Been on Craigslist lately? I am sure that you have received a handful of questionable emails. Millions of people use Craigslist all round the world, and it is a haven for con-artist, scammers, and crooks. However, Craigslist does have a scam prevention alert on their main page you should really be cautious when using Craigslist. In this article I will be covering the typical overpayment scam that is found lurking everywhere on Craigslist.
In order to spot a scammer on Craigslist you have to know what to look for. So lets take a hypothetical situation, you are looking to sell your old car on Craigslist. You might find your mailbox plagued with inquiries on your car. Typically, con-artist will try to get you to take down the listing ASAP. They want you to "promise" them that you are not going to sell it to anyone else. Also, they want to pay you with a cashiers check, personal check, ect. Believe me it is not worth your time to email these people back.
In our example your car, they will ask to send you more money than it is worth and ask that you have it shipped to them. Any normal person would be inclined to take the offer because they are paying you more than you are asking for. They prey on people that are looking to get rid of their items quickly That is the catch, people don't just give money away! They will either ask you if they can mail you a check. Also, they have been noted to take your personal information and steal your identity. These Craigslist scammer are really the scum of the universe.
This is the typical "overpayment scam." True, you will get the check and be provided a place to your car. You will even cash the check and get your money for it. However, in a couple weeks you will get a phone call from the bank stating that they have discovered a fraudulent check, and you will be liable for all the money. Not to mention you will also be out your car. They usually prey on big ticket items like cars, boats, ect. However, they have been known to cheat people out of xboxes, watches, ect.
Honestly, use your judgment when selling on Craigslist. Nearly 99.9% of these emails are scams. Believe me people are falling for them each and every day, as well. I have personally sold a lot of things on Craigslist and get tons of these fake emails wanting me to accept an overpayment, and take it down right away.
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