Selling on Craigslist/Ebay

[Yooper]

I've only sold one thing on Craigslist before, and only had one scam attempt.

But I told a friend (who is no longer local) that I'd help him sell his canoe. So here I am, back on Craigslist. And I'm trying Ebay.

First, you should SEE this canoe. It's a handmade wooden canoe, and sells for over $5500. It's a work of art. I can show a couple of pictures:






And of course, a high ticket price of $3700 is reasonable for such a work of art. But it seemed to bring out a scam attempt (Craigslist) in just a couple of minutes!

My question is this- the "busy businessman will have his private mover pick up the piece" and he suggested paying me with Paypal. Now, I get how you can scam with a bad check or counterfeit money order- but how does a scam work with Paypal?

 

[kyleslattery]

On Paypal, they can pay you the money and then later tell Paypal you never gave them the canoe, at which point Paypal could potentially make you pay the money back to them.

 

[Homercidal]

I'd decline anything that sounds funny, like "Busy Businessman". He probably has no time to use the canoe, then right? (Not that I'd want to take a thing of beauty like that out on the water!)

I'd insist they come in person with the payment (Cash is always good) or meet at a location that is reasonable for you to take the canoe to.

There are a TON of scammers operating all over the place nowadays.

 

[PistolsAtDawn]

I would probably never accept a PayPal payment from a Craigslist sale. Aside from what kyleslattery mentioned above, you also have to deal with PayPal wanting to take a cut from the sale unless the payment is sent in a very specific way (as in sent as a gift and not as a transaction).

Bottom line is that Craigslist is meant to be local, in person and cash. PayPal is cool through eBay because you have lots of records of shipments and whatnot, so it's much more protected than just using PayPal outside of eBay.

Really nice-looking canoe!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Damn that is a nice canoe! So pretty I'd almost be afraid to use it...Best of luck finding a buyer...not always easy moving one of a kind high ticket items.

I just so happen to be looking for a canoe...but I'm looking for a 2-300 dollar special beater that I can drag ashore at a few of the local watering holes along the tidal river...if by chance she gets swept out to sea someday, not much lost.

 

[landshark]

I am so glad you have this item for sale. I have been searching for this for a long time. I would be glad to pay for it as soon as
possible though i will not be available to come for an inspection due
to my flexible schedule. I will be paying you with my PayPal account
because it's attached to my bank account and its safe and very secure
way to make payment online. If my mode of payment is accepted kindly
PM me with the information below to proceed with the payment.

1) The pictures
2) What is the condition?
3) Are you the First Owner?
4) Your PayPal Email Address
5) Your Picked Up Location Address

Get back to me with your address so i can forward to the shipping
company to schedule an appointment with you for pick up. I have a
private pick up agent that will come for the pick up after payments
has been made. And if you don't have a paypal account, you can easily
go to http://www.paypal.com and sign up. its very easy. I await your reply
asap

Best Regards, LandShark

 

[Yooper]

I am so glad you have this item for sale. I have been searching for this for a long time. I would be glad to pay for it as soon as
possible though i will not be available to come for an inspection due
to my flexible schedule. I will be paying you with my PayPal account
because it's attached to my bank account and its safe and very secure
way to make payment online. If my mode of payment is accepted kindly
PM me with the information below to proceed with the payment.

1) The pictures
2) What is the condition?
3) Are you the First Owner?
4) Your PayPal Email Address
5) Your Picked Up Location Address

Get back to me with your address so i can forward to the shipping
company to schedule an appointment with you for pick up. I have a
private pick up agent that will come for the pick up after payments
has been made. And if you don't have a paypal account, you can easily
go to http://www.paypal.com and sign up. its very easy. I await your reply
asap

Best Regards, LandShark

Ha! but as I responded to my craigslist guy, we're going to make this even simpler! Just hand the cash to your private agent, and he can hand it to me when he picks up the canoe. So much simpler for me! Thank you for your interest.

 

[TKOriginal]

I am a military service man who is currently deployed. I really like your item, however, because i am deployed i cant come pay for it in person. Please send me information, i can pay with cashiers check, money order or pay pal. Because i've been looking for one of these for a long time, i will gladly pay your asking price. In fact, I will pay $100 more if you agree today!

Please send me your pay pal information or a bank number and i will send you the money today. I will have a friend come and pick it up if it his available. If not, is it okay if i hire someone? i will pay for this myself.

Thank you.

 

[bob1852]

Dear Sir, Its haz come to my attenten that you have an item I wish. Please note I am in Kenya right now, but if you wire check to me for $100,000; I will gladly pay out $103,000 for this wood cano. I eagely await yur response.

Regard,

The King

 

[passedpawn]

That canoe is a thing of beauty. I'd hang that in my den!

 

[Yooper]

That canoe is a thing of beauty. I'd hang that in my den!

Isn't it awesome!

It's been on display in the Ottawa National Forest Visitor's Center (hanging- that's the first photo). It's beautiful. I have a link to the builder's website and info in the ad. She does the most amazing work, and her canoes are one-of-a-kind. My friend drove to Ely, MN to visit, and ordered the canoe. Then he drove back to get it, and it's been on display ever since.

If I had a Northwoods bar or restaurant or lodge, I'd hang it up for display. It's got mahogany, cedar, and spruce in the build, and the seat is hand caned. The paddle is also hand made (from someone in Maine) and the artwork on the paddle was done by a UP artist. It's not all that heavy, due to the canvas on the outside, and it's well balanced so it's supposed to be an excellent paddling canoe.

I wouldn't be able to use it though- it's too pretty. I like my beat up old aluminum canoe and plastic kayaks!

 

[HoppyDaze]

that's a beautiful boat...so much that you'd be crazy to put it water!

 

[static]

It is a beautiful boat. Here is how a guy on another board i frequent deals with the scammers...

I got this email from someone interested in the PVM's I selling. Something just doesn't seem right.

"Hi Seller,
i hereby to inform you that,am willing want to purchase from you.
Am act as a Agent,so my buyer that want to purchase it from you is Living in MD,which is from US.
What Conditon is it?
Are you the real owner of it?
What is your best offer?
Did you want to sell it for me?
I will like you to scan me the picture of it.
I will like you to choose your demand of this payment details......
USPS MONEY ORDER............................................. ....
MONEY GRAM MONEY ORDER........................................
INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER...................................
CASHIER CHEQUE............................................ ...................
PERSONAL CHEQUE............................................ ...............
It is my pleasure in doing business with you..
I will like you to give me you location address to send the payment to....
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIPE CODE
COUNTRY
PHONE
I have two interested buyer that want to purchase it from you..
I look forward to hear from you soonest..
Cheers"



Here's my response;

"I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding your
questions what you am asking. Please kitty cat, remove
car from roof and tell me your inner most desires.
You want you buy wheels?
You want you pay with international bank check money
order withdraws?
I want you pay with rattle snake pelts.
Please respond quickly as possible my ass aches for
your answer."

 

[funkapottomous]

It is a beautiful boat. Here is how a guy on another board i frequent deals with the scammers...

my ass aches for your answer

LOL

 

[Lechien]

Someone tried to get me with the Paypal thing a few years ago, they send a fake payment confirmation email from an address like [email protected]

 

[TheMan]

Craigslist is simple to me, its cash and carry. First person to meet me and give cash gets the item. I don't waste my time with these guys that want to complicate things and have others pick stuff up or want me to hold the item for them.

If the private movers give you cash I think that's the best way to approach this, good luck yoop.

 

[OntarioBeerKegs]

As a business I get tonnes of emails doing the third party freight scam. Here is a post I left elsewhere on it. (except in your case payment is paypal):

Just to clarify guys this is a common scam that will come from many places of origin and involve variations on all the details like name/company/country.In general it works like this:

-Email contact is made requesting products. Possibly asking methods of payments

-Acceptance of the offer is made. If caller has not yet will request method of payments

-Payment is almost always by CC requesting any other will stop the calls/emails

-If has not yet instructs shipment will be by there choice of shipment carrier, usually asks you to contact the third party shipper and provides a email address

-Carrier will respond to email very promptly. Rates are generally questionable

-They will pay with credit card or paypal up front to cover the shipping carrier and it will go through

-Business pays carrier via wire transfer

-Credit card or paypal charges are reversed or a result of identity theft.

-Business is out fees paid to carrier

 

[static]

I get this all the time at work as well. I work at a parts distributor so the usual scam is a large quantity of a random part. Only a manufacture orders 500 relays and they never order by CC or request next day service. I've had a couple of customers get bit by the scam so anytime i see an order like that i make sure to get as much detail as i can to make sure its legit. It never is.

 

[OhCrap]

I'm the sales manager for a Mercedes garage, I remember the 1st time we "saw" this scam. We had a 5 yr old Merc. on the Internet. It was a high mileage car so the price was low (€10,350 approx) we were contacted by email from a 'wealthy businessman' it read something like this "it's is great to finally see the car i am looking for. It has the exact colour and mileage I want. I am too busy to get to see car so I will pay the price you ask & pay extra €500 so that I can buy it today...please email my secretary at.......". We knew something was wrong but needed to see where this was going (so we'd know for future). I replied that we would agree the deal if they sent a money order within 3 days
The reply "that is great my boss is really excited to buy this car. I will organise payment today"
To our surprise, 3 days later the money order arrived.....it was for €100850. We held it and got it checked out, it was extremely hard to find but eventually the fraud squad noticed it was counterfeit. Then the emails started about 'accidentally overpaying and you can take the cost of shipping out of the money and refund the difference to my agent when the shipping co. pick up the car'. We strung it along until someone came to collect the car looking for the parcel for collection, they got a bit if a surprise when the police were waiting. He was arrested and charged. That was in 2005 so we hadn't seen it before but have seen it many times since my stock reply is "Do you really think we're that f'n stupid"

 

[clamflats]

Wow, scams are all around us. If only I could collect half of the "money left to me" by some one that has recently died. Why would this be delivered in the form of a debit card that costs $150 to $500 for delivery costs? And why wouldn't any legal fees be deducted from any funds awarded? Guess I'm not greedy enough to chase such stupidity. But hey, "WHEN" they pay me, I figure in excess 0f $300,000,000.00, we can have one hell of a clam bake to celebrate!!! Woops I've been "disqualified" because I didn't follow the instructions by "talking" to someone about this. Oh well, I think I'll live and continue to survive, the latest one today said I just won a "Microsoft lottery" in England, just send money to get a debit card.