Celia
Newbie
Two days ago a local Craig List posting got me drooling:
Fujifilm FinePix X100 12.3 MP Digital Camera - w/ Extras! - $400 (Vancouver).
What a deal! So I contacted the poster. This morning I got the following reply in my inlbox:
Hello
The item is available and it is like in the ad. First of all you must know that 70% from this sale will go the Save Children Foundation where I'm working.I am a volunteer at them in UK and I want to continue this transaction through a 3rd part Pharos Parcel delivery...I am in England and I have talked with the people from Pharos already.The item is at them ready for delivery and I paid for the taxes and fees already.I worked with them in the past and everything was fine.I posted in your area also because I want to sell it fast(we need money).If you are interested please let me know for I can tell you the details.
Thank you
Bummer, no "new toy" this holidays. I always buy local on Craigs.
Fujifilm FinePix X100 12.3 MP Digital Camera - w/ Extras! - $400 (Vancouver).
What a deal! So I contacted the poster. This morning I got the following reply in my inlbox:
Hello
The item is available and it is like in the ad. First of all you must know that 70% from this sale will go the Save Children Foundation where I'm working.I am a volunteer at them in UK and I want to continue this transaction through a 3rd part Pharos Parcel delivery...I am in England and I have talked with the people from Pharos already.The item is at them ready for delivery and I paid for the taxes and fees already.I worked with them in the past and everything was fine.I posted in your area also because I want to sell it fast(we need money).If you are interested please let me know for I can tell you the details.
Thank you
Bummer, no "new toy" this holidays. I always buy local on Craigs.
FrankS
Registered User
You mean something sounds fishy to you? 
DamenS
Well-known
The "I work for a charity which tends to sick Unicorns" and "the monies from the sale will go towards ensuring future peace amongst all of mankind" were a particularly nice touch ...
Nigel Meaby
Well-known
From the Pharos website:
"PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE AWARE THERE IS CURRENTLY SOMEONE TRYING TO SELL ITEMS AS A SCAM ON THE INTERNET. WE ARE NOT CONNECTED WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL."
"PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE AWARE THERE IS CURRENTLY SOMEONE TRYING TO SELL ITEMS AS A SCAM ON THE INTERNET. WE ARE NOT CONNECTED WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL."
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
It's funny to me how the fraud artists can play both sides, masking as buyers, masking as sellers.
AM*shoots*SF
Newbie
Perhaps theyre friends with a Nigerian business man!
Adanac
Well-known
Same sort of great deal showed up on Vancouver Craigslist about a week ago now, purportedly a Leica M8, two Cron lenses, original packaging, "mint", for $1800.
On a lark I contacted the person, same basic story -- he'd posted the advert and then immediately left for England to work for the "Save the Children" foundation and recommended we work with an escrow shipping company for both our safety.
I wrote back noting how eerily similar his ad sounded like every Nigerian scam out there, albeit with much improved English grammar.
Never heard back.
LOL
Sadly some sucker will buy the story eventually.
On a lark I contacted the person, same basic story -- he'd posted the advert and then immediately left for England to work for the "Save the Children" foundation and recommended we work with an escrow shipping company for both our safety.
I wrote back noting how eerily similar his ad sounded like every Nigerian scam out there, albeit with much improved English grammar.
Never heard back.
LOL
Sadly some sucker will buy the story eventually.
MC JC86
Negative Nancy.
Upset I'm just seeing this now; please tell me I'm not too late to snap up this excellent bargain.
Bike Tourist
Well-known
The absolute worst item to advertise for attracting scam artists is a bicycle. For some reason a bike causes them to crawl out of the woodwork and exhibit wonderful creativity in pursuit of their mission.
Scammers almost always rely on your greed. An X100 for $400? C'mon!
Scammers almost always rely on your greed. An X100 for $400? C'mon!
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Last time I put a camera on Craig's List, I got fifteen responses from Nigeria, and only one legitimate local buyer.
Nigerian responses were consistent: "I'll send you a certified check; just ship the camera to my son who is traveling in West Africa."
Nigerian responses were consistent: "I'll send you a certified check; just ship the camera to my son who is traveling in West Africa."
I Love Film
Well-known
The Nigerians just rely on statistics. They send out hundreds or thousands of replies and emails per day. Maybe thousands. It doesn't cost them anything. They all copy each other's emails.
All they need is one or two suckers per month.
If they find someone to send them $1000 that is a huge amount of money for them. They can pay all their expenses and feed their family for months. They are persistent.
They don't care about you or your "clever" return emails to them. They are playing a volume game. Someone is going to take the "deal" and that is all they care about. They do not waste time on anybody else.
I Love Film
Well-known
PS: You are a potential victim. There is no way anyone is going to sell an X100 for $400 at this point in time.
You won't admit to yourself that you had a small bit of hope that you could buy the camera for $400. So you replied to "see what would happen". This is the hope of the classic sucker. You really wanted the camera, you had the hope of hopes that it would be legit, deep inside.
You should have ignored the ad, but you replied. A good con artist could have given you a glimmer of hope and you would have bitten.
You won't admit to yourself that you had a small bit of hope that you could buy the camera for $400. So you replied to "see what would happen". This is the hope of the classic sucker. You really wanted the camera, you had the hope of hopes that it would be legit, deep inside.
You should have ignored the ad, but you replied. A good con artist could have given you a glimmer of hope and you would have bitten.