Help with possible Craig's list scam

[MichaelRW]

I posted an item (artist signed lithograph for $300) on Craig's list a few days ago and received this inquiry:

"HELLO  PLS  GET  BACK  TO ME  IF THIS ITEM STILL  AVIALABLE  FOR  SALE
AND THE  CONDITION OF THE ITEM ?"

I responded with this:

"It is still available and it is in like new condition."

Then I get this back:

"Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant
purchase i will be sending you a cetified  check to cover the cost of
the goods while you hold on my behalf. Once you have this,we will
schedule pick up at your place. I have taken a close look at the
advert and am completely satisfied i really need this and will
appreciate that you help save this for me till the payment arrives I
will be needing the following information to issue out the payment . .
.

1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
4.Your city and zip code

Thanks...."

I suspect I will get a check for more than the amount of the sale and she will tell me to take some out for my trouble and refund the rest. Also there was no attempt to buy the item for less than the asking price.

What do you guys think? Any ideas on how I can mess with her if this is a scam?

[WingCharger]

Check this out:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/wdc/987443049.html

[mauve66]

i say make them spend some money to send you the check then when it gets there touch it as little as possible ans turn over to local police/fbi for further investigation

[MichaelRW]

Check this out:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/wdc/987443049.html

That's pretty good. Thanks.

[MichaelRW]

i say make them spend some money to send you the check then when it gets there touch it as little as possible ans turn over to local police/fbi for further investigation

I don't want them to have my real home address so I might use my work address and tell them to make the check out to cash and I could use a fictitious name.

[bk72]

  something is wrong there

[hemi-hampton]

If they want to pick up in person then tell them to pay you Cash in Person. That Simple. Problem solved. LEON.

[The70RT]

I listed 3 cars on Craigslist in the last couple weeks. I bet I got about 10 different scammers wanting to send me a fake million dollar check if I would send a car to the moon  If you have to ask if it is a scam it is!

[Charger666]

Scambaiting is fun!
Just do & say whatever you can to completely waste their time, and maybe even have them spend a little money in the process trying to get the whole deal done.
I do this kinda stuff all the time when I get the "419 scams" in my e-mail, from those people in Nigeria.

They ask to help with a transaction, and I'll get a cut of it if I let them use my bank account, blah blah blah etc etc.
For these kinds of things, go to http://www.419eater.com and look at all the stuff they have there 
Sounds like this is something just like that.

I didn't know these dudes were hitting up craigslist and stuff like that now.
Awesome 

But yeah, just have some fun with 'em and waste their time to piss 'em off!!!

[jb666]

That's one of the oldest scams on CL.. Unfortunately out of every 10 "replies" to a for sale ad there you'll get one valid response... The rest are wealthy kings in India that want your car for the prince of Persia and want to pay by money order, and are willing to pay you $3k more than you're asking!

[Carlwalski]

Being an overseas member I can say that I always pay small dollar items with Paypal. It's easiest for both parties and there is no risk involved. The buyer in question seems somewhat dodgy, their email lingo is sketchy at best. For that kind of item and the money value (even if it were expensive) I would just forget about it. Move on, not worth handing out your details to some random "player". 2c

[flmopars]

It very much so is a scam. Don't fall for it.

[MichaelRW]

Thanks for all your info. I appreciate it.

[skip68]

This is why I never do anything with an email.  If there is no phone number then I just keep looking.  The way I see it is if they really want to buy or sell something they will make or take a call.

[MichaelRW]

This is why I never do anything with an email.  If there is no phone number then I just keep looking.  The way I see it is if they really want to buy or sell something they will make or take a call.

Good point. And the email sounded like a generic form letter.

[69bronzeT5]

It's a scam for sure

[Recharger]

It's gotta be a scam.  I got almost the exact same reply 2 days ago for a clothes dryer I had just posted on CL. 
The first response, just hours after the ad went up, said:
"Hello, How are you doing?great i guess!..I will like to know if you still have the item listed above for sale.. Thanks Sean" 

Notice how in both replies the scammer just refers to an "item."  If I was serious about something I wanted to buy, I'd probably mention it by name.  That was the first red flag for me.     Also, you'd think maybe he'd have 1 or 2 questions about the thing?  Or make a price offer?     After I told him the dryer was still available he replied with:

"Hello Seller,
            Thanks for your response, I will want to pay you for item now and I will be handling the shipping myself using my shipper in Georgia,
give me your name, address and tel., where is the payment can be mailed via ups and where location is the item.
   Hope to hear from you,
Sean"

I'm thinking someone named Sean should be speaking better English than this.  And it's a sad statement about today's economy that there must not be a single electric dryer available between here and Georgia... 

My first instinct as a certified asshole was to string him along as far as I could, much like the guy in that WingCharger's link evidently did.  My only concern about replying is, what can he do with the info?  It's basically nothing that isn't available to anyone with a phonebook or Zaba search, right?  So is there any risk?    He can't identity-theft me with that little info, can he?  Should I f' with him?  MichaelIRW, I'm thinking we should both start stringing these guys along, and see who can piss off a scammer the most....      

[MichaelRW]

It's gotta be a scam.  I got almost the exact same reply 2 days ago for a clothes dryer I had just posted on CL. 
The first response, just hours after the ad went up, said:
"Hello, How are you doing?great i guess!..I will like to know if you still have the item listed above for sale.. Thanks Sean" 

Notice how in both replies the scammer just refers to an "item."  If I was serious about something I wanted to buy, I'd probably mention it by name.  That was the first red flag for me.     Also, you'd think maybe he'd have 1 or 2 questions about the thing?  Or make a price offer?     After I told him the dryer was still available he replied with:

"Hello Seller,
            Thanks for your response, I will want to pay you for item now and I will be handling the shipping myself using my shipper in Georgia,
give me your name, address and tel., where is the payment can be mailed via ups and where location is the item.
   Hope to hear from you,
Sean"

I'm thinking someone named Sean should be speaking better English than this.  And it's a sad statement about today's economy that there must not be a single electric dryer available between here and Georgia... 

My first instinct as a certified asshole was to string him along as far as I could, much like the guy in that WingCharger's link evidently did.  My only concern about replying is, what can he do with the info?  It's basically nothing that isn't available to anyone with a phonebook or Zaba search, right?  So is there any risk?    He can't identity-theft me with that little info, can he?  Should I f' with him?  MichaelIRW, I'm thinking we should both start stringing these guys along, and see who can piss off a scammer the most....      

I'd like to string them on but I am not sure if I reply to their email will they see my real email addy or the one thru Craig's list?

[Recharger]

I'd like to string them on but I am not sure if I reply to their email will they see my real email addy or the one thru Craig's list?

I'm pretty sure they see your real email address when you reply.  I've already repplied once, so he's got that already. 

[Old Moparz]

Just delete the email, it's a waste of time. Also, by replying to someone like this, it shows your email as an active email address that may end up on a spam list.

[472 R/T SE]

That's why I use throw away email address' for any on line transactions.