How does this Craig's List scam work?
 

I'm selling two bikes on Craig's list. I got this response for both of them:

Hello,
How are you doing? I will like to let you know that I have gone through your Ad and very satisfied with it, I think the price is fair enough and am willing to buy it as far as I will not be making any repairs on it.I would have loved to come take a look at the Item myself but i have to attend my cousine funeral outside the country`right now i am preparing to travel for the funeral .

I have a mover that can come for the pick up ,I will pay by Check Will send money for the item and the moving funds once you cash check or it clears in your bank, you send the moving funds to the mover so that they can come for the pick up immidiately.I will need your full adress and phone number so that I can send you your payment and the mover will call you on when and where to come for the pick up
I will await your prompt response .

Regards.

How does this scam work? It obviously has to do with the "moving funds". But if the check clears, then how is the con man supposed to get paid?

the check doesn't clear...most banks "front" you the money in a day or two when it really takes up to 14 days to actually get paid on it. you hand out the cash to the mover and he takes your stuff...hence he gets money. you get scammed as two weeks l;ater the bank calls and says that you are overdrafted on a bad check...hence scammed

The check will be for more than the sale price.

They will ask you to send the diff to someone else.

The check will be drawn on a foreign account.

It will be a "bank" or "certifed" check making you feel safe.

It can take 2 weeks for the check to fully clear.

Your bank will "pre clear' it in a couple of days as a courtesy to you.

You will see the funds show up and assume all is well.

You will send off the balance to the shipper.

Then a week later the initial check will bounce and your bank will take the funds back.

You are out the difference.

My guess:

The check never will clear, so there is zero risk or cost to the con man.

He's probably counting on some people sending him or his accomplice the "moving money" before the victim finds out the check has bounced. It could take a while for victim to learn that the check is bad (have to deposit it, it makes the rounds for presentment, etc., gets bounced back, the bank mails it back to the victim, etc).

Some number of people will just deposit the bogus check, and having not heard anything for a few days, assume it was good, and move forward.

So what if you cash the check at one of those places that will cash anything for something like 60%

