Forum Discussion

Prober22's avatar
Prober22
Explorer
Mar 13, 2017

My Scam Antennea are Twittering, . . .

Greetings,
Due to lifestyle changes, (plus I have too much stuff, and I bought a new truck that has a short box) I listed my RV on Craig's List. Within hours, I got this email:
____________________________________________________________________
Hello i'm Bill ,just asking about it to make sure its in good condition as im buying it for my son as a surprise who is getting married soon in April and he doesn't know about it, so can you assure me i will not be disappointed? My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the PayPal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with PayPal, it's pretty easy, safe and secure to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for pickup once payment is cleared in your PayPal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your PayPal information as requested below.

Your PayPal e-Mail Address :
Full name:
Firm Price:
Pick Up Location:
And please do send me more pictures of it when you can.
_____________________________________________________________________

This seems too good to be true, so I Googled up "Paypal scams on Craigs List." It seems that the inquiry I got might be from a scammer. I asked "Bill" for more information, but he has gone silent.
Be careful out there!
Jeff

30 Replies

  • S C A M!!

    If he is technologically able to set up a Paypal, he would have access to his bank account.

    According to how much time I had on my hands, I might correspond with him, but have no doubt, I would never give him any further identifying information. I would play him, therefore, giving him something to do besides trying to scam someone else.
  • Prober22 wrote:
    Greetings,
    Due to lifestyle changes, (plus I have too much stuff, and I bought a new truck that has a short box) I listed my RV on Craig's List. Within hours, I got this email:
    ____________________________________________________________________
    Hello i'm Bill ,just asking about it to make sure its in good condition as im buying it for my son as a surprise who is getting married soon in April and he doesn't know about it, so can you assure me i will not be disappointed? My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the PayPal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with PayPal, it's pretty easy, safe and secure to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for pickup once payment is cleared in your PayPal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your PayPal information as requested below.

    Your PayPal e-Mail Address :
    Full name:
    Firm Price:
    Pick Up Location:
    And please do send me more pictures of it when you can.
    _____________________________________________________________________

    This seems too good to be true, so I Googled up "Paypal scams on Craigs List." It seems that the inquiry I got might be from a scammer. I asked "Bill" for more information, but he has gone silent.
    Be careful out there!
    Jeff


    Highlighted portions--------RED FLAGS
  • If you tell them anything, tell them that you deal only in cash, face-to-face, no exceptions. Sorry that you could not make a deal, but that is how you do business.

    Reporting it to any law enforcement is a waste of time because they are not going to waste resources trying to track down a nameless, locationless phantom who could be half a world away for a misdemeanor attempted fraud charge. Sure the guy may be a huge scumbag that's scammed thousands, but you have no proof of that. Any "evidence" you gather would get ripped apart by the scammer's lawyer if it ever got that far.
  • cbshoestring wrote:
    Inform them that because you were born in an era that did not include computers, you are unaware of how to set up a paypal account. Ask then for their information, so that your son-in-law----who understands computers because he works for the FBI doing computer fraud stuff-----can contact them to complete the transaction.


    trust your antenna Jeff
  • I always tell them I'm selling it for my brother and they need to contact him before we proceed.
    Then I list the contact info for our Chief of Police.
  • Inform them that because you were born in an era that did not include computers, you are unaware of how to set up a paypal account. Ask then for their information, so that your son-in-law----who understands computers because he works for the FBI doing computer fraud stuff-----can contact them to complete the transaction.
  • You got nearly the same scam. Only this time he is in the Army and cannot pay other than paypal. Of course he wants my paypal account info? Yea, RIGHT!
  • craiglslist never fails...don't even waste your time with asking for More info they will go on and on.