I'm working a Craiglslist scammer right now, he's sending me a check for $2400 for a $500 item

[Demonaut]

He won't talk by phone but will only send texts, I've called him numerous time but no one answers.

I won't cash the check of course, I won't meet with the "courier" to give him the item.

I have not involved the police yet, just having some fun at his expense.

I hate these people

[jberryhill]

1. Tell him you cashed the check

You had trouble getting to the bank and went to a check cashing place instead. Make it a good dramatic story.

[RandiFan1290]

2. Check out 419eater

A lot of funny stories and ideas on how to jerk them around

http://www.419eater.com/

[DirkGently]

3. I recently sold a car on Craigslist / AutoTrader.

The main flood of scamming attempts -- all text messages -- came after I placed an AutoTrader ad. I replied to a few of them, and one even had to ask me to tell him which car I was selling (because he / she'd sent out so many texts apparently).

So obvious, yet kind of chilling. Like sticking your arm in a tank of piranha.

[Lee-Lee]

4. I told one I was out of town and to send it to my accountant who was

named Eric Holder and had an address that just happened to be at the DOJ in DC.

And he did- he even provided the tracking # showing it was delivered!

I don't know what happened, if anything, but it gave me a good laugh at a time I was selling stuff I really didn't want to on Craigslist to make ends meet.

[uppityperson]

5. Great idea. I got a check for Luke Skywanker from my scammer.

I gave it and all the emails we'd exchanged to my bank for follow up.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. None of thise problems sellibg thru ebay

[Go Vols]

7. Was hoping someone else would ask.

But why would someone send $2400 for a $500 item?Bad check before you find out?

[Demonaut]

8. without a doubt it's a bad check

[Lee-Lee]

11. The scam goes like this

They send a money order way over the right amount with an excuse that they had "already cut the money order" and ask that you cash it, keep so much for your trouble plus the price of the item and wire them the rest.

7-8 days later when the money order bounces they have the cash you wired and the goods you shipped.

Sometimes when it's done by people close they "accidentally cut the check to include shipping" and ask that you simply cash it an pay the shipper in cash when they pick it up. Then the scammer themselves or an accomplice poses as the shipper and gets the item and the cash. There was a group doing that with tractors and high end lawn mowers in my area when I was a deputy, using eBay to buy, sending the fake money order with shipping "accidentally" included and sending one of thier people with a rollback posing as a hired shipper. They made off with a hundreds of thousands before they screwed up and tried the scam on a family member of someone they had already scammed who was able to set them up.

[Go Vols]

12. Guess I didnt realize there were people that naive.

I have bought and sold cars,ATV's on Craigslist a few times.But I was always quite clear it would happen at a WalMart,KMart parking lot and it was gonna be cash or no deal.

[Lee-Lee]

13. Lots of them

It may take them a thousand tries before the score, but if you can get $2000-$10000 per victim when you find someone it pays off.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. Craigslist is full of 419 scammers.

It's a mess.

[Egnever]

10. Cops wont do anything

been there done that. You are wasting your time though you will get him for the cost of the mailing.