Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Ok so 2 weeks ago I posted my Sister's piano on craigs list

I immediately get an email from someone wanting to buy it

Ok- she is going to send me a check for the piano plus the shipping costs

my first question- why do I have to wire the money to the shipping company?

but ok- maybe they need it come from the person who they are picking up the item from

I shrug it off

the check comes- it's a bank check- but not a cashiers check
and the fed-ex envelope, check and contact person- are not the same

red flag #2

so I take the check to the bank and desposit it-

it will take 5 days to clear

so I am not doing anything in terms of wiring the money

the woman's husband calls me and asks me if I wired the money- I said no the check hasn't cleared and I don't have the money to lay out ( I would NEVER do that- but I am trying to be nice)

then I send her an email explaining that I thought it was a cashiers check and I need to wait for it to clear

just as a side not- she sounds polished and educated in her emails

on the phone her "husband" did not

he just wrote me an email - as her- so not polished asking me how much can I afford to wire

I said nothing

what kind of scam could this be

to get me to wire the money- then the check doesn't clear I am out $2500?

right? does this sound as shady I think and feel it is?

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

my friend was scammed selling his piano too, be careful, he wasn't and got screwed....

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

OMG SCAM SCAM!!!!!!!!

don't wire them a DIME!

ETA: isn't there a warning on craigslist telling you about people who do this?

Message edited 8/28/2006 6:39:12 PM.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Sounds TOTALLY shady!!!!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

hmmm...ok, you just convinced me NOT to go thru craigslist.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

totally shady!!!

when you sign up for Craig's list one of the first things they tell you is to never, ever wire $$. it is definitely a scam!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

I am not wiring them 1 penny! I just feel bad for people who aren't are cynical as me-

they picked the wrong girl if they thought they would get away with this!

should I see what happens with the check and then call the police?

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

This sounds like a total scam. A girl I work with had this happen with renting her house in the mountains. This guy sent her a cashier's check for an amount over the rental and asked her to wire him the extra money. She figured it would be a couple of hundred bucks so she was going to do it to save him the hassle of exchange (or something like that). Well the check comes and its for 10K. The house rental was something like 10k. Total scam!!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Definitely sounds like a scam.

My brother who is on the NYPD told me to be very careful with Craigslist. He is on crime prevention and told me that there are major scammers who lurk on Craigslist. For instance, people who post stuff for sale where the person needs to come and look at the item - he said people will come to check out your house then return at a later date to rob the person. He said it happens A LOT.

You were smart and did the right thing. Report them.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

scam all the way! sorry you had to go through that!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

i say scam, something similar happened with my bil's car. the check actually cleared the bank, but was not in the account the next day. this was ebay, but still there are scams on all those sites

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

This sounds like a scam. I wouldn't do anything until the check clears. Good Luck.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Posted by MrsERod

hmmm...ok, you just convinced me NOT to go thru craigslist.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Message edited 8/28/2006 7:24:22 PM.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

I think I found the scam- I was right- I am contacting craigs list!

distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

So shady!!!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

This is EXACTLY why I will never use these online selling websites, ever. I've heard nothing but horror stories!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

This is about as shady as it can get. Whatever you do, DO NOT wire them any money unless and until that check clears.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

I read on craigs list that the check can clear- but be fake! then months later when the bank finds out it's fake- they debit my account or worse arrest me!

I am going to citi bank first thing in the morning to see what I should do- I have all the emails - from the person and the shipping company

then I think I have to call the police

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

You are 100% right, even though the check "clears", later it will come back illegal, and you will be charged the fees for a bounced check. Thank goodness you didnt wire the money and were smart enough to question it.

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)

Beth-

What bank is the check drawn on?

You can call the bank and ask them to verify funds on the check.

They cant tell you how much the people have in the account, but they will tell you if the check is good as present.

I did it all the time, I worked in a bank branch during college - so if you want me to do it tomorrow I can!

also - what check ## is it? is it a low #, like 103? thats a bad sign too!

Re: Need Opinions- starting to smell a scam!( long)