Beware of new <a name=craigs>scam</a> targeting Craigslist on clarkhoward.com

Clark wants you to know about a scam going on right now on Craigslist.org, the free online classified service. He got a letter from a man who had listed an item on the site for sale who got duped. The man got tons of responses to his listing, but the people want to pay with cashier’s checks that they claimed had already been cut for more than what he was asking. They asked simply that he send them back the difference once he got the cashier’s check. This is a complete scam. The man told the people to send the checks and then he sent them to Clark. They look 100 percent authentic and claimed to have come from several different banks in Houston and Northeast. The checks even have the watermark seal on them and came in the amounts ranging from $2,000 to $8,000. The scamsters sent the man about a half a dozen checks in total, and they’re all fakes. If you get an offer like this, DO NOT RESPOND. The banking industry has failed miserably when it comes to verifying these checks. So, when you cash one, you will be in a world of financial hurt.

What others are saying

Craigslist Scammer
I got 2:

Hi,

Thank for the prompt response to my mail,my secretary will be processing
and mail a certified check to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely
satisfied with the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to
mail the certified check.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service
within 2-3 days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to
P.O.Box addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Mobile #
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered and i want you to understand
that,i will have love to call but am a deaf and only uses a hearing-in paired
phone the relay so please send me a email you leave a message on my
voice mail 720 279 1377"it will be delivered as an email to me as
well,thank you.

**AND**

Thanks for your quick response and am so much interested , i am in tuscaloosa at the moment and i got the details,the price is okay by me and the payment will be by
check so, i want you to send the details below to make out the payment
to you:-

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
(3) your direct telephone number both home and cell.?
(4} Final asking price

As soon as you get back to me with the above info,the payment will be
sent to you by FEDEX and you dont need to worry about the shipping, i
have a shipping agent that will come for the pick up and the
documentation because i also purchased some farm equipment which will
also be shipped to my destination...
so,i will be sending an excess fund that will include the shipper fund,
soon as you receive the payment, go and cash the check in your bank
and deduct your charges and send the rest of the fund to the shipper
via western union and i will be offering you additional $50 to take it
off the site to be sure you want to sell for me and to keep it till my
shipper comes for the pick up.

Hope to read from you soonest.

Regards

mrs russell
By Tom Z. @ 11/15/09 09:04:12 PMreport abuse
Craigslist Scam
Similar expirience.
Here is copy of his email sent to me:
Hello,
I'm very glad that the item is still available, thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant purchase, so please and please do withdraw the posting from Craigslist, i dont mind adding an extra $50.00 for you to take the posting down from craigslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check,and it will be over night payment due to the distance. You dont need to bother yourself with the shipment ok, i will do take care of that. So i will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
1. Your full name
2. Your mailing address be it residential address
3. Your Phone Number.
Once again, I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping...i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check. Thanks
Jeff.

Hello,
Good morning!!! I want you to understand that the deal as my secretary as posted the payment already, but there was a slight error i guess we can handle with care, Instead of the actual amount $150 for the item, She made out the check for $2,500; She claim that was what i requested but she didn't get that straight.
So once you have the check please cash it and deduct the money for your goods plus $50 that for your run around expenses.
The excess fund should please be sent to my mover via Western union, This fund will be use in offsetting the cost of the shipment he as undertaken for me recently.
**Please email at once to let me know that i can trust to have the excess funds sent to my mover**
Your Warmest Regards,
Jeff
By Tatiana @ 10/27/09 01:09:54 AMreport abuse
Craigslist Scam
I had twist on this. I posted an item for sale and the buyer wanted to pay by check. I said the check would have to clear before I would ship the item. Then she said she had "accidently" overpaid me and I was to deposit the check and send the excess by Western Union to London! Yikes! Money laundering! Fortunately, I have not received the check and we turned the emails over to the FBI. Would you like copies?
By Barb Shaeffer @ 07/27/09 04:13:42 PMreport abuse
Craigs List Fraud
My husband was selling rims on Craigs List, and this is the email we got:

Hello I really appreciate your response to my email.I want you to
consider it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist to avoid
disturbance from another buyer.I want you to know that i will be
paying via bank certified check .I will like you to provide me with
the following.information to facilitate the mailing of the check to
you .

