Listed item there and have been bombarded with "Nigerian scam" style letters saying sender will buy with no inspection using PayPal and wants my name, address and PayPal account email.

They are written in stilted Engish and there is always and excuse why they cannot be contacted now. None have PayPal accounts either.

I recall there was a murder involving Craig's list. Anybody use it ? Have good/bad experiences ?

Thanks,

I use CL all the time, no bad experiences. Here's some reading re. Nigerian scams:

http://www.419scam.org/419scam.htm
r in w

when I advertise something for sale on CL, I invariably get scam e-mails.

Craigs list can be a great place to buy and sell things locally... However, it always seems like you have to wade through a lake of BS to finally find someone legitimate. If you are uncomfortable about any portion of the deal, or something seems a little off, don't do it. There's good people on there, you just have to get past some of the other people to find them.

Yes, almost any ad placed on Craigslist gets some scam responses. I haven't been able to figure out the angle on some of them.

For example, I advertised an inexpensive conference table with four chairs that was surplus in our office. I got a scammer who insisted that "she" would love to have the set sight unseen, and that since she was in another (unnamed) city "at the moment" she would send a cashiers check and instructions on how to ship. For a table and four chairs that I was asking $150 for, this was clearly not a viable deal. I sent a couple of emails back and forth, making offers like loading loading them in my pickup truck and delivering for free, but it was clear from the rejection of these offers that the scammer needed me to agree to ship the items.

I'm sure someone has run across this same scam and understands how the "trap" is sprung, but I never did figure it out, so I just walked away. Perhaps if you agree, then they will ask for you to prepay the shipping and pocket the money?

FWIW: I've never run into a scam by someone offering shooting related items. Have bought reloading equipment, etc. off of Craigslist ads without ever a problem.

I always want to be hidden with my email contact.

Also put in my add "EMAILS WILL ONLY BE ANSWERED THAT INCLUDE A PHONE NUMBER"

With a phone number you can do a reverse background check to the person that owns the phone on zaba search. And be able to ask question to see if phone number matches the person.

It keeps Scamers Spamers and BS to a minimum.

99.99% of people are honest it's that .01% that you need to have the edge on.

Stonecreek, I have gotten that same oddly worded reply about cashiers checks and arrangements to pick up or ship. You usually have the feeling that English is not the sender's native language.

If the responder won't give a telephone number or a real email address to respond to, on CL its a scamer.

CL has a link to report scamers to. Report them!!

The Classifieds are not a discussion forum. This thread is being moved to 'Miscellaneous Topics'.

George

Thanks, actually got a real offer today from a local !

I have posted high end Pro camera equipment on CL twice. Both times the equipment sold within 24 hours of listing for the price I listed it for. In both cases it sold to professional photographers. In both cases it was a bargain and was done safely using the procedures reccommended by Craig's List to deal in cash and meet in a public place. I can only reccommend it.

i've been luck with CL... couple years ago i bought 2 dumptrucks from a lady in austin, she'd got them with some land that she'd bought... the developer had left them on the property, abandoned.. she got the titles from him, advertised on CL, and i got them both for under $1k... sold both for lot more... ive bought and sold trucks, cars, land, boats... you get out of it whatever you invest... it's free... and there are scams... if its too good to be true, it probaly is.... it's 1 of my daily reads... just like AR..

CL certainly has its usefulness. As already mentioned, the scammers are very prevalent. The delete button is your friend.