OT: Is Craigslist just a place for crooks?

[K2C Sooner]

I'm telling you the whole craigslist site is full of scammers. I have dealt with in the past, but it looks like the site needs to purged.

Here's a few things I ran into:

Responded to an ad advertising a original ad for a 5 piece 1950's Wagon Wheel furniture set. Pictures attached. Asking price 2 grand. Found out the poster just pulled it up off pictures on the net. Wanted me to send half the money before seeing it.

Responded to an ad for on Grand Lake. 54,000 dollars for a site built home within a block of docks and such. Nice pictures and my kind of small house living. I got zero response calling the poster and the phone number didn't match the realtor office he posted.

Answered an ad in barter for a mechanic. I was trading a 2003 Caddy and 94 Ford short bed for work on my classic autos. The guy showed up three times and took some parts and a 100 bucks for parts and disappeared. He sure liked and commented on all my antiques, though.

Bought a 1994 Buick La Sabre for $2500.00. The title had 60,000 miles. I later found out it had 160,000 miles when i bought it. It worked good for me, I drove it another 70,000 and sold it for one grand, but didn't lie.

Last, I used to advertise my house rentals there, but no more. The applicants lie out of their teeth. Fake references, fake jobs, most of them are felons...............

 

[Section22Sooner]

It isn't just Craigslist. It's in all walks of life now.

 

[roygbell]

Over the years I have bought and sold a few items. I sold a 28 foot cuddy cruiser about 8 years ago. The first person to respond wanted to buy it immediately. He wanted to bring me a cashiers check and me to sign over the cruiser. It was a stupid scam and I recognized it immediately. I did find a buyer and we met at a bank and did a funds transfer. As soon as the money hit my account I signed the documents transferring ownership.

Craigslist has always been full of scam artists. It has gotten much worse over the last few years. In the last few years I have sold some of my surplus equipment. You can get it done on craigslist, but you will have to sift through a dozen scam artists to get an honest and real buyer.

Don't take checks, even cashiers checks, and make sure the cash is legitimate and don't get tricked into giving them any personal information. If you buy or sell big dollar items just do it by bank fund transfers and make sure your money is in your account before you sign on the bottom line.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Eh, my late Dad used to call them two percenters.
I'm thinking that's now around 10 to 15%, and growing.
Sad, but I never go to Tulsa without a pistol close by, at the ready.
Do I like living under siege?
No, not my first choice.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Hired an employee 10 yrs ago using Craigslist, she's been a great addition to the team since. I would not even attempt to do the same in today's world.

 

[Dastardly Deed]

My wife and I have sold several items to Craig's List folk. Never had a problem. Always did it in the parking lot of a big store, as near the entrance (and foot traffic) as possible. Always cash.

And, yes, I had a gun nearby just in case. Have heard some bad stuff. Effed up world we live in when you feel you have to do that.

One time I thought it might be iffy so I brought my big ole ex-Marine buddy with us. I think the buyers were more nervous than we were.

 

[Belldozer1]

I have to say I've always had great luck buying and selling items on craigslist. I've sold some items in the $25,000 price range on 4 occasions and all 4 transactions went really smooth, no bs. Same with lower priced items. Definitely cash and need to be vigilant.

 

[Plainosooner]

I'm telling you the whole craigslist site is full of scammers. I have dealt with in the past, but it looks like the site needs to purged.

Here's a few things I ran into:

Responded to an ad advertising a original ad for a 5 piece 1950's Wagon Wheel furniture set. Pictures attached. Asking price 2 grand. Found out the poster just pulled it up off pictures on the net. Wanted me to send half the money before seeing it.

Responded to an ad for on Grand Lake. 54,000 dollars for a site built home within a block of docks and such. Nice pictures and my kind of small house living. I got zero response calling the poster and the phone number didn't match the realtor office he posted.

Answered an ad in barter for a mechanic. I was trading a 2003 Caddy and 94 Ford short bed for work on my classic autos. The guy showed up three times and took some parts and a 100 bucks for parts and disappeared. He sure liked and commented on all my antiques, though.

Bought a 1994 Buick La Sabre for $2500.00. The title had 60,000 miles. I later found out it had 160,000 miles when i bought it. It worked good for me, I drove it another 70,000 and sold it for one grand, but didn't lie.

Last, I used to advertise my house rentals there, but no more. The applicants lie out of their teeth. Fake references, fake jobs, most of them are felons...............

There are more than a few scammers on Craigslist. But there are also some valuable ads, especially for services of legitimate small businesses that are worth the effort. I found a good sprinkler guy on CL three years ago.

My nephew has a small business. He takes one specific SUV and takes junkers and totaled vehicles. Breaks them down. Stores the parts in a little warehouse he rents and sells the parts online and by phone. And he puts a few ads on CL every morning for different parts he has available. His CL ad generates work for him and his customers know him as a reliable source of unique parts and a very fair price. He told me about his strategy, and I did the same thing, with a little different take. The way I did it, was to generate a half dozen articles specific to my business. Not mine specifically, but common problems that people need to have corrected. And then I also have a traditional ad in three service categories that I bump up most days.

Most people are very pleased to have somebody with 40 years of experience in my business, available to come do work they need done. It's a great way to connect. Some people just need some information so they can solve their own problems. if I have time, I'm willing to give them five to ten minutes on the phone to help them do that. I generate referrals from that. The ads also link to my website.

So while there are a whole lot of scammers on Craigslist, likely well over half in some categories, there are absolutely plenty of legitimate businesses there. You just have to ask the right questions when you talk to seek a product or service. Scrutinize who you talk to. It can be quite worthwhile.

 

[Senior Sooner]

I have probably bought, and sold, as much on CL as any of you, and I did it because I enjoyed it. I am a Serial Re-Decorator, and 'Change' is the name of My Game. Early on, using CL for this was a Fun, and VERY Profitable Experience. I met a lot of neat people, some of whom are still good friends. HOWEVER, and isn't there ALWAYS a However?, that was Then...This is NOW! The times, they are a-changin', and not for the better. I have had to readjust my thinking so often in the past few years that my motto has now become Caveat Venditor, rather than Caveat Emptor. I no longer am comfortable allowing strangers on my property, and in view of some of the experiences that others have had, I should have stopped doing it long ago...

 

[Soonersincefitty]

I'm still waiting for just one of these yahoo's to show up, on time, with the appropriate cash in hand to conclude the transaction.
So far I'm 0 for 10 or so.
Pretty pitiful.

 

[Mister Moses]

I've made some good buys on CL. I'm not bringing any buyers to my property.
Like 22 posted its not just CL its all of society. Look at the two choices for POTUS are you kidding me. The great United States with 2 clowns in a 3 ring circus.