Craigslist MH for sale - is this common?

[grey2112]

Been searching and noticing a LOT of ads on CL that show the same pics but the MHs are different, described slightly differently each time, and always for a LOT less than any others out there.

Scam? Sure seems like it, and I see it a lot.

[Tom_Barb]

MrWizard wrote:
yes.
but still a shame to be bombarded by so many scams

Welcome to the internet world.

[MrWizard]

yes.
but still a shame to be bombarded by so many scams

and YES i can understand why Texas would be hot bed for scamming, with so many people now looking for Housing, having lost their homes

[Tom_Barb]

wolfe10 wrote:
A real shame, as Craigslist could be a real asset to those searching for almost anything.

It still is,, just follow the simple rules listed. at the front page of the site.

[Lwiddis]

“Right now, at least in our area w/n 150 miles of Houston, TX, Craigslist is running right at 50% bogus ads.”

On what do you base this statement, Wolfe?

[wolfe10]

Tom/Barb wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Right now, at least in our area w/n 150 miles of Houston, TX, Craigslist is running right at 50% bogus ads.

Have seen zero interest by Craigslist management to try to control this. Guess "more is better" even if the more is fraudulent.

And, yes, I consider advertising something you don't own in the hopes of finding a sucker-- FRAUD.

Craig's List depend upon you to report.

I flagged fraudulent ads for a long time-- sometimes 100 per day. Also, e-mailed Craigslist management twice about this issue. No reply to either one.

At some point, I suspect some state Attorney General will view their virtual endorsement of fraudulent ads an an issue worth pursuing. A real shame, as Craigslist could be a real asset to those searching for almost anything.

[MrWizard]

i used to 'FLAG' stuff on craigslist
then they changed the procedure
you have to become a member of their forum? and login and participate on a regular basis
and then you can post/link listings that need review

[Tom_Barb]

wolfe10 wrote:
Right now, at least in our area w/n 150 miles of Houston, TX, Craigslist is running right at 50% bogus ads.

Have seen zero interest by Craigslist management to try to control this. Guess "more is better" even if the more is fraudulent.

And, yes, I consider advertising something you don't own in the hopes of finding a sucker-- FRAUD.

Craig's List depend upon you to report.

[wolfe10]

Right now, at least in our area w/n 150 miles of Houston, TX, Craigslist is running right at 50% bogus ads.

Have seen zero interest by Craigslist management to try to control this. Guess "more is better" even if the more is fraudulent.

And, yes, I consider advertising something you don't own in the hopes of finding a sucker-- FRAUD.

[Lwiddis]

“I went to see at least 20 before I found the right one;”

New or used this isn’t an unusual number to inspect before purchase. Normal, ordinary.

[mama_sylvia]

> Any thing other than cash IN PERSON where you get to look at and inspect the goods before you lay your money down.. SUSPECT.

x2!

I bought my current MH off CL. Any response to my initial contact (asking to come see it) that didn't boil down to "this time and this time work for me, what works for you?" I scratched off my list of potentials. I went to see at least 20 before I found the right one; every single seller not only was okay with me coming to look at it, they expected me to. Only the scammers came up with excuses.

I also sold a handicap lift van on CL. First 5 responses I got were scams. I sent them responses scolding them for trying to rip off an honest seller. 6th was a real person who drove down from another state to buy it. (I even ran into a new-to-me scam: people who wanted to buy it sight unseen, pay with Paypal, and have it picked up. I didn't see how that would be a scam but I knew it had to be. DH found an explanation - the scammers paid with SOMEONE ELSE'S Paypal account, and having it picked up by a delivery service voided Paypal's seller protection when the real owner of the account filed a complaint about the transaction.)

[hohenwald48]

I've bought several RVs off Craigslist. Sold cars, boats and RVs along with a bunch of junk on Craigslist. Even sold our farm on Craigslist. Just use common sense and you'll be fine. There are some deals but you can't really expect to find a 2016 Marathon coach for $15,000. That would likely be a scam.

[tropical36]

Scamming is not isolated to CL by any means and pretty easy to investigate, with any of them.
With most all of the ones you see or get with tele calls, a red flag is immediately apparent and some so ridiculous, that it's almost impossible to believe that anyone would fall for them, but evidently they do, or they wouldn't be in business. In fact, I'm beginning to change my opinion of who's most at fault here and betting that if we started arresting the victims, that we'd put them out of business a lot quicker. Yes, a pretty radical approach I know and worthy of a lol.............but, isn't that close to what they started doing with the oldest profession problem and arresting the John's for the most part? Since the supply never seems to run out, maybe we need to start removing the demand.
Thanks for the rant....

[cvbdsl]

It not just CL, but some more mainstream automotive/RV sites can also be suspect.

A couple of years ago I listed a MH for sale on autotrader. I paid for a premium ad that would show first on search results on the site.

In a few days I got some emails asking why I had it listed twice and why one price was nearly $15K lower.

I checked and found someone had take three or four of my pictures, part of my description and had listed it on the free ads section on autotrader (same site).

I contacted autotrader and it did take some time for them (3 or 4 days) to remove the other ad. I complained that it sort of ruined my chance to sell and they did extend my ad for free for another 30 days and I eventually sold the MH.

Later I even found my MH listed on some other sites after I sold it.
So even sellers have to be aware of scams that can affect their ability to sell.

Usually you can find things like this if you use a very specific search term including the make model and year. The results will usually find if the same MH is listed differently or on other web sites.Same pics, vastly different prices are a warning.



Chris

[MrWizard]

I'm always watching the ads
I do it to keep up, and to advise people who ask questions

I see enough scams to know the obvious signs
Only one picture, exterior, impossibly low price aka $4008 for 2004 with slide
Picture with email address in the picture
Short description, that really says nothing but sounds pretty, like describing art, never mentioned drive train, generator, inverter etc..
Saw one that said it had a heated steering wheel... Really ?
And i often see the same picture in another adv, slightly different price. Same word type description
The scammer will put it up 3 or 4 times, hoping one gets by the watchers and doesn't get flagged, i see los Angeles listings with Texas, Mississippi, etc.. phone numbers,
I know people move, but when the phone number isn't local and there is no mention of travel or relocation, it's suspect