Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

Over the years, I've sold a variety of items on Craigslist, only to local buyers, only cash on delivery. Typically a Craigslist buyer tries to negotiate a lower price, which I may or may not be willing to accede to.

Recently I'm trying to sell a dSLR on Craigslist and I've been getting calls from far away places, other states. The buyer inquires if I still have the item and then offers me even more than my asking price if I will ship it. Sometimes as much as $100 more than my asking price. I believe these individuals to be scammers, because individuals shopping on Craigslist are typically looking for the best deal. These long distance buyers always have the same story, they are buying for a son or grandson or nephew and they want me to ship the camera after they pay me via PayPal. I inquired of one such individual where he wants me to ship, and it is to Nigeria! I know of Nigerian scams already and am thinking that this is just some sort of scam. Doesn't make sense to me that someone would be offering me an even higher price for a used camera, higher than it is worth! I always tell the "buyers" that they can shop on eBay or Amazon and get shipping for free! I've accepted payment by PayPal before, but I don't think I'll take a chance with these mysterious long distance purchasers.

What really kills me is that these individuals always ask about the condition of the camera and the asking price and my location, even though it is all clearly stated in my Craigslist ad!

StrangerHart Loc: Whitetop, VA

No clue, but would be interested in knowing the answer.

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

Im trying to think of a way to test this out without making myself vulnerable.

Muddyvalley Loc: McMinnville, Oregon

Don't bother. It's a scam. They will send a money order that looks llegit. The bank will cash it and you will send the camera. Later the bank will want the money back when it turns out to be bogus. You will lose the money & the camera. Google 'scam baiting' if you want to have some fun with them at their expense. Check out 419 eater.

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

Yeah, I'd definitely like to have some fun at their expense!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yeah, people spend so much effort trying to cheat others online, and it must be working. When I see "Nigeria," I lose interest.

You can find the same type of thing with independent sellers on Amazon. They get shut down when Amazon finds out about them. I saw a camera advertised for a very low price, so I contacted the seller. He wanted some ridiculous payment arrangement, and the camera would be shipped from somewhere in Europe.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Not necessary. If it looks like a scam, sounds like a scam, and walks like a scam...

ted45 Loc: Delaware

I had the same experience when I tried to sell a Nikon D70. One of the so-called buyers claimed to be a successful business woman from Seattle. Every other word in the email was misspelled. I was supposed to send the camera to her boyfriend in Nigeria. When I refused to sell it to her she said her lawyer would be in contact. I then got an email from a "lawyer" claiming they would sue. No letter head, address, or phone number listed. After I told them to go ahead, I never heard another word.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

In a case like that, you tell them to send an envelope full of cash. See how they like that. :D

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

I had the same problem last year while selling my electric stair lift on CL. I clearly listed the item as a "Local sale or delivery within 50 miles". I had it priced at $500 for an item that had cost me $1600 used three years before. A man sent me a cashier's check for $3500 and told me to cash the check and mail him $1500 and to keep he balance for shipping to an address 1600 miles away in the DC area of Virginia. I gave the check to a friend who works for the FBI, and he forwarded it to the Secret Service. Big suprise, it was a fake! I finally sold the unit to a man 40 miles away, delivered it and helped him install it. The moral is an old adage, "If something seems too good to be true, it probably is".

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Local pickup is often the way to go. Imagine trying to pack that item and bring it somewhere to be sent.

har1ey4 Loc: Long Island, New York

That is a great idea. Send cash no new bills haha. Had a friend whose daughter almost sold her furniture to some scammer in Nigeria. She was arranging for the pick up of her furniture when we finally convinced her it was a scam. Plus if they had someone pick up the furniture now you would have thieves who were already at your house once. Who knows what the would have come back for. It was so hard to convince her it was a ripoff. I am amazed at just how gullible people can be.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Right. That would be just a scouting visit.

flathead27ford Loc: Colorado, North of Greeley

Hi Earworms (gross avatar name IMHO on face value... LOL) One of our communities (Loveland I believe) has offered their parking lot to Craig's list buyers/sellers for their transactions. They won't come out there unless there is a problem, but I thought that was a very nice gesture on their part. Most people won't try to scam you if you are meeting in a Police station parking lot. Cheers.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Right! The police station would make a good meeting place.