I love Craig's List

[Ichinisan]

To be honest I would never have gotten that far with you. Some buyers on craigslist piss around forever making you jump through hoops that are ridiculous. Even if you do everything a lot of times they don't buy it anyway. Lots of window shoppers that seem to get off on making others go through a hassle. People that will probably cause trouble after too, "omg it's the model 100012344 instead of 1000012345 on the wire going to the led!". Then proceed to do a paypal dispute.

Most the time anyway I end up selling it to someone who was grateful to have it at that price and didn't just assume I'm a liar. I had a guy want me to do that recently with something. I tried my best over multiple emails, but eventually someone else bought it. No questions, no emails, nothing, just bought it, paid, never heard from again. Perfect. The first guys sends messages, omg man what happened to it?? Did you remove it?? I'll buy it right now! I sold it at the awesome price I had it at while you were pissing around. Your loss.

What I do anymore is just tell people "sorry, it's all boxed up really well and ready for shipping, I don't want to unpack all that and pack it up again". Which is always true anyway. And people are actually always understanding. If they have a reasonable question I'll answer it. If you want me to jump through hoops, you aint worth it. Someone else will buy it. I understand your concern but it's truly annoying. After he send the first one I think that was enough, for one thing you could have just checked the photo information and seen that he took the photo that day, and no need to take another one on CNN. I feel like a monkey that people want you to dance for their peanuts, and they get off on it, it's just ridiculous past a point.

You don't understand. Most of the used iDevices on Craigslist are stolen, or the previous owner was too stupid to remove their iCloud account and you can never activate the device. Ever.

If you want to sell an iPad or iPhone on CL, you better show the home screen and also assure the buyer that you have removed the iCloud account so it's ready to be used by a new owner.

 

[Ichinisan]

I do nationwide Craigslist searches and have purchased items from people in other states. Most people intend to sell things locally, so many aren't willing to ship something. Either they think it's an inconvenience, or they think I'm trying to scam them. I've never quite understood how a seller could be ripped off by a buyer who pays before an item is even shipped, but that's their choice.

But if someone selling on Craigslist claims that they'll _only_ ship an item, yeah, that's a giant red flag.

I got someone in Atlanta to ship a Logitech DiNovo keyboard to Newnan, GA. Everything was perfect.

 

[Ns1]

I've never quite understood how a seller could be ripped off by a buyer who pays before an item is even shipped, but that's their choice.

1) Numerous ways to commit fraud against a seller as a buyer when paying with paypal
2) If the buyer is sending cash or money order for a CL sale then they are going to get scammed eventually

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Number three in my long-running series of posts about Craig's List:

1) I love Craig's List
2) I love Craig's List

I saw a listing for an iPad Air for $100, with delivery to be by shipping only "for safety reasons". The listing showed an obvious stock photo of an iPad Air with all the fixings (box, power cable, earbuds). I knew it was a scam, but I wanted to see how it would play out, so I sent the guy a text from my throwaway, Craig's List only, Google Voice number. The following events followed:

Me: Alex, I am interested in your iPad air (http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ele/4859319865.html [Now removed]). Can you send me clear pictures of 1) the screen showing the "iCloud" page of "Settings" indicating that the iPad is no longer linked to an iCloud account & 2) showing todays CNN page? Thanks. 11:41 AM
[Number removed]: Oh ok i need to let you know im going to ship is that ok with you ? 1:08 PM
Me: If everything checks out, shipping should be ok. Let me know when you are ready to send the picture and I will give you my email address. 1:09 PM
[Number removed]: Hello? 2:52 PM
Me: Yes? 2:53 PM
[Number removed]: You want the pictures of the ipad? 2:53 PM
Me: Yes. Please send them to [address removed] 2:53 PM

I received an e-mail titled "This is my iPad air1" with the following picture:

I responded:

Me: I got one email. Are there more coming? 2:58 PM
[Number removed]: Do you want me to send a picture of whats coming with the ipad? 2:59 PM
Me: No, thank you - I see that in the listing. Can you send me pictures of 1) the screen showing the "iCloud" page of "Settings" indicating that the iPad is no longer linked to an iCloud account & 2) showing todays CNN page? Thanks. 3:00 PM
[Number removed]: Sent it 3:59 PM

I got an e-mail, "Is this ok?" with the following picture:

Me: Got it. Can you send one with todays CNN page on the same background? 4:04 PM
[Number removed]: What do you mean 4:05 PM
Me: Take a picture of your iPad showing todays CNN home page. Have the iPad sitting on the same background as the last picture. Thanks. 4:07 PM
Me: Are you going to send another picture? 6:27 PM
Me: I have a question. Can you hit me back so I know you got this? 8:52 PM

Never heard from him again. I was going to ask why the original listing and first picture were of white iPads, but the last one was black.

I guess we will never really know.

MotionMan

peeps do that at sf craigslist too, i think to get your email, so u should expect to get lots of offers for scams in the near future

 

[IAteYourMother]

You sure showed him

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

The only thing I think that I would ever buy off CL is furniture.