1.....Full name to write on the check
2.....Full Physical address to post the check (NOT P.O BOX)
3.....City, State and Zip Code
4.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you

*** Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS
COURIER SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsible for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you
have cashed the check** Thanks i can trust you on this so we can move
forward from here.

Regards

I will be expecting your mail ASAP

Mathew

We didn't know about the scam until one of my customers came in my business and told me about it. I haven't gotten the check yet, but when I do I'll just rip it up. I'm contacting the seller now to let him know the rims aren't for sale anymore. And that I know he's a fraud!
By Sabrina Ashley @ 07/22/09 02:47:07 PMreport abuse
Craigs List Fraud
Posted furniture on the list. Response was for 3500 instead of the 400 we listed. Person changed agreement asking us to handle deliver and pay for it with the additional amount. I called the bank and verified funds. Were told money was in the account however notes on the account indicated fraud activity.. Bank gave me a # of a person to verify. Ironically her name was the signature on the check... Called her and she confirmed that the account was closed. This was definately identity theft and fraud.
By Janie Annunziata @ 07/08/09 11:50:29 AMreport abuse
should I be concerned
This is a response I got recently for a couch I had posted on craigs list:
hi,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly,i would like to know the discount
amount you are willing to sell and also send me some more pics
if available.I won't be able to come and check it out myself due to my tight schedule at
work and the distance between us.so i would like you to understand that i would be paying
via a certified cheque and i have a mover ready whenever payment is verified,
i wouldn't mind paying an extra $50 for you take down the ad from craigslist,just to make
sure that i have possesion of the furniture.
please let me know if this is okay by you by sending me the following information;
1. your full name
2.full address inclusive of zip code
3.most frequently used telephone numbers(in case we have to negotiate at any point in time)
Hope to hear from you soon
By mary phillips @ 06/10/09 10:11:37 PMreport abuse
It's Baaack
Got a check for $3500.00 for $10.00 speakers today after I told the individual that the speakers had already sold. They were adamant that I contact immediately upon receiving the check. I have been in contact with business on check, and they say that they have been battling this situation for a while. Wild thing is the check came via UPS Next Day Service with a Catholic church on envelope as sender.
By Tim Klotz @ 01/21/09 07:54:34 PMreport abuse
Cashiers Check
I have received one of these type deals. What do I need to do with the check? I told the guy when he e-mailed me about it, that I did not want to trade this way, but he sent it on anyway. I havn't done anything with the check, but what should I do.

Thanks,
Lee W. Jordan
706-783-4749
By Lee Jordan @ 08/30/08 06:28:02 PMreport abuse

Craigslist Scammer

I got 2:

Hi,

Thank for the prompt response to my mail,my secretary will be processing
and mail a certified check to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely
satisfied with the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to
mail the certified check.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service
within 2-3 days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to
P.O.Box addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Mobile #
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered and i want you to understand
that,i will have love to call but am a deaf and only uses a hearing-in paired
phone the relay so please send me a email you leave a message on my
voice mail 720 279 1377"it will be delivered as an email to me as
well,thank you.

**AND**

Thanks for your quick response and am so much interested , i am in tuscaloosa at the moment and i got the details,the price is okay by me and the payment will be by
check so, i want you to send the details below to make out the payment
to you:-

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
(3) your direct telephone number both home and cell.?
(4} Final asking price

As soon as you get back to me with the above info,the payment will be
sent to you by FEDEX and you dont need to worry about the shipping, i
have a shipping agent that will come for the pick up and the
documentation because i also purchased some farm equipment which will
also be shipped to my destination...
so,i will be sending an excess fund that will include the shipper fund,
soon as you receive the payment, go and cash the check in your bank
and deduct your charges and send the rest of the fund to the shipper
via western union and i will be offering you additional $50 to take it
off the site to be sure you want to sell for me and to keep it till my
shipper comes for the pick up.

Hope to read from you soonest.

Regards

mrs russell

By Tom Z. @ 11/15/09 09:04:12 PMreport abuse

Craigslist Scam

Similar expirience.
Here is copy of his email sent to me:
Hello,
I'm very glad that the item is still available, thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant purchase, so please and please do withdraw the posting from Craigslist, i dont mind adding an extra $50.00 for you to take the posting down from craigslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check,and it will be over night payment due to the distance. You dont need to bother yourself with the shipment ok, i will do take care of that. So i will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
1. Your full name
2. Your mailing address be it residential address
3. Your Phone Number.
Once again, I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping...i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check. Thanks
Jeff.

Hello,
Good morning!!! I want you to understand that the deal as my secretary as posted the payment already, but there was a slight error i guess we can handle with care, Instead of the actual amount $150 for the item, She made out the check for $2,500; She claim that was what i requested but she didn't get that straight.
So once you have the check please cash it and deduct the money for your goods plus $50 that for your run around expenses.
The excess fund should please be sent to my mover via Western union, This fund will be use in offsetting the cost of the shipment he as undertaken for me recently.
**Please email at once to let me know that i can trust to have the excess funds sent to my mover**
Your Warmest Regards,
Jeff

By Tatiana @ 10/27/09 01:09:54 AMreport abuse

I had twist on this. I posted an item for sale and the buyer wanted to pay by check. I said the check would have to clear before I would ship the item. Then she said she had "accidently" overpaid me and I was to deposit the check and send the excess by Western Union to London! Yikes! Money laundering! Fortunately, I have not received the check and we turned the emails over to the FBI. Would you like copies?

By Barb Shaeffer @ 07/27/09 04:13:42 PMreport abuse

Craigs List Fraud

My husband was selling rims on Craigs List, and this is the email we got:

Hello I really appreciate your response to my email.I want you to
consider it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist to avoid
disturbance from another buyer.I want you to know that i will be
paying via bank certified check .I will like you to provide me with
the following.information to facilitate the mailing of the check to
you .

1.....Full name to write on the check
2.....Full Physical address to post the check (NOT P.O BOX)
3.....City, State and Zip Code
4.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you

*** Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS
COURIER SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsible for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you
have cashed the check** Thanks i can trust you on this so we can move
forward from here.

Regards

I will be expecting your mail ASAP

Mathew

We didn't know about the scam until one of my customers came in my business and told me about it. I haven't gotten the check yet, but when I do I'll just rip it up. I'm contacting the seller now to let him know the rims aren't for sale anymore. And that I know he's a fraud!

By Sabrina Ashley @ 07/22/09 02:47:07 PMreport abuse

Posted furniture on the list. Response was for 3500 instead of the 400 we listed. Person changed agreement asking us to handle deliver and pay for it with the additional amount. I called the bank and verified funds. Were told money was in the account however notes on the account indicated fraud activity.. Bank gave me a # of a person to verify. Ironically her name was the signature on the check... Called her and she confirmed that the account was closed. This was definately identity theft and fraud.

By Janie Annunziata @ 07/08/09 11:50:29 AMreport abuse

should I be concerned

This is a response I got recently for a couch I had posted on craigs list:
hi,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly,i would like to know the discount
amount you are willing to sell and also send me some more pics
if available.I won't be able to come and check it out myself due to my tight schedule at
work and the distance between us.so i would like you to understand that i would be paying
via a certified cheque and i have a mover ready whenever payment is verified,
i wouldn't mind paying an extra $50 for you take down the ad from craigslist,just to make
sure that i have possesion of the furniture.
please let me know if this is okay by you by sending me the following information;
1. your full name
2.full address inclusive of zip code
3.most frequently used telephone numbers(in case we have to negotiate at any point in time)
Hope to hear from you soon

By mary phillips @ 06/10/09 10:11:37 PMreport abuse

It's Baaack

Got a check for $3500.00 for $10.00 speakers today after I told the individual that the speakers had already sold. They were adamant that I contact immediately upon receiving the check. I have been in contact with business on check, and they say that they have been battling this situation for a while. Wild thing is the check came via UPS Next Day Service with a Catholic church on envelope as sender.

By Tim Klotz @ 01/21/09 07:54:34 PMreport abuse

Cashiers Check

I have received one of these type deals. What do I need to do with the check? I told the guy when he e-mailed me about it, that I did not want to trade this way, but he sent it on anyway. I havn't done anything with the check, but what should I do.

Thanks,
Lee W. Jordan
706-783-4749

By Lee Jordan @ 08/30/08 06:28:02 PMreport abuse

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Mar 17, 2006 -- Beware of new scam targeting Craigslist

What others are saying