Is Paypal the new site for spammers?

[Beemermark]

Listed my D200 on craigslist because I just don't want to deal with shipping. This is the 3rd email I've gotten in 2 days, all with the same thread -
"Thanks for your reply,i am located in "someplace far away",i really need to buy this and send to my son, brother, mother, schooling outside the state as a gift. I have been trying to buy this on eBay but its so very stressful buying on eBay.so i will not want to miss out on this opportunity so am making you an offer of $350 for both so as to rap the sale off.I will be paying through PAYPAL because i have a verified account with PayPal.So kindly get back with your PayPal email address so i can make payment into your PayPal account.Once payment clears,shipment will be handled by me through my personal FedEx account,so you don't have to pay for shipment.Get back to me if my approval is granted.I would like to see the pictures please."


It might be legit but getting 3 of them along the same lines makes it kind of doubtful. So have the crooks figured out a way to use paypal to grab your money?

 

[colyn]

First off it is not legit....................

This has been going on on Craigslist for years so it is not new..

I don't even bother to reply to these messages..

 

[Shutterspark]

There are many ways to abuse Paypal.

For a start, Paypal will refund the transaction for them if they file a complaint about not receiving the item. One way it's done is if they arrange the shipping like with the above, and then refuse to provide you with the tracking number.
Without the tracking number you can't prove to Paypal you sent the item in the first place so 9/10 times they win the dispute.

 

[Bill58]

Reads like Nigerian English to me. I think I've read enough of it from watch ad replies (including the one that scammed me) to recognize it.

 

[one90guy]

I sure hope not. As far as craigslist I never had much luck selling but have got some great buys.

 

[colyn]

There are many ways to abuse Paypal.

For a start, Paypal will refund the transaction for them if they file a complaint about not receiving the item. One way it's done is if they arrange the shipping like with the above, and then refuse to provide you with the tracking number.
Without the tracking number you can't prove to Paypal you sent the item in the first place so 9/10 times they win the dispute.

There is no real paypal transaction with this scam. You get a fake paypal page emailed to you saying money has been deposited but it will only be released once you ship and provide the tracking info..

Paypal DOES NOT work that way...........

 

[FrankS]

There is no real paypal transaction with this scam. You get a fake paypal page emailed to you saying money has been deposited but it will only be released once you ship and provide the tracking info..

Paypal DOES NOT work that way...........

In any case, yes this is a scam.

 

[Beemermark]

I know it's a scam, it just amazes me how much effort people will put into a scam. We've all gotten the emails about some one dying in small African country without an heir, and the attorney is willing to give you a hundred zillion dollars to help transfer it. Always in very poor English.

Well I actually got a letter in snail mail to the same effect. Went thru as junk mail with a fake foreign stamp. Think about it, how much did it cost to send out junk mail and is there anyone stupid enough to reply?

 

[stompyq]

I know it's a scam, it just amazes me how much effort people will put into a scam. We've all gotten the emails about some one dying in small African country without an heir, and the attorney is willing to give you a hundred zillion dollars to help transfer it. Always in very poor English.

Well I actually got a letter in snail mail to the same effect. Went thru as junk mail with a fake foreign stamp. Think about it, how much did it cost to send out junk mail and is there anyone stupid enough to reply?

Not a lot of effort. Just needs one poor sod to bite and it makes it worth while. I've sold many things on craigslist (my car was the latest) and always insist on cash and a face to face meeting in a public place (a starbucks/coffee shop works best). No stress and you wrap things up real quick.

 

[FrankS]

I recently got one of those snail mail letters too. Mine was a business proposal from someone in Spain.

 

[jwc57]

I"m trying to sell my VWs on craigslist...get the same thing. All mine have been someone working "on an offshore oil rig" or "working overseas right now", and wants to buy the Bus for their "son" (or some relative). They want to pay full price to make sure they don't miss it.

When my Pentax 645 and Minolta XK listing went up....I got emails that asked stupid questions that were answered in the first line of the listings.

For example: "Is this a medium format camera with manual focus". The first line of my ad stated it was a "manual focus, medium format camera". I added an edit line that I would not answer emails with questions that just repeated the first line of the ad listing.

 

[peter_n]

... is there anyone stupid enough to reply?

Plenty. You just have to find them; these people are not into scamming just to idly pass the time.

Specify in your CL post that it's local pickup with cash only and you'll have fewer problems.

 

[colyn]

Specify in your CL post that it's local pickup with cash only and you'll have fewer problems.

Doesn't work for me. I post cash only and local pickup at a location of my choosing and still get plenty of scam attempts..

 

[Beemermark]

Doesn't work for me. I post cash only and local pickup at a location of my choosing and still get plenty of scam attempts..

Yes, I do the same. The first contact sounds like a legit local person. Then you reply and get the scam.