Furniture is something that is
1) Normally fucking expensive to buy brand new
2) Hard to get rid of / move / transport for those that want to get rid of it (The Seller)
3) Very hard to find old pieces (Artistic, antique, rustic, etc...)
4) Price for a used piece can be RIDICULOUSLY good compared to fucking furniture markups.

 

[Muse]

Canadians using CL, beware! lol...ng it isn't worth it, not buying merchandise.

 

[Ichinisan]

The only thing I think that I would ever buy off CL is furniture.

Furniture is something that is
1) Normally fucking expensive to buy brand new
2) Hard to get rid of / move / transport for those that want to get rid of it (The Seller)
3) Very hard to find old pieces (Artistic, antique, rustic, etc...)
4) Price for a used piece can be RIDICULOUSLY good compared to fucking furniture markups.

Bedbugs.

 

[MotionMan]

I also like how the iCloud screen he showed does not show that it isn't iCloud locked.

How so? My experience is that if it is not logged in, then the iDevice has been released from the iCloud account, including Find My iPhone.

Maybe I am not thinking clearly... Please explain.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

Yeah, that doesn't work well when buying or selling furniture or similar large items. I've been in many people's homes when buying things. Had a few people come over to mine to drop things off.

I've never really sold anything on Craigslist. I'm not one of those people who looks at an old jacket or vacuum cleaner and says "that might be worth five or ten bucks". I just take it to Goodwill or the recycling center.

I am big on putting on garage sales, so my $5-$10 items go into bags in the garage. About once every 6 months, I gather other like-minded friends and family and we hold a garage sale. Any leftovers are donated (or left on the curb).

I also enjoy going to garage sales.

Yeah, I'm weird that way.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

peeps do that at sf craigslist too, i think to get your email, so u should expect to get lots of offers for scams in the near future

I use a throw-away address (and a throw-away Google Voice number for texts).

They got nothing on me.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

The only thing I think that I would ever buy off CL is furniture.

Furniture is something that is
1) Normally fucking expensive to buy brand new
2) Hard to get rid of / move / transport for those that want to get rid of it (The Seller)
3) Very hard to find old pieces (Artistic, antique, rustic, etc...)
4) Price for a used piece can be RIDICULOUSLY good compared to fucking furniture markups.

This is why I do not buy used furniture:

Pretty Ricky - Late Night Special

MotionMan

 

[CZroe]

How so? My experience is that if it is not logged in, then the iDevice has been released from the iCloud account, including Find My iPhone.

Maybe I am not thinking clearly... Please explain.

MotionMan

Restore your iCloud-locked iDevice and you will be prompted to log in on a screen exactly like that. It's a symptom of being iCloud-locked and not a demonstration that it isn't locked. The home screen would be more comforting because at least the person selling it has access to the device!

 

[MotionMan]

Restore your iCloud-locked iDevice and you will be prompted to log in on a screen exactly like that. It's a symptom of being iCloud-locked and not a demonstration that it isn't locked. The home screen would be more comforting because at least the person selling it has access to the device!

In my experience, when you restore an iCloud-attached device, it says, on that screen, "This device is registered to iCloud account a*******@gmail.com. Please enter the iCloud login and password" (or words to that effect).

When it is not associated with an iCloud account, I think you get the screen shown in the picture, with no hint of an existing iCloud account.

MotionMan

 

[master_shake_]

I think it started at the bottom.


Suspect Charged With Murder in Craigslist Car Case After Missing Couple Found

shouldn't have hit pause

 

[holden j caufield]

I bought a new tv because I was upgrading anyways and there was super bowl special. Bought my new big screen and selling my old one.

Gmail groups these emails together but I'm seeing more and more of grouped emails with different names. Is this a sign of scammer. I haven't looked at the headers and I believe CL anonymizes the emails both ways.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Bedbugs.

Ok, I'm not about to buy a bed for fucks sake. Thats just dirty.

Couches would be hard to accept too because of the chances of the previous owner screwing on it, spilling shit on it, and the amount of food and shit underneath the cushions they never cleaned.

I'm thinking more along the lines of shelves, entertainment centers, desks, etc... It's hard to fuck those up.

 

[Ichinisan]

I bought a new tv because I was upgrading anyways and there was super bowl special. Bought my new big screen and selling my old one.

Gmail groups these emails together but I'm seeing more and more of grouped emails with different names. Is this a sign of scammer. I haven't looked at the headers and I believe CL anonymizes the emails both ways.

Should be grouped by the subject line.

 

[pmv]

I love it.

What's sad is that this guy is actually making money on some dumb ass people.

I'm idly curious as to how true this actually is - what sort of 'hit rate' do such scammers achieve in reality? I wonder if many of them don't end up just scamming themselves out of time and effort, while never actually catching anyone. I could be wrong, I really have no idea, but so many of these scams seem completely-and-utterly unconvincing.

I mean, I find that selling things legitimately is only barely worth the time and effort and bother - is it better or worse for dishonest sellers?