Just words today, no pretty pictures to show you, but I will have some soon.
Let's talk about the pink elephant sitting in the room called Craigslist.
Let's talk about the pink elephant sitting in the room called Craigslist.
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me,
"Aren't you scared to use Craigslist? Don't people get killed..."
...well, I wouldn't be rich, but I'd definitely have a *great* new pair of shoes. Or a cool new tool.
So far, every single person I have dealt with on CL has been completely normal (aside from the obvious email scammers that everyone ignores.)
I'm thankful for our God given intuition to doubt when something isn't quite right -
which I experienced this week. I have finally learned to really pay attention to that little voice, which is usually just a gentle knock, but it's distinctive, and it has gotten me out of some real pickles.
I had someone first email then call me about a piece I had listed, and she left a voicemail. She had that beautiful English accent that I wish I had. When I called her back, a man answered - and he was having a strange conversation with what I eventually realized wasn't me, and he wasn't making any sense. He sounded drunk or high or whatever they are calling it these days. I hung up.
The English lady called me back immediately and briefly mentioned how I had just called her. I didn't know what to make of the guy who was talking in word salad, other than there must have been a cross connection. She quickly glossed over that whole thing, and went right into her shtick. I hope I spelled shtick right. I promise that wasn't supposed to be a swear word, although I think it would be fitting.
Our conversation went like this:
Lady: "Is this a full size piece or miniature? "
Remember to insert beautiful English accent for her parts :)
Me: (Miniature?) "It's full size."
(insert boring voice)
Lady: "I am very, very interested in it. Where are you located, and when can I pop over to take a look?"
Me: "I'm near [such and such] and I'll be home the rest of the day."
Lady: "Oh, that actually works perfectly because I am meeting a friend at [such and such] and we should be finished around 5 o'clock."
I hope you're doing the English accent. It's just not the same without it.Me: "Okay, just let me know when you want to stop by." (Should've said "pop over." It's less boring.)
Lady: "Do you only accept cash? Because I would have to stop at the bank if I had to get cash."
Me: (Hmm....nobody's ever asked me this before...plus that would mean that I would have to stop at the bank to cash HER check.) "Yeah, cash is best."
Lady: "Well I'm very very interested in this piece, it's absolutely brilliant." (remember to pronounce the second L with a Y sound).
Me: "Thanks." (The brilliant part threw me.)
Lady: "And, what other pieces do you have?"
Me: (I briefly describe.)
Lady: "Oh, I'm very interested in [that one] in particular. Can you send me pictures?"
Me: "Sure."
Lady: "Do you deliver?"
Me: "We can make arrangements for that."
Lady: "Oh, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant! Okay, I will call you back around 5 o'clock to get directions."
Me: "Okay bye." (yeah, I got nothin.)
As I predicted, she never called back. Something wasn't right about this one.
Two days later I get a text from someone asking for my "exact" location. I only gave a general vicinity. They responded back "are you a business or house?" I said house, and no response. Weird, weird, and just WEIRD. The picture in the ad is clearly a house.
I thought this whole exchange was worthy of passing on to all my blog buddies, (because I think you all are absolutely brilyiant), and because this person had certain characteristics that I don't find with most CL callers (not to be confused with killers).
- She was very confident. I find CL callers to be always friendly, but not so there. They usually pause at least for a second to process the information we exchange, and they don't shift gears so fast.
- She made no mention of the fact that I had just had a weird phone thing going on with some guy.
- She questioned the need for a cash purchase.
- She just happened to be at a shopping center 5 miles from me that day.
- Soon after I get a text asking for my EXACT location? Random? Probably. Creepy? I'll say.
Of course this lady could actually be who she says she is, and I sure hope she doesn't follow my blog. I never felt I was in any physical danger, but this had SCAM written all over it. You know, clear a check, give the furniture, the bank discovers the check isn't good and takes it out of your account sort of thing. Do I still think that CL is a great thing? Yes! And, I just watched the CL Killer movie on Lifetime and I still love CL. Okay, I actually hate it sometimes.
Regardless, these are my guidelines for keeping me and my precious family safe (and away from the radar of a Lifetime movie producer):
- I always have some sort of phone conversation if texting or emailing was initiated first.
- Romeo can't always be with me, but I would never deal with a man without him.
- Don't ever get desperate to sell anything. Pick and choose who you will do business with.
