I think we're seeing the edge of a Craigslist scam attempt.

[Baitball Blogger]

We had two sizeable furniture pieces that we put on Craigslist. Since we haven't done this in a long while, we weren't up on the fraud schemes that are around these days. For example, we didn't put a warning on the ad that we would not deal with shipping costs. So, this is what we have been dealing with:

In both cases we had very motivated buyers who asked us to remove the ad. (Which we didn't) At the last minute they said they would send us a check for the cost of the furniture AND the shipping costs because they lived out of state. We said no each time, but they kept sneaking it back into the conversation. The first guy sent us a check with an amount that was way over the asking price. Let's say the piece cost $450.00. Under the name of a New York legal firm, they sent a check for $1700 to cover the cost of shipping. This was after my husband said that we would not get involved with the shipping part of the situation.

Without giving the guy a chance to respond, my husband told him that the deal was off because it just was too fishy and we didn't feel comfortable with it. He said he was ripping up the check and would return it if the buyer requested it. (Which of course, he didn't because he would have had to reveal a valid mailing address.)

What we suspect would happen is that we would have to put the check in our bank and, presumably, write a check back to them for the overage. And then, the check would bounce and, just like that, we would become victims of fraud.

The second guy asked for a Paypal account to send money through Paypal. And, again, at the last minute the amount he said he would send included shipping costs. By this time we were skeptical. We researched it online and learned that what happens is that the buyer insists payment was made through Paypal, and when you don't receive it, they send a fraudulent email with a Paypal address. Then you follow their link and eventually you get locked out of your computer and you're facing ransomware. We said the deal was off to that guy too.

Well we thought it was all over, and now we received a very elaborate envelope with a fake shipping label and fake address with the guy's name as sender, but our address. Inside was a cashier's check, which we don't plan to cash in. The post office alerted us, writing all kinds of handwritten notes on the envelope to show us that barcodes and everything about the shipping label was false.

Slowly, we are learning how not to be a mark in this age.

[MLAA]

1. Glad you shared, had not heard of this shipping scam before.

[secondwind]

2. Wow.... K&R for exposure

[marble falls]

3. The Post Office is great. If you do get scamed, the Postal Police are extremely aggressive ...

... they took care of the two people who wrote me checks and then canceled them.

Had my money the next day, the Postal Police scare the bejeebers out of scammers!

[Baitball Blogger]

5. I hope they made all the copies from the letter.

We're going to file it away, in case they need evidence.

[fierywoman]

4. I just dealt with a similar scam having to do with my teaching a month of violin lessons ...

and that the extra money should be given to the student's "caretaker". I said no, I'm not a bank, do your banking elsewhere.

[ItsjustMe]

6. This Is an Old Scam

Years ago I would give them an address of somebody I did not like, just to screw with both of them.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

7. I've read about a similar job scam

When you are “hired” they send you a fake cashiers check for your expenses and you are supposed to return the difference. You send your check, the cashiers check bounces and you’re out the difference.

[vanlassie]

8. I have some valuable dining chairs to sell.

Maybe worth in the $5,000 range. I have held them in my spare room for over a year since we closed dad’s estate, because I can’t figure out the best way not to get scammed.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Can't help you with that. My husband doesn't want to repost the ad.

[blm]

10. Local, reputable consignment shop.

Or donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore and use it for a tax write off.

[vanlassie]

11. Tax write off won't help me. I want these chairs to

be appreciated by collectors. They’re Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency. I know it’s a small circle who will value them.

[blm]

14. Try interior designers if there are no reputable consignment shops.

I know design pros who would scour shops like ReStore to buy good period pieces.

I priced a Hollywood Regency mirror for local ReStore at $350.00, and it sold in 2 days.

[dixiechiken1]

12. Do you have any reputable auction houses in your area?

If so, give them a call & see what they can do for you. We have quite a few that are all family-owned & have been around for a number of years. If I take the item(s) to them, they keep 25% of the sale price. Of course, you're rolling the dice on how much you'll get but, like anything, something is only worth whatever someone else will pay for it. (Sentimental value excepted, obviously.)

[vanlassie]

13. I think that's a good idea in general.

I should see if I can find such a place in San Francisco. It’s 3 hours away.

[blm]

15. Would you be closer to San Jose or Cupertino area?

That area should have plenty of interior designers AND buyers.

[vanlassie]

17. About the same.

I’m in Fresno.

[Niagara]

19. I would also suggest a certified antique appraiser in your area.

Although this may cost you to get them appraised.




