a low price?
 

AngliaGT

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Usually pretty easy to spot the scam ads - Never shows a license plate,
the price is really low,the background looks completely different from the area in
which it's listed,usually no location listed (although I have seen them list a local one),
& the price is an odd/random amount.
I think that they get people to send a deposit.Sometimes I think these buyers
deserve to be scammed,as they think that they're getting "Something for Nothing".
 
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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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That's one of the great Mysteries. Why anyone would place an "ad" like that, with the strange price (a 2014 Mercedes I saw today on CL was "$1597 obo") ... but I guess if there are folks who fall for it, then that free ad on CL results in a quick profit. Weird.
 

Gliderman8

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Just a thought..... Since you had to contact seller via text, I wonder if he is collecting cell numbers to be sold or used to send/call you with a scam at a later time.
 
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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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Collecting phone numbers - yep, that's also very possible.

I wonder if this ridiculous "low price" thing is somehow related to the ridiculous automated *high* prices you see for things on Amazon and Ebay:

prices.png

Used $35.00; New $2.2 million?
 

Brooklands

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I have always found Craigs List a bit scary. I have sold furniture a few times on Facebook, but then I could search the buyer's profile on FB before I replied. Not fool proof, but if the profile was a few years old with a number of "friends", I always felt there was a bit of security. These sales always worked out with no further problems.
 
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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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Hi Dave - good to hear from you.

The "limited access" sites such as FB do give a level of protection. But I'm wondering why there are ads on various sites with ridiculously high, or low, prices. Might be money laundering schemes, and stolen goods sales, at work.
 

waltesefalcon

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Scammers love the internet, I collect watches and you would be amazed at the number of blatant rip offs on eBay. If I am looking for something I usually wind up reporting as many as I do watching them.
 
D

Deleted member 8987

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I am always reminded of the guy who wanted to buy some diamond jewelry..locally...cash.

He ended up dead, and cash gone.

Hence the backup with backup comment.

I have backed folks up when they went to look at something on CraigsList...any my backup was a 1911.
 

John Turney

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That's one of the great Mysteries. Why anyone would place an "ad" like that, with the strange price (a 2014 Mercedes I saw today on CL was "$1597 obo") ... but I guess if there are folks who fall for it, then that free ad on CL results in a quick profit. Weird.
A scammer only has to sell one or two of those to be profitable. Just like those Nigerian "bank employees", it is a low percentage of hits, but the cost of business is low. Remember, criminals generally aren't at the top of the intellectual food chain.
 

waltesefalcon

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"any my backup was a 1911."

One of the best types of backup. What caliber do you carry?
 
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