Here is a classic scam from Craigslist.They offer to buy your item you advertised via classified for more money than you ask for ($375 in my case, he offered $500).They even give you a bleeding heart story about wife dying in accident.
From: ike derico Alright,i live in North Georgia United State.Am quite comfortable with the condition of the item since i wont be making any repairs on it,i will like to offer you $500 including packing materials without you paying for any shipping charges b'cos i already have an account with FedEx,i would have loved to make the payment in cash and carry but we are not in the same state so i will like to go ahead with the payment by sending you a Money Order But i will need your contact infomation in which the money will be deliver ok.I wonna buy this [item name] for my step son to fulfill the promise his mum made before she died,i lost my lovely wife to an auto accident on 29th of June 2005 and since then i and her step son john have been living seperately and i want to buy this item for him because his mom promised him before death took her away from us and i think with this i and tobi can live as a family. Kindly get back to me immediately you receive my e-mail and i will like you to take it off craigslist for auction cos am serious in buying it.So let me have your full infomation ofr pyment to be made.... Best Regards. .I.Derico
Note how they can't pick up proper English names? I got another from 'ortega hanson'.
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Comments
Anonymous (not verified)
Need to stop this Person now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thu, 2010/12/02 - 16:23Hi,
Sorry for the long reply.I am willing to pay your asking price.I
will pay you with money order as its the only way i can pay you at the
moment due to the fact that i am away for a family emergency.I will
make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by
you. I dont mind adding an extra $20 just for you to keep it in my
favor.Reply with your full name and address where payment should be
sent,and a phone number where i can reach you.Please take the posting
off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Thanks.
Amy (not verified)
Received the same email on 11/21/2010
Sun, 2010/12/05 - 11:07Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by a money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pickup after payment have been received by you.I don't mind adding an extra $30 so you can keep it in my favor.I would have loved to come take a look at it but i am presently out of town,send me some pictures.Reply with your name,phone # and mailing address where payment will be sent.I will let you know how i intend to pick it up.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards.
Michael Grey
Anonymous (not verified)
I got this EXACT same email
Tue, 2010/12/14 - 14:55I got this EXACT same email for a posting on Craigslist today (12/14/10). Same Michael Grey.
Anonymous (not verified)
I got the same exact email
Tue, 2010/12/21 - 12:35I got the same exact email today as well from Michael Grey <9480958@gmail.com>
Anonymous (not verified)
I got the exact same email as
Sun, 2011/01/16 - 01:15I got the exact same email as well today
Anonymous (not verified)
Frank Thornton Strikes again! Glad I did some research on him!
Sun, 2010/12/05 - 08:44I just researched this guy's name and email address before responding to his ad and your website came up right away! Here's the email that I got... same as the one already listed here. He first gets some guy named "Joe Butler" to email you asking if this item is still for sale. Later on, he follows up with this email:
"Hello. Hope you are doing great?.My assistant just informed me that you still have the item for sale. I am willing to pay your asking price,You will receive your payment in 4-5 working days,i would have loved to come and see it in person but i am currently on a business trip in the UK ,and that wont permit me to. I will be making payment by money order or check and i will be needing your phone number, full name, address or p.o box address to make the payment to. As i do not want to lose this sales to other potential buyers,if you will keep it in my favor,i don't mind adding thirty ($30) dollar for the delay. Pick-up wont be a problem as i already have an arrangement for that once you receive payment.
Awaiting your reply
Thanks"
Amy (not verified)
Thanks for your post!
Sun, 2010/12/05 - 11:01You just saved me a lot of grief, to say the least! I received two scams in a row this week. I felt something wasn't right, to receive two requests on two different furniture items I am selling. One said he was out of town on a trip, but would have his assistant send me a money order. I fell for it because there had been no typos and it looked legit. I gave him my mailing address for the money order, and was about to follow up via email after not receiving the money in two weeks. I decided to research craigslist scams before contacting the guy again, and found this page.
The second scammer claims:
Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buy it now for my dad and i am not in town at the moment as i am a Military been in camp
Balad ,70 miles north of Baghdad for some time and due to the nature of my work, It hard to make a phone calls and visiting of website are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it.I wish to pay 900usd for it and i really want it to be a surprise for my dad so i wont let him know anything about it until it gets delivered to him, i am sure he will be more than happy with it. I insisted on paypal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my paypal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your paypal email address and the price so i can make the payments asap for it and please if you don't have paypal
account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.paypal.com and get it set up, after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail
address you use for registration with paypal so as to put the money through. I have a pick up agent that will come and pick it after i
have made the payments...
These guys know we are suckers for our military guys. Anyway, thanks again!
Anonymous (not verified)
james bielema - craigslist scam
Sun, 2010/12/05 - 18:55Thank you all for posting these. I was contacted by this guy and replied to him not to waste my time. Like Craigs List says, only deal locally. These scam people can't even spell or use proper English -- easy to cause suspicion.
Rich (not verified)
scammer
Tue, 2010/12/07 - 01:55can't help but see alot of similarities in all your comments and my email from holland jim @ devine stores...a bit shocking that someone here other then haggling the price down would offer you more>>and so began the research to see who this is which led me to this site of ppl placing complaints about potential scammers...Quite honestly I was a bit dissappoineted to hear that this was a scam and can't understand y ppl would go to these extremes to scam someone..
Anonymous (not verified)
just another craigslist scammer!
Tue, 2010/12/07 - 17:50From: James Bielema
Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 1:07:55 PM
Subject: Re: Kenmore fridge - $200 (Puyallup)
Hi,
Thanks for your response. I'm going on a 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 business days. I'll add $20 extra for the delay. I'll pay 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 must have received and cashed the payment.
Awaiting your info.
Thanks
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