Another scam via Craigslist: offering more than asking price

From: jerry magot1

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, am so glad to hear from you, I want you know
that am really interested in buying this item, i'm buying this for my
sister in abroad, I will like to ask you more about this item,

1) Why are you selling it?
2) Let me know the condition,
3) Can you send me some pictures of the item?
4)Am buying this for my sister for new year gift
5) i will be offering you $580 including the shipping cost to my sister
via Usps international express mail service with insurance,

6)This is my first time buying online, I will be making the payment
via PayPal account, because it's safe,fast and secure online
transaction, kindly get back to me with your PayPal email address or
send me money request from PayPal so that i can proceed with the
payment as soon as possible, or you can set up an account at
www.paypal.com, so that i can send you the payment ...ASAP,

Get back to me as soon as you can.

Thanks.

I received similar emails from someone about an item I listed on craigslist. Below is a copy of the 2nd email I received after I was asked if I still had the item in question:

From:
Wilson Adams
I'm glad you still have it for sale,i would have love to come and see it,but my scheduled is very tight.I will mail out your payment once you provide your full name.phone number and address.I can only pay via money order as am on a business trip now,pls let me know where to send your payment to because i wouldn't want to lose it to someone else.I don't mind adding Thirty ($30) dollars so you can keep it in my favor,you should get your payment in 4-6 working days i will appreciate if you can get the ad off craigslist so i can be sure you are keeping it in my favor..Please let me know as soon as you receive it so i can start making arrangement for the pick-up.Thanks
Wilson

I finally received his "payment". 3 MoneyGram money orders for $974.00 each!!! The item I was selling was only $150. After trying to cash one of them at my local Wal Mart without success, I called Money Gram to verify them and was told that all 3 of them were for differing amounts than I had and they had all been cashed already. Thank goodness I wasn't able to cash them huh?
Lesson learned I guess.

Beware of someone named Lisa Baker, another alias using the email abs1@mills-st.com

This just happened two days ago, in January 2011. "She" offered me $20 over my asking price and sent me an email telling me she had some urgent news, that her assistant overpaid me and she hopes she can trust me.

Supposedly the check is in the mail but luckily we googled her email address because her response was so strange and inappropriate.

Hopefully this will help others who use Craigslist - good luck!

Here are a few of her responses so you'll know what to look out for:

Hi,
Got your mail. I'm due for vacation to London but I will instruct my assistant to prepare and mail your payment which I'm sure you will get in about 4 - 6 work days. I don't mind adding $20 extra for the delay. Payment will be by M O or cashier check so send me your info (i.e full name, mailing address and your phone number) so payment can be mailed out immediately. I will also make arrangement for pick-up which will be after you have received and cashed the payment.
Awaiting your info.
Thanks
Lisa

I urgently have to bring something to your notice. I just found out that my Assistant overpaid you. The payment meant for another transaction was made out in your name and sent to you. However I want to believe I wont have a problem with you on this. Once you receive the payment, Please proceed to the bank and cash the payment, deduct your money and send back the balance to me via western union. So I can proceed with arrangement for pick-up. Once more, I hope I can fully trust you with this? I will await your response on this so my mind can be at rest.
Thanks
Lisa

Hey i gave the scammer my info and im a little worried about what he can do with that. has anyone actually recieved a money order from these people/ what did you do with ? please hel. thanks

Craigslist scammer-
Kelly Jones
email adress: jhygs767uj@mills-st.com
sent me the following email on 1/13/2011-

"Hi,
In about a week you will get payment.Firstly i would have loved to come and see it in person but due to my job. I will be paying by money order or a check so give me your full name and address to make them payable to as i do not want to lose this sale to someone else. If you will keep it in my favor, i don't mind adding twenty dollar for the delay. Pick-up wont be a problem as i already have an arrangement for that.
thanks"

I asked Kelly Jones, "what is it with you craigslist scammers?" For some reason I never heard back
after that, lol!

fromMichael Grey <9404948@gmail.com>

dateSun, Jan 16, 2011 at 12:24 AM
subjectRe: 3 Bar Chairs for Sale - $100 (san jose south)
mailed-bygmail.com
signed-bygmail.com

hide details 12:24 AM (9 hours ago)

Hello,
I am glad it is still available for sale.I am very much interested in buying your item and i am ok with the price. I am only able to make payment by money order at this time b/c i am away on assignment. Please provide me with your name , address and phone number for payment. 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. Thanks
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
Michael Grey

after listing my keyboard to sell.this person is tryin to scam me.i got a check through printed with the assosation of taxation technicians on it.i thought it may be a tax rebate at first so went to the bank with it and put it in.after a while i thought it may be dodgy so the bank froze it and put it in there holding account.so i then find out its from this scammer kerry.monks who has overpayed me by 2250 pounds.they told me just to take the money for the keyboard then forward the rest.i obviously wont be doing that as it is in the hands of my banks fraud department now but how do these crooks benefit from this.does the money actually exist in the check that they send?