Avoiding a craigslist scam?

[DrummerMan]

Hey all,

I know there's a lot of advice out there in regards to avoiding craigslist scams, and the #1 way is to just do all transactions in person and in cash. My question is: if you're selling something and someone wants to buy it from another state (NOT international), and you feel like they're on the level, is there a way to securely get paid and ship it to them without worrying about a scam? Like, is there something I can insist they CAN DO that would make it safe for me?

I was thinking about making them do PayPal, but I feel like I've heard about problems with that as well. I could just say "no" too (i mean, if I wanted to deal with this, I'd have put it up as an ebay auction), but I was just figuring it'd be worth checking if there was a good way to go about this.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[Nick Sevilla]

Hi,

I generally stay away from Craigslist, unless it is a local thing, face to face.

There really is no way to guarantee anything on there at all.

Cheers

[kslight]

Avoid it. If they want it put it on eBay and make them pay the fees.

[DrummerMan]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I already told the guy that if nothing local pans out, I'd put it on eBay and let him know.

Thanks!

[joelpatterson]

This is such a perplexing topic... because can't you say, deep down, MOST people are good and okay and honest and just like you are?

But then, obviously, there's no way to PROVE you are not a shyster and con artist to someone else...

I feel like maybe if Google and Paypal and Ebay got together, they could render profiles of everyone [who has dealt with their services], like a "credit report," only call it a "decency report" that would be quite accurate and pinpoint the evildoers among us...

All in favor?

[b3groover]

For the few interstate transactions I've done successfully on craigslist, the key was having several phone conversations with the seller or buyer. I don't know about you, but I can tell pretty quickly on the phone if someone is full of shit or not.

[sears]

For the few interstate transactions I've done successfully on craigslist, the key was having several phone conversations with the seller or buyer. I don't know about you, but I can tell pretty quickly on the phone if someone is full of shit or not.

This, and a USPS money order.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

in the one interstate craigslist transaction i've ever done, the buyer turned out to be our own jon nolan.

we didn't rip each other off.

[donny]

i've bought quite a few rare items long-distance from craigslist. i just trusted my gut and everything turned out fine. i think most people out there are decent and trustworthy.

[DrummerMan]

It's funny, now I've got 3 out of town people in line who want this thing, but all have someone in LA who will come with cash and pick it up then ship it out themselves.

I'm trying to subdue the greedy part of me that's saying "damn! If all these people are jumping through hoops here, maybe I'm not not asking enough money and perhaps I SHOULD auction it off on eBay..."

[cgarges]

I've bought a number of items at various places around the contry largely thanks to the good folks on here. If I find something relativelty expensive that's in an area where someone I know on here is located, I might email the person I know in that area and see if they can arrange a pickup and ship it to me. This is obviously a bit easier for the buyer than it is for the seller, but you never know. I've had really good luck with it, again, thanks to a few folks on here who've been kind enough to do it for me. Where is this buyer located?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[billkahler]

I sold a kayak on Craigslist to someone in another state who happened to know someone here in GA. I told them I would meet them and exchange the boat for cash. I also had all phone numbers and addresses of everybody involved and talked to them all on the phone. All went smoothly. $500.

[DrummerMan]

First guy was in NYC but I don't know if he's following through.

The next in line is in Toronto, which was immediately a red flag for me, but he was the first to suggest having his friend come with cash. Basically just treat it like a local sale, and he's REALLY dedicated to getting this thing (it's a bass, btw). I'm guessing he'll be the one who ends up with it but I want to give the NYC guy a chance to come through with the same since he contacted me first.

Third in line is a Texan, same deal, but I'd be surprised if it made it past the first 2.

[CurtZHP]

I've never had any problems with PayPal.

Another option is COD. The goods ship, but the shipping carrier doesn't part with it until the buyer hands them a money order or cashier's check. If I remember correctly, you can stipulate what payment is acceptable when you make the arrangements.

[cgarges]

Let me just say that based on personal experience, Canada is a nightmare. The US has a perfectly good relationship with Canada and we're right next door, but for some reason, Canadian customs are a total disaster. Everything takes twice as long going from here to Canada and from Canada to here as it does getting in and out of the former Soviet Union. If there are ANY problems with the sale at all, forget it. It's a gigantic nightmare to deal with any of that stuff. You'd think it'd be easy, given the politcal circumstances and physical proximity. I've lost money on sales to Canada, so I'm pretty anti-Canada in terms of shipping.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC