Anyone ever sold on Craig list?

[question everything]

They gave me an email which directs emails to my regular one. Kinda like the PM function here.

I got a scam. I know that. Want me to ship out of state, asking whether I have a payal account.

However, I wonder how I can reply to this and a future email that would come from the Craig list address.

Thanks

[triguy46]

1. It's getting real weird. Esp. after the murders in boston and the....

shutting down of the on line sex biz on CL. So I'm tearing down a barn and have 16 telephone poles 12-14 feet in length that were the frame of the old barn. I advertise on Craigslist, "Telephone poles, you want them, come and get them, no cost, blah blah blah."

I get emails from women saying "I can help you with that..." and "I know what you need..." or "Has anyone taken care of your problem..." I didn't state a need or problem or ask for help. I just posted to others of rural/farm interest, some things of value (telephone poles are highly prized and used).

Plus there are stories of robberies, scams etc. It was good once, now I think its scary. It is too personal. Ebay is all at arms length with an intermediary, PayPal, handling the money. Ebay is not perfect, but at least its not frickin scary and weird.

[question everything]

2. I posted on the local page with Cash only

the idea would be that only locals would call me - I gave my cell phone number that cannot be used as a reverse directory on Google. Just the other day I've heard about a woman who purchased something on eBay, sent $450 to paypal account and never heard from the seller again.

At least, locally, I can meet the would be buyer at a busy place and get cash..

Strange lists: I saw an item for $1.00! Why not take it to the goodwill? Of course, these days even the Goodwill does not take everything.

I suppose the image of telephone polls was too much for some women...

:shrug:

[triguy46]

3. My son in Raleigh makes all transactions in public places with others present.

[raccoon]

17. That is a great idea. nt

[dana_b]

24. meet in a police station parking lot

a suggestion from the news. We've had people robbed, women assaulted here in the Bay Area too.

[Kali]

28. feed store

if you were near me I would be there this afternoon!

Local electric co is replacing some, I hope I can at least get the ones on our property

[midnight armadillo]

4. It's a PITA

We've hired some great people to work on our new house via CL, but selling stuff is a bitch. People call, they don't show up, they want to bargain on a fair price, blah blah. I'm much more likely to use Freecycle and just leave it at the curb.

[Misskittycat]

5. I just sold a car on Craigslist. Transaction went fine; less than one day.

[flying_wahini]

6. sold several pieces of furniture from my Mom's estate

also hired a caregiver from Craig's List..Got over 200 responses.
used several times with great success.

always have to watch yourself when you do public things and yes,
there are always the weirdos lurking about.

lotta crazy people out there

[hobbit709]

7. I respond to the scammers with some variation of this

Sure you will. Just another feeble scam attempt,. Your email has been forwarded to the proper authorities and you are now on my blocked list.
If you had bothered to actually READ the ad, it says "LOCAL PICKUP ONLY"

I sell used computers all the time on my local CL without any problems.

[question everything]

20. How did you respond? From your real email?

You see, since CL provided me with a new email address, I think that providing my own could defeat the purpose. On the other hand, I suspect that this scammer will just move on to other targets.

[hobbit709]

22. I have an email box just for CL and ebay.

[yy4me]

8. I have sold on Craigslist , most transactions went well but there

were many that answered my ad, told me they wanted and never called or e-mailed back. I now have two things listed, an antique 42" round pine table and man's foul weather jacket. The table is in prime condition and I have had several responses. To all of then, I say send me your phone number and I will call you for greater information. Never got an answer. Both are great bargains and I'm about ready to put them in the attic for a future listing. I have marked both down, even though they are cheap as it is.

I did have a good experience with a table that went to Texas. I had advertised it twice but did say "cannot ship". It was a kit form of an American Tea table. I could never find a box large enough.

I waited again and re-listed. The same man answered my ad. In the meantime I did find a box and it had enough room to properly pad the various sections.

The customer offered to send me a Postal Money Order first which I had verified before shipping. I insured it and waited for 3 weeks before cashing the MO just in case something went wrong. I never heard from him again so I assume all went well. He was a pleasure to deal with and recognized that both of us were trusting enough to do this long distance.

Some of the things I sold went locally and I had no trouble. Small items with low cash value.

I also had a few things I put in the FREE section and I got tons of replies. Off they went within hours of the listing.

Some of the answers were fraudulent, like one I just rec'd about the table. The buyer(yea) wanted to have her shipper deliver a money order and take the table away. Craigslist warns about that approach.

All in all, if you use your common sense, it can go very well.

Good luck.

[question everything]

21. Thanks for a detailed reply

Did you use your real email address? Since CL provided me with its own, that was then forwarded to my yahoo account, I wonder whether, when I reply, this is what would show up.

Of course, since it is Yahoo, I can always open a new one.

[yy4me]

25. Hi, the e-mail to me in reply came via CL's address. If you feel

comfortable in replying to then, get a free Hotmail acct and use it especially for CL. On several occasions, I have indicated, "if interested please call(my cell #). "If you reach my voice mail, leave your number w/message and I will call you back ASAP".

I do believe there is a way on CL during your posting that you can indicate "don't show my e-mail address". I am not sure but perhaps that will prompt a reply via their site. In fact, I think I'll do that on my next item.

I have never felt threatened during my meetings with people. I've let some in, some not.
Just annoyed at those who do not follow through. Why did they bother?

I spent most of my life doing phone sales so I know what to ask and how to assess people. So far it has worked.

[MrsBrady]

9. i use it all the time, works for me.

it's just like anything else.

Use you brain. Don't do anything stupid.
Sometimes you get a weird email....I just delete it and move on.

[ashling]

10. Anyone ever sold on Craig list?

actually, I think they took that section down :rofl:

[backtoblue]

12. haha

I thought the same thing immediately!!! :thumbsup:

[ashling]

13. Good to hear

I was sure I was going to catch hell from somebodyfor that remark!

[question everything]

23. Ha. This should teach me to compose proper sentences

:hi:

[MineralMan]

11. I buy and sell on Craig's list all the time.

Never a problem. Lots of no-shows, but that comes with any local advertising. Just don't remove the listing until the item's gone. I've sold everything from cars to collector stuff, and have bought cars, boats, and other stuff that way.

Watch the neighborhoods the stuff is in and watch for stuff that could be stolen. Don't take cash into bad neighborhoods to buy high-ticket items and if the seller doesn't seem to know anything about the item, it could be stolen. Lots of stolen outboard motors on CL. Lots of guys get caught, though, trying to sell them, too.

If you have something stolen, watch Craig's list for it. You won't have to wait long...most of the thieves need the money fast. If you see your item, call the cops.

[SacredCow]

14. Yes....

and I got the same thing (wanting to ship out of state/country, etc...). I just ignored them.

[Locrian]

15. no way

Last thing I want is people coming to my house to see what "else" I have...

eBay, even with it's flaws, is not as intrusive into me and my family's personal space.

[question everything]

19. Of course not

this is why I posed my cell phone number that cannot be used by Google to find the address. And if and when someone will call, we will meet at a public place with others present.

[dysfunctional press]

27. some peope are way too paranoid and untrusting.

iv'e sold and bought many things on ebay and craigslist, and i have no compunction about having people come to my house to pick things up. sometimes i deliver them myself, and i've also gone to people's houses to pick items up. i've even picked up items at people's houses(strangers) when they weren't home, and they'd just leave it on the porch with my name on it.

[av8rdave]

16. I sold an 11 year old pickup on Craigs List

Got retail blue book for it.

[LynneSin]

18. I sold a flatscreen monitor on Craig's List

What's nice is that I was not forced to take the first person who emailed. I had about 20 bizarro replies and one came from someone who used his work email to contact me (I recognized it as one of the other banks here in Wilmington). I contacted that person first and 2 days later he and his wife stopped by and paid cash for my monitor.

[dysfunctional press]

26. we sold our house on craigslist.

btw- why would shipping out of state and asking if you have paypal make it a scam?

i sell on ebay, and ship out of state all the time, and i only take payments with paypal.

[pscot]

29. I sold a Nikon lense

Put my phone in the ad. Met my buyer at a coin shop . He sold some gold coins and paid me in crisp new hundred dollar bills.

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. No, it's still illegal.

[quakerboy]

31. Yup

bought my last car there, sold my last TV there, along with furniture, collectable coins, electronics, and all sorts of random things.