I would also check out Ebay listings with similar chairs. You could always list them as local pick up only, instead of shipping them.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/313116880838?hash=item48e7386fc6:g:JdsAAOSwPYZU2sDv

[vanlassie]

23. Right. There is a set on EBay.

And there are some listed on iDibs. Which IS a scam! My main concern is transacting via the Internet. Shipping, money exchanging. Arrgh!

[vanlassie]

24. Right. There is a set on EBay.

And there are some listed on iDibs. Which IS a scam! My main concern is transacting via the Internet. Shipping, money exchanging. Arrgh!

[Niagara]

18. I'm glad that you shared this experience with us.

Your warning probably saved someone a massive headache.

[Pobeka]

20. I was almost scammed on Craigslist. What I learned:

1. Never make a deal for someone who won't show up in person for the transaction.
2. Take only $20 bills or less. No online money changing.

[brush]

21. Similar to a rental property scam I ran into back in the '00s.

I would run an ad to rent a rental property and would get offers from someone out of the country but coming here soon. It was the same scam...a cashier's check for over the amount of first and last rent, with stipulations that I send the overage back to them.

I was skeptical but went along once to see what would happen. The check came in the mail and I took it to the bank. The cashier was going to honor it but I had dealt with the branch manager before so I asked her to verify the check. She told me it was fake and if I had deposited it and taken any money from her cashier I wouldn't been responsible once the check was proven fake later in the process.

I see different variants of this old scam is still going on on Craigslist.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. Thanks for sharing that.

Our bank said our account would be locked for a determined amount of time while they investigated the situation.

[Ron Obvious]

25. I recently heard that you can't even trust cashier's cheques anymore

They look OK, and your bank will even allow them to be deposited but some days or weeks later they will be discovered to be forgeries and bounce.

I can't understand why the bank's computers that scan these cashier's cheques upon deposit can't instantly verify them as well.

Our banking system is truly antiquated by world standards.

[Baitball Blogger]

26. Yup. We received a cashier's check in this unsolicited mailing.

The sender's name was the name of the guy that we were working with. But he used our address as a return address.

It does seem like fake addresses is a tell for these fraudsters. I just don't know how they intend to receive the money, because someone would have to put the money in their bank before they can write a check for the overage.

Unless, spoiling someone's financial rating is the objective?

[csziggy]

27. My rule on Craigslist is cash only and local pickup only, buying or selling

Anyone who proposes anything different gets ignored. I haven't sold or bought much on Craig's List - mostly I have listed free plants to thin our some of my enthusiastic beds. Anyone want some decorative gingers? You dig!

[Baitball Blogger]

28. My ginger are doing great this year.

Very healthy and very happy.

[csziggy]

29. Mine have tripled their growing area and are doing great

What's weird is that I originally had only pinecone ginger (aka shampoo ginger) but in the last few years have shown up with a white flowering ginger. It's pretty, but when the stalks bend over, the seeds from the top where the flowers were extend their growing area by the height of the plants - 4-6'.

I have no idea where the white flowering gingers came from, after years of only having pinecone ginger.

I planted turmeric and edible ginger a few years back, but now can't even find them since the rest of the ginger has taken over than spot. The blossoms from edible ginger seem to be red, from turmeric white with pink edges, so not the white blossoms of the mystery ginger.

This year I planted ginger and turmeric in a pot but my husband ignored me and bought them from the supermarket and the ginger didn't come up. I have two turmeric shoots, but I doubt they will grow enough to harvest by the time we get out first frost.

[Baitball Blogger]

30. You have to tell me how to harvest and winter turmeric.

I grow them for the flower, but they die over winter. I lose half of them anyway, to rabbits. But the ones at the bottom survive and grow. Since I have ginger, and now turmeric, I want to experiment with teas.

[csziggy]

31. There is info on the internet about drying turmeric and ginger

For use as spices. I find it easier to freeze, then micro plane them while still frozen. I don't even peel them and it doesn't seem to affect the taste or texture in recipes.

Since this is my first year growing in a container, I am not sure how to over winter the roots to re-use for planting next year.

My non-edible gingers just come back from the roots every year - but I am in zone 8 so we seldom have hard freezes that would kill the roots in the ground. I suspect that the same would hold true for the turmeric and edible ginger in the ground, not sure about in a container left out.

As long as you have access to untreated roots, you could just get new ones to plant every spring. I found my original edible ginger and turmeric at a farmer's market. Most grocery stores treat theirs so they don't sprout in the store but I have read that Asian markets do not treat theirs, so next year I may try to find some there.