- If I second guess anything, that's enough to end it right there.
- I never give out my address until I've talked to them and as close to the appointment as possible.
- I don't respond to dating ads offering massages or hanky panky. That was a joke.
What about you guys? Any sketchy CL stories?
xoxo,
xoxo,
Christa
30 comments:
Did she sound like that girl from the Orbit gum commercial? BRILLIANT! Luckily I haven't had much in the way of CL weirdness. This did have that fishy smell all over it. Just makes you wonder why people go through all that trouble and then nothing. I haven't seen the movie, wonder if I should!
Oh that's to funny... and a bit strange all at the same time.
I don't have any weird CL stories but it seems like whenever I do deal with CL [mostly on the buying end] I never get any kind of response on anything! I have found quite a few items that I am always interested in and will email/call/text and I never get a response back and I always think to myself.. "Why are you going to go out of your way, post an ad, and than never respond to inquiries... I mean doesn't that totally defeat the purpose?". Heck even if the item is no longer available, a simple 'Sorry, it has been sold already' would be good in my book... but I get nothing. Everytime. probly why I don't really do CL anymore lol.
My weird CL stories could fill a book! I ignore the weird ones. I also ignore the "pain in the you know" what ones. The ones who want front/back/side/top and bottom measurements on an item I post for free, the ones who tell me they can't come pick up the item for a couple of months but "would I hold it for them?" I've had a few tell me they can't get cash so they can only pay with check. Umm definitely not! A lady who was so excited she wanted to hug me. A man who asked if he could haul my trash for me when he came to pick up some things. Ads where I put the item would only fit in a truck and people who come and try to shove it in a car for an hour before they break it.
Craigslist is a handy and effective tool if you take the time to weed out the weirdo's!!
Good tips, Christa! I've had mostly good experiences with CL as well. I never let people in my house. I'll either have my hubby help move it out front when they're coming, or I'll open the side gate and deal with them in the back yard (which is where I do most of my furniture stuff anyway.) What do you put in your CL ads? Could you send me a link to one so I could check it out?
I really haven't done much on CL but I think it was a good thing you didn't actually do business with this lady. I did have an almost scam. I sell lia sophia jewelry and got an inquiry from a lady who wanted to purchase a boatload of jewelry from my website because she said she was leaving on a cruise. Instead of using her credit card she wanted to send me a check. I said fine, I will order the jewelry for her when the check clears, needless to say, I never heard from her again
I have only had postive experiences...well the 3 times I've used Craigslist. My favorite one though was a dad that used his teenage son as a tool for getting a better price. He claimed this big leather chair was for him. We totally gave in.
I've done so much business on Craigslist and haven't had a single issue, probably because, like you, I go with my gut feeling.
Craigslist still makes me nervous even though I've bought and sold things from it and never had any problems. I agree with you it's just best to listen to your inner voice. When in doubt, make sure hubby is with me! :)
I love CL, but I too had a werid experience. I posted a snowboard, boots and bindings. I had a weird email come through with lots of typoes etc... I didn't pay any attention to this at first knowing - we all make those mistakes (as I read back over this comment in a minute, i am sure I will find a few.)
After a few emails back a forth the guys asked me for my address so he could mail me a check. He also mentioned that he was including an extra $100 or so for shipping of the products.
Another 4 or 5 days goes by and I recieve another email stating that one of his "associates" sent the incorrect amount of money and asked if I could right him a check for the difference and mail it back to him with the items...
Anywho, a few days later, I received the check and dutifully took the check directly to the local police department.
The check was fake and the return address was to a PO BOX (this can always be a for-sure sign of a fake!) Not always though - sorry PO Box holders...
The police officer and I had a good laugh that this guy actually thought he would be getting away with this, but nope - I caught him! You see the object of this scam is to first send you a check which you think is real, you cash the check, write them a check for the difference and them you mail of your supplies. The main issue with this si the check is fake and most banks don't know it right away, so when the check bounces, the amount is taken out of your bank account, plus you are out the difference of the check you mailed... ye - scary huh?
The police did a formal investigation in hopes of catching someone, but the original email came from a blocked IP address somewhere in the middle-east (again, sorry but I am not profiling anyone).
