Another scam via Craigslist: offering more than asking price

I was selling an item for $125 on Craigslist. A Jack Ried was the 1st to reply stating "please remove item for sale" as he desperately wanted it. Three days later, he e-mailed me stating his assistant accidentally mailed the Bank Checks for the moving company payable to me and vice versa. He e-mailed me twice a day to see if I had received the payment. When I did receive it and open the envelope, the Bank Checks looked strange. Being an ex banker, I picked up on several irregularities and informed Mr. Ried that I would be sending them back instead of cashing them and removing my portion. He demanded I cash them and send the balance and I told him I would do no such thing. I then Googled "Craigslist Scams" and found that his stunt was common. When I e-mailed the article to him, I havent heard back from him. Mind you, I also Googled the address to which the money was to be sent and it was a huge intersection of an industrial plant. SELLERS BEWARE!!!
http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/a-craigslist-scam-you-might-fall-for-0/#ixzz0iwdFjg9Z

Wow I wish I had found this before I was scammed for $2,600. I was selling a $250 table and was told the extra was movers fee which I had to wire to them. Of course first one was unavaible and second died in road accident on way for pick up. I was lucky because I am military and so got a loan to cover it. The email was from NORTH HILLS, CA from someone called JESSICA ANDERSON from email Antak471@gmail.com so look out for this person. If anyone has information on this email I would appreicate being contacted via email at gothwolf666@hotmail.com as I am having legal ppl look into the scammer and any info would be welcome.

I've seen almost the exact same email syles on this site. Thank God I did my research! Here are the emails my scammer sent:

Hi,
I appreciate your response to my inquiry. I really want to buy this
item from you. I would love to come and check it myself but I
just got married and I'm presently on honeymoon to Palm Beach with my
wife. I would love a surprise change of look in our home on our
return. Pls do withdraw ,with immediate effect, the advert from Web, i
don't mind adding $30 extra for you to do that, so i can be rest
assured that the item is held for me. I should believe it is in good
condition as stated. I will be making the payment via Check, which
my secretary will mail across to you. I'll be picking the item from
you with the aid of my mover. My Mover will be coming to pick it from
you once the Certified Check has been cashed. Pls I will need both
your full name and residential address with postal code, also your
phone number to issue out the payment.
I await your response.
Regards.

The payment will be mailed out to you by my Secretary today, you
should receive it Tuesday or Wednesday . Do Let me know as soon as
you have the payment received and cashed so that i can alert my
mover's to come over for the pickup.
Many Thanks,

Hi ,
How is your day going? I want you to understand that the deal is on
as my secretary has posted the payment already, but there was a slight
error i guess we can handle with care, instead of the actual amount of
$980 for the item, she made out the check for $1980. She claimed that
was what i requested but she didn't get that straight. So once you
have the check by tomorrow, please cash it and deduct the money for
your goods plus the $50 thats for removing the advert from the web as
promised and your run around expenses.
The excess funds should please be sent to my mover via money gram, this funds will be used in offsetting the cost of the shippment he as undertaken for me in recent times.
**Please email at once to let me know that i can trust you to have the
excess funds sent to my mover**
I hope to read back from you.
My Warmest Regards,

he just tried it again on March 30/31, 2010 with us

From: gerrald philips
Date: March 31, 2010 1:56:54 PM PDT (CA)
Hello
am very happy to hear that the item is still available, please send me your paypal email or invoice to enable me make the payment as soon as possible. i am a medical doctor here in vancouver and i am buying this item(birthday gift) for my son that was currently transfered to west africa. i want the item shipped to him via canada post regular air mail as soon as you receive the paypal payment confirmation. i will add the shipping cost $100. i left for united states and will be back in two weeks and i have time on my side. i hope the item is in prestine condition. looking forward to hear from you.

sincerely

Not sure what this clown is up to but I got an "Is it sold? message from Steeves for two separate items I posted on separate days. I emaied back that I had sold (each item) and got the following autogenerated response form my "Yes it's sold" message to him each time:

from
William Steeves

dateFri, Apr 2, 2010 at 4:45 PM
subjectRe: CABINET
mailed-bygmail.com
signed-bygmail.com

hide details 4:45 PM (32 minutes ago)

Hello,
Thanks for your prompt responds, However, i will need your name and
address for payment,As am only able to make payment by money order at
this time b/c i am away on assignment. It will be nice if you can send
me more pictures. It will take about 7days for payment to get to you.
As per pick-up, I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment
has been received by you. I don't mind adding thirty dollars so you
can keep it in my favor.Please take the posting off Craigslist today
and consider it sold to me, Include your phone number.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
William Steeves.

