What exactly is this CL scam?

[DawnM]

People list things for really inexpensively.

Say, "Iphone 4 for $150"

Then when you email them, they send you something like this:

Hi there

Someone just bought this from me, but I can tell you where I got it from.
I just purchased 3 of these from XXX.com and I resold them on here for some extra money.

The trick is to watch for bidding to slow down and then jump in. That's what I do and I win all the time.
Regards

 

[carebee21]

People list things for really inexpensively.

Say, "Iphone 4 for $150"

Then when you email them, they send you something like this:

Hi there

Someone just bought this from me, but I can tell you where I got it from.
I just purchased 3 of these from XXX.com and I resold them on here for some extra money.

The trick is to watch for bidding to slow down and then jump in. That's what I do and I win all the time.
Regards

They are either promoting their own bidding site or they're an affiliate for the site and get paid a certain amount of for each person who signs up or a percentage of the amount they deposit in their bidding account.

 

[bdoyledimou]

or they are knock off items that look like iphones but dont work like iphones --

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...na-on-the-rise-in-US/articleshow/12033542.cms

like this -- i had a kid try to sell me one of these in Lisbon last year for 125 euro.

be carefull what ya buy online...

 

[DawnM]

Well, I was trying to buy it from local craigslist so that I could see it first. I don't respond to these types of things, but wondered what the deal was.

Dawn

or they are knock off items that look like iphones but dont work like iphones --

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...na-on-the-rise-in-US/articleshow/12033542.cms

like this -- i had a kid try to sell me one of these in Lisbon last year for 125 euro.

be carefull what ya buy online...

 

[akcire]

Well, I was trying to buy it from local craigslist so that I could see it first. I don't respond to these types of things, but wondered what the deal was.

Dawn

Around me a LOT of craigslist is data mining. They advertise something and a day or two after you respond, the spam begins. Ironically much of it involves American Girl dolls. (I have looked at American Girl stuff for a long time and eventually I started recognizing some of the photos as repeats). It is so bad I had to set up a Craigslist only email (because sometimes I do want to buy something). The inbox from that account has every Nigerian Prince waiting for me and many many more classic and new scams. Perhaps they were just trying to college email addresses.

 

[timmac]

Sounds like someone looking to make a commission (or free bids, or something) on a penny auction site. You know, the sites where you can win an iPhone for $50, but you have to pay for each bid you place? Yeah... no thanks.

 

[DawnM]

Thanks.

I seem to either be getting responses like the above or people just ignore my inquiries. I assume they have already sold the item, but either take your dang post off or at least email me and say, "Sorry, sold."

I have now emailed 7 people about their ATT iphones for sale and no actual responses other than penny bidding sites.

 

[timmac]

I have now emailed 7 people about their ATT iphones for sale and no actual responses other than penny bidding sites.

You're in luck! I've got one to sell! I have moved out of the country for missionary work, and am not able to use it here. Simply send your payment by Western Union, and I will send your phone to you. I am not interested in making money on this deal, I just want my poor phone to go a good home.



(This is totally a joke, in case anyone isn't familiar with the scam I'm parodying)

 

[DawnM]

Great. I have accidentally written the cashier's check for $20,000 instead of $200 so if you could go ahead and deposit it and refund me the $19,800 back, that would work perfectly!

You're in luck! I've got one to sell! I have moved out of the country for missionary work, and am not able to use it here. Simply send your payment by Western Union, and I will send your phone to you. I am not interested in making money on this deal, I just want my poor phone to go a good home.



(This is totally a joke, in case anyone isn't familiar with the scam I'm parodying)

 

[maccuul]

Like others have said it is likely just a guy advertising.

My local CL is pretty much all ads like this or stolen items.

One of our local scams its folks stealing dogs then "rehoming" them on CL for a fee.
My wife thinks I am nuts for getting our new puppy chipped but knowing they target puppies more made me get it done instead of just dog license and tags.
They take them out of fenced in yards, off tie outs and even right out of houses.

Last year my wife had our gps stolen out of her car and instead of the cord for the gps they took her cell phone charger. Sure enough 2 days later it was on CL... The picture clearly showed our gps with my wifes cell phone charger as its cord. The local police were useless about it too. "What do you want us to do about it?" was pretty much their response.

 

[DawnM]

Did you go get it?

My friend was telling me that his neighbor had his motorcycle stolen WITH his personal items in the little locked box.

Next thing he knew, it was on CL. He had his wife drive him over there, brought his own key and his pink slip, hopped on while pretending to look it over, opened the locked box, found HIS stuff still there, started it up and drove away!

Like others have said it is likely just a guy advertising.

My local CL is pretty much all ads like this or stolen items.

One of our local scams its folks stealing dogs then "rehoming" them on CL for a fee.
My wife thinks I am nuts for getting our new puppy chipped but knowing they target puppies more made me get it done instead of just dog license and tags.
They take them out of fenced in yards, off tie outs and even right out of houses.

Last year my wife had our gps stolen out of her car and instead of the cord for the gps they took her cell phone charger. Sure enough 2 days later it was on CL... The picture clearly showed our gps with my wifes cell phone charger as its cord. The local police were useless about it too. "What do you want us to do about it?" was pretty much their response.

 

[*Flower*]

Sprint is advertising iPhone 4Ss for $150 with a new account.

This probably means that a newer iPhone will be coming out pretty soon.

HTH!

 

[maccuul]

Did you go get it?

Nope, I wasnt about to drive the 40 miles away it was listed as being in to confront somebody and risk my safety over a 5 year old, 100.00 gps without knowing there would be police there to back me up...
My wife bought me a nicer one for our Disney trip this year to replace it though

I did recover other stolen items in the past though when the police went to the meeting with the seller before. Of course that was a different police department in another town too.

 

[DawnM]

NOOOOO!!!!!!!!! (sorry to yell, but I am running from Sprint!)

I am getting OUT of Sprint! They "upgraded" their towers and I no longer get service. I am selling them back my iphone (to avoid ETF) and going with another service.

I also will NEVER, EVER sign another contract. I want to buy a phone outright (hopefully a decent used one at a decent price) and use that.

Sprint is advertising iPhone 4Ss for $150 with a new account.

This probably means that a newer iPhone will be coming out pretty soon.

HTH!

 

[raven69david]

Thanks.

I seem to either be getting responses like the above or people just ignore my inquiries. I assume they have already sold the item, but either take your dang post off or at least email me and say, "Sorry, sold."

I have now emailed 7 people about their ATT iphones for sale and no actual responses other than penny bidding sites.

Best Buy has iPhone 4 phones for $49.95 right now. If you don't need the 4S, then this would be great if you have an upgrade. These are new - not refurbished. They have a refurbished iPhone 4 for $29.95.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemp...at0800000&searchresults=1&searchterm=iphone+4

 

[DawnM]

These are ONLY available IF You sign a 2 year contract with a cell phone plan. I do not want a cell phone plan and will never sign a contract again if I can possibly help it.

I want to go with a pay as you go plan, which will require me purchasing an iphone outright.

Dawn

Best Buy has iPhone 4 phones for $49.95 right now. If you don't need the 4S, then this would be great if you have an upgrade. These are new - not refurbished. They have a refurbished iPhone 4 for $29.95.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemp...at0800000&searchresults=1&searchterm=iphone+4