I've had plenty of healthy sales on CL, but thought I would share this story with you as well. Doesn't matter the website - always be on high-alert for SCAMMERS!
great tips! i always make sure i have had a good conversation before someone comes to my home, and i don't answer weird questions like that. how strange.
i may start faking an accent though for when i am buying something off cl... that way i can go incognito.
Luckily I was able to sell the items I had posted to a local girl about my age and we met at a mutual location with lots of lights and people around :o)
I agree...that was weird and I wouldn't deal with her again. Not worth it.
I've never sold anything on CL, but have made many purchases and have only really been weirded out once. First, they only texted me and when I said they could call, they didn't, just texted. Also, I told them I couldn't meet until the next day and he/she said that "it would be great if we could meet today and you could pay us and then pick it up tomorrow." Ummmm, no, I'm definitely not going to give you money and not take anything then...I wasn't born yesterday.
The only other thing is making an appointment to make a purchase the next day and when I called the next morning to confirm they would be there, they said they already sold it. What?? We had made a deal and I had an appointment!! Rude!
you're right.. that has sket-chy written all over it! i've only ever bought one item on CL and got a male friend (who just happens to be in the army) to come with me to pick it up. great post - no pictures needed! :)
kimberly.
Great advice. We have kijiji and Craigslist here, and your advice would apply to both. I once had an 'overseas' offer on our travel trailer. The email was pushy and the person actually said he was a sailor on a submarine (!?!) and couldn't easily be reached by phone, he wanted to buy it for his son, but he could send us some kind of bank draft or paypal. Yeah, I wasn't born yesterday.
Other than that, my experiences buying and selling have been great. I ask them to call right before they leave, close to the scheduled appointment time, and then I give the full address. Lately I have been more concerned about the whole bed bug outbreaks you hear about in the media.
I don't have any crazy stories, as I think I may be one of the weirdos...
Totally kidding! ;)
i think its wierd.... and i would have been worried. thing is now if they have your cell number they can get the street name..... we tried it on a friends phone number..
lately , i have been noticing the same thing on freecycle....
Christa,
How weird and creepy! I'll bet you checked to make sure your doors were locked, didn't ya?
I didn't want to watch the CL Killer movie~ thought it might freak me out, and then how would I sell my furniture? :)
Kim
I have gotten emails where the person writing has very poor english and wants to buy it sight unseen and send me a check etc....I just delete and do not respond. No one except a scammer is that stupid when buying things. I too only meet people outside or in the garage and hubby must be home...too many weirdos out there sadly. One's life is too precious to take chances.
I have never, and I mean NEVER had a "normal" CL experience! They have all been weird! :(
No bad experiences here....just a big hole in the back of my "working jeans" that the guy who came to buy my lawnmower told me about!!! HA! I'm not kidding either :O
CL seems so wonderful, but it does kind of freak me out. We sold a brand new dehumidifier to a guy for very little (claiming he didn't have enough $ and could he send us the rest even though my husband was very clear with him on the phone about the price). But, whatever, we just wanted the unit and him gone.
Have had 2 good experiences buying. One was a Nordic Track. Guy brought it to us, along with the oil kit it came with, set it up...no extra charge. And on Sunday I'm getting an awesome infra red sauna that's only been used 10 hours. The price is 70% off of what we would have needed to spend on the exact same unit.
Just last week, in our 200K people town, a buyer and a seller met at a public place. The deal went bad. I think someone pulled a knife and tried to get away with the item without paying.
I have kids things I would love to use CL, for but I won't. I'll just add it as a listing when we do our next garage sale.
Go with your gut. Be safe. (No exciting accent here either.)
Weird! Trust that instinct - you just never know. We've been lucky, but I'm always super aware with CL, just in case.
I love this story, and I think you were right to trust your instincts. I buy and sell on CL and have walked away from a deal more than once because someone gave me the creeps.
My tip is this: if you receive an email where the name in the email address doesn't match the name that the person gives you (i.e. you get an email from steve@yahoo.com and the emails says "I'm interested in your chair, love Bob"...ignore that email.
But just yesterday I went to look at a dresser I'd seen on CL. I broke my #1 Rule - if you have to go by yourself, let someone know you're going. I just went. Turned out the guy lived about 2 blocks from my house and, although I didn't buy his dresser, we had a nice chat and I have a new neighborhood friend.
So...I'm not lying in a ditch somewhere, and I think CL rocks!
I buy and sell quite a bit on CL. I am grateful for the free service, but I have had some weird experiences.
One thing I have gotten lately are some strange inquiries. Like a mumbo jumbo of letters that don't make any sense. Or "it still available". I do not reply to these at all. I think they are just trying to get my personal information. I never put my phone # or e-mail address on my ads and rarely give my phone # out at all.
There have only been a couple of times that I had men coming to buy at a time when my husband couldn't be here.
This is what I did ~ I pretended that my husband was in the back room, had the TV on, had my cell phone in my hand, had the item right inside the front door, kept the door open while he was checking on it and made it a quick sale.
Another thing I do is not give my address until I get a commitment that they are coming and what time and I do not tell them too much about my life or schedule.
If they end up being awesome people when they come to buy then I can be more friendly, but still be a little guarded.
The flakes are frustrating, but I have mostly met so many really nice people.
I strongly believe that we have the spirit of Christ in our lives to warn us, guide us & comfort us. We just need to be receptive to it and pray and thank God for such a precious gift.
Thanks Christa for sharing.
I've also only had good Craigslist experiences so far. I always take my husband with me and if I'm selling something, I try to conduct business when he's at home. Otherwise, I'll haul the item to the garage so all I have to do is pop open the garage door. I don't give out my phone number on postings and I use an email account that doesn't have my full name. When I sell, I write in my post that buyers need to leave a phone number when they respond so I can call them back. And I avoid giving out my address until the buyer is ready to take a look. I just give them the nearest intersection until they say they want to look at it. Most of the time, people are just as leery as you are when it comes to Craigslist.
I've used CL a lot & I LOVE it. I've never had a bad experience other than someone making a deal with me then selling the item minutes before I arrive but that comes with the territory. There was this one odd occurrence once. I replied to an ad on am entry table I fell in love with offering them $25, $10 below what they were asking. It took quite awhile for them to answer, a couple weeks, which I chalked up to trying to to sell it at a higher price before settling on me. We exchanged emails back & forth finally agreeing on a pick up time & I always reminded them of my price. They never answered the number they gave me but always called me back within minutes, always a young 20-ish girl. With my grown son in tow, we followed the directions up into an exclusive, remote, very ritzy part of town. When we get to this humongous 2 story house, there were at least 10 cars parked all around. A young, sweet looking girl answered the door, table was right there when I handed her the $25, she said no, it was $35. I reminded her of the emails I send which she said she never got. I again reminded her that she responded and agreed. She seemed a bit aggravated, then said fine just take it. When we stepped in the two steps it took to grab the table, we saw the whole living room was filled with manikins. All different kinds, men, women, half bodies, all naked. Weird. I had no idea what to make of it but my son said it was probably a thievery ring that resells what it steals and she's the 'bait'. People trust a young girl. But, manikins? A house full of manikins. Hmmmmmmm...
I watched Untraceable (w/Diane Lane) a couple of years ago. I will never watch it again (free Redbox or not), and will never travel alone for a C'list transaction or enter past the front door of a home if I step inside. Really freaky movie. I've only had one questionable transaction in my home. My husband works from home, but had to travel out for a meeting when a younger couple looking at Dockers pants wanted to stop in. I'm pretty sure if our oldest son had not meandered downstairs adn entered the scene when he did, they would have tried something. They were dragging out the transaction and had "shifty" eye contact w/each other. I played like hubby was home ("Hey Matt, is Dad still upstairs or in the garage?"), and they wrapped things up soon after. I won't meet for C'listers alone after that visit.
Great post. I have bought and sold on craigslist several times and 99.9% of the people I have met have been perfectly normal. That being said I still never go alone or let people come by when I am home alone with my daughter. It is a wonderful service but like with all things you have to be smart about it. Thanks for popping by my blog and your kind comment on my chair redo!
Christa, Half of our house is furnished through CL and I have never had a problem. I did buy a dining room set once where his real estate agent had to meet me to handle the transaction. I then found out the owner was in jail for embezzlement and tax fraud. But it is a great dining room set!
Hugs,
Sherry
I find CL to be such a double edged sword. I can't ever tell if the people who as "is {it} still available" are scammers or not, they usually are. But the wad of cash we've accumulated in the past year from CL sales is so fab it's hard not to post. I suppose I should finish up listing our "sell" pile and just listen to my instincts.
xo
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