Also posing as Micheal Smith away at sea wants to buy the car for his wife in Dublin as a suprise.

Be careful

Well, I did my research as it seemed too good to be true. Here's the email string.

Brian,

I am a bit confused by your previous email. I am not a wealthy person and would
not be selling this trailer if it weren't necessary to do so. I apologize if
this email offends you but somethings in your previous email do not ring right.

1st. If you are requiring a mover, why not pay them yourself and forgo me as
the middle man?
2nd Why would you buy anything this expensive without seeing it first?
3rd I googled your email address and then ran a back trace and found that the
email address is here in the same city as myself, however, no further
information was available.

As a single mother of two and a computer hacker for the federal government I do
my research prior to dealing with anyone on line that doesn't want to meet face
to face. I would feel more comfortable if you would do a corporate check for
the amount of $18,500.00 and you make the mover arrangements without including
me in the process.

Again I apologize if you are legitimate and this is not what it appears, but I
have to protect my own too.

I look forward to working with you on this sale if you wish to continue.

---- Brain Levin wrote:

=============

Hello,

I want you to remove the post from craigslist and consider it sold,i will get
back to you with payment tracking number which

will be deliver within two working days.

Shipping cost would be add to the payment to offset shipping and tax charges,as
my mover will come for the pick up as soon as

the check cleared. You are to deduct your money and have the balance transfer to
my mover via western union of which i will

send you my mover details upon delivery of the payment.

The check you will receive is as a cancel order which the funds will be return
to me via check, the check is been directed to

you , which will be on your name. Meaning you will be paid upon presentation of
the check at your bank.

Let me know if its okay so i can make adequate arrangements.

Get back to me with details to mail you the payment.(Name on
payment,address,city,state,zipcode and cell phone number)

Await your reply

> Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 03:31:41 -0700
> From: connij2@cox.net
> To: brain_levin@live.com
> Subject: Re: recreational vehicle still available?
>
> Brian,
>
> Yes, it is still for sale. If you'd like to see it I can set up a time for you
to do so. I am attaching the latest pictures, although the ones listed were
taken the same day the ad was placed. It's a beautiful unit and I hate to part
with it, but I just don't have a need for it at this time.
>
> It is a brand new unit only been used 3 times and is clean. The price is
18500.00. Please call me if you need further infromation: 319-431-5426
>
> Thank you!
>
> Connie Jackson
>
> ---- Brain Levin wrote:
>
> =============
>
> Hello, I hope your recreational vehicle is still for sale.kindly provide me
with the following details;
>
>
> 1.Updated picture...........
> 2.The Price..............
> 3.present condition..................
>
>
> My mode of payment will be in Cashier Check
>
>
>
>
> Regard'
The first red flag when up when the mode of payment was listed as cashier check. You will see from my last response that I am not sending personal information not even my name, I haven't heard back from him yet. We shall see if this is legit or not. However, I'm pretty sure it's a scammer. Corporate checks can not be stopped, that is why I asked for it instead. I'm trying to buy a home and this guy is trying to crush that by scamming me.

Hello,

Thanks for the quick response, just to let you know that I am okay with the condition of the item, I am ready to seal the deal with you,I want to buy your item and get it ship to my dad's in the United Kingdom, my method of Payment is via PayPal cause its very safe, fast and reliable for online transaction kindly get back to me with your PayPal account e-mail or send me an invoice via PayPal, you can setup an account with them on www.paypal.com, if you're not a PayPal user,PayPal is the best way to transfer and receive money online , Just back to me with your PayPal account e-mail or send me an invoice through PayPal so I can proceed with the payment immediately.I will be responsible for the shipment of the item and shipment fees will be included in your payment to avoid delays and you will make it payable to the shipping agent after you receive your money,so the shipping agent can get the item ship to United Kingdom immediately

I would really like to come to see the item, but due to my work frame that would not be possible, I am a Marine officer, I am now on the ship, but if you got the item pics. you can send to me to have a good look

Note: I will pay you $11,500.00 for the item and $1,500.00 for shipment and It will cover the cost for shipping fees.Get back to me with your PayPal e-mail asap.

Regards

lovelovejennever@gmail.com on behalf of Stephan Wortely (stephanywortely01@gmail.com)

Scammers need to get a real job, our world is going to shit................