Possible scammer?

[Mani]

Hey guys, want to get your thougts on this. I am selling some speakers on Craigslist and the guy is offering me more than what I am asking (warning sign) to do a money order through USPS. Here is his message:

"Hello, I would proceed with the payment immediately,and Incase you dont know how Usps Money order works, This is how it works, as soon as i make payment with Usps Money order, they will notify both of us that, i have made payment for some amount and they will have to pend it inorder to findout somethings about my payment. As soon as they approved my payment, they will also let you know that, my payment has been approved and a confirmation would be sent to you and also your money order would be mailed to you immediately, the money order would be get to your address in five to se ven business day, first class mail with a tracking number to confirm the delivery of your money order. I think its better and safe because, once they approved payment and you have been sent the confirmation, its for sure that the seller or whoever thats involved will definately receive the money order and thats why it takes them hours to approve after pending As for the shipping, you dont have to pay adime for it because i will be responsible for the shipping to destination. Upon confirmation of payment via email, i will send you a fed-ex prepaid shipping label to you which you will paste on the package before fedex comes for the pick up. I will like to read from you if this is
okay by you. Let me have your full name and address so that i can proceed with the payment.NB please dont forget to end the bid once My payment has been confirmed.thanks"

I've never used money orders at all, let alone those from USPS so I don't know if this is as bulletproof-safe as this guy claims it is. Anyone have any experience doing this or just have any insight to add? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tu13erhead]

IF YOU HAVE TO ASK, IT'S A SCAM

CRIMINY

 

[D1gger]

Scam for sure. Do not proceed with the deal as he has asked.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I would only do it after i cash the MO

 

[Mo0o]

bad english immediately = scam

 

[fishface313]

get the money order from him...bring it to the psot office and find out if its fake or not...if its fake...send him a box full of crickets!

 

[dquan97]

If there are more than 3 sentences in the email, it's a scam

 

[Zaitsevs]

play with them!! email him back


and see if he emails you the fedex 'transaction' and then screen shot it and post it here and then see about the money order, tell him you shipped it.

he probably does this to many people a day, but nobody actually ' plays' with HIM.

it's your chance, take it. it'd be amusing and it'll make a good thread.

 

[swtethan]

Originally posted by: fishface313
get the money order from him...bring it to the psot office and find out if its fake or not...if its fake...send him a box full of crickets!

owned!

 

[Darthvoy]

whenever there are so many grammar and spelling mistakes...it is always a scam.

 

[HN]

when they try to reassure you with "don't worry about this.." "don't worry about that..." then you should probably worry.

 

[Sphexi]

"please dont forget to end the bid once My payment has been confirmed."

First off, since when is Craigslist an auction site? Answer, it isn't. Secondly, the USPS doesn't send any confirmation to people on money orders, you simply go in, pay cash, and they hand you the MO.

I'd say tell him to send you the payment and the prepaid Fedex label, the MO will be fake so take it to the post office and give it to them, and use the Fedex label to send him a box full of CRAP.

 

[ucdbiendog]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
bad english immediately = scam

yeah lol, i couldnt bear to read more than one sentance. postal MOs are te same as bank MOs, you pay the post office, and they make a garunteed check out to whoever you want. none of that notification crap he was talking about. just think of it as him sending you a check that wont bounce, assuming he sends it

 

[ucdbiendog]

Originally posted by: Sphexi
"please dont forget to end the bid once My payment has been confirmed."

First off, since when is Craigslist an auction site? Answer, it isn't. Secondly, the USPS doesn't send any confirmation to people on money orders, you simply go in, pay cash, and they hand you the MO.

I'd say tell him to send you the payment and the prepaid Fedex label, the MO will be fake so take it to the post office and give it to them, and use the Fedex label to send him a box full of CRAP.

hahahahaha

 

[Schfifty Five]

Ok, here's how you can tell it's a scam.

1. Most obvious is his horrible English/grammar. He mis capitalizes, doen'st put periods/commas in right places, etc...just real choppy sentences.

2. His explanation of a USPS money order is wrong...sounds like he used to use western union but decided to switch the words western union to USPS, but kept the instructions of wire transfers.

3. He talks about bids in a craiglist listing? wtf?

4. He wants to overpay.

Write back a big F YOU and call it a day.

 

[blahblah99]

Just cash the money order, wait however many days it takes to fully clear, then send the item.

EDIT N/M, read through the whole thing.

Any email where the seller has to explain their method of payment is a scam.

 

[Mani]

Thanks guys...honestly after re-reading his e-mail (painfully) it became more and more obvious that it's a scam. Now, to figure out what to do with the guy. Some creative ideas in here - I'll let you guys know if anything interesting comes of this.

 

[Dacalo]

Like you said, when someone offers you more money, it's a scam. The world just doesn't work that way.

 

[MrDudeMan]

make your own fecalgram. that'll show him and make you feel better as well.

edit: and if you dont want to do it, PM me his address and i will send him a box full of crap. compliments of the 3rd floor of my dorm...(we have done it 6 times already so this isnt a joke)

 

[blahblah99]

Ask him to send you $22 (or your amount) in US cash for transaction fee. Then when he sends you that long with the fake money order and postage, tell him the postage he paid for doesn't cover the shipping weight, and that hee needs to add 2 or 3 more pounds to the label.

Then after all that's said and done, ship him as big of a rock in a box as the shipping label would allow.

Of course, you can never cash the money order cause if it did turn out real, you're in trouble.

 

[Saint Nick]

Broken/bad English is a dead giveaway. I have had a lot of these kinds of messages sent to me about my Craigslist item. I always tell them that I won't ship until the check or money order clears, then they stop communicating.