I see a trend on Craigslist involving putting ridiculously low prices on items. Great used pontoon boat with 60 hp engine for $1,200. Harley Street Glide for $2,000, etc. What's the reason? Are they trolling for emails and phone numbers to feed into some scammer database? Is the world flush with fools who'll send them the pittance they ask without first seeing the item? What's the angle, because I just don't see it?

See this a lot with classic cars.

Car listed legit through Hemmings, Barret-Jackson etc. for near 6 digits (collectible late 60s-early 70s muscle).

Then see the scams for the same car and pics (but sketchy other info) for the silly $10k and below.


See Forrestmonkey run.
"Run Forrestmonkey , RUN!"
"RUN RUN RUN!!!"

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Is the world flush with fools who'll send them the pittance they ask without first seeing the item?

In her office, my mom has a framed, hand-copied email from a Nigerian prince who wanted to send a wellfare queen some obscene amount of money, he just needed her to transfer $1000 from her bank account to verify.
Cash & coin was brought to bring the balance up to 1k.
Security was called (not on site)
Account was closed with a huff
Some other bank had to deal with the halfwit I'm sure.

Scammers of various types.

Never underestimate the Stupidity gullibility that people can rise to.

Just stay away from Craig’s List, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

I've wondered the same thing. John Deere compact tractors seem popular around here.

Even the description is ridiculous. Picture is of a really nice 4 wheel drive tractor with a front end loader, and a brush hog. Description says equipped with back hoe, and 62 in drive over deck. Always stored inside. $2100.00.

It's plainly a scam. The tractors worth about 20 times the asking price. Anyone looking for equipment like that knows it's a scam.

Like slabsides asked, what are they getting out of the scam? What's it's purpose?

Less on the scam side, but I see it as a way of cheating the filters.

List for $20 instead of $20k type thing.

I browse from time to time & will set a min price filter of something like 100 to weed those out.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Less on the scam side, but I see it as a way of cheating the filters.

^^ THIS ^^

Some d-bags are listing the monthly payment instead of the total price to get to the top of the list.

How it usually works:

Hey, I'm moving and that why I'm selling it so cheap. I have already left so you'll have to wire me the money. Then I will have a delivery company bring you the item.

Just got into a email pissing match with a lady for a deceptive ad. she had a nice 2016 pontoon boat listed for $14,000. A good price but nothing that made me think scam. she had it listed as if it were local to me. Email response only no phone contact listed. So I emailed. No response for a week than get a email apologizing for not responding as she was out of town on a family emergency. Ok when and where can I come and look at your boat?

The response was telling me what great shape it's in and how they are only selling it because they found a great deal on one that's larger. This has been a great pontoon and we hate to see it go etc. etc. That's great when and where can I come and look at it? I need to know the physical location of the boat!

Finally she tells me she is selling it through a consignment company called Recar Garage Sales located in Atlanta. She has prepaid for 1000 miles of delivery if i'm further than that I pay $1.15 per mile after that. She gave me a link of the web site and more pics of the boat and how to register etc.

Anyhow we got into a 4 email pissing match about deceptive ads on CL and wasting people's time.

I saw the ads when I was looking to buy a side by side machine. Various ATVs & UTVs etc. listed far too cheaply in photos you know could not have been taken in Las Vegas.

The map then shows the location in a part of town I wouldn't even go through, much less go to. I certainly am not going there with a thousand or two in my pocket, armed or not.

These ads look like sucker fishing for armed robbers, IMO.

Craigslist? You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

You also see the same ad pics with different titles, from different days, with different map locations. Clearly a scam, I just cannot figure out the benefit of the scam.

It's definitely a scam but not sure what the angle is.

As far as Craigslist goes, I like it and have sold a TON of stuff on it. Not one single problem in years.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Less on the scam side, but I see it as a way of cheating the filters.

^^ THIS ^^

Some d-bags are listing the monthly payment instead of the total price to get to the top of the list.

Dealerships, I noticed, put the price of the "downpayment" that "gets you the keys today!"

Could be a $45,000 2019 brand-new released car on the local classifieds for $15,000 - and you read the ad, and it says "lowest payments possible, drive away today with just a $15K downpayment" or some shit.

but on the scamlists, I'd figure they want the "price = lowest first" to include their stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
See this a lot with classic cars.

Car listed legit through Hemmings, Barret-Jackson etc. for near 6 digits (collectible late 60s-early 70s muscle).

Then see the scams for the same car and pics (but sketchy other info) for the silly $10k and below.


See Forrestmonkey run.
"Run Forrestmonkey , RUN!"
"RUN RUN RUN!!!"

Bring cash, park at the end of the alley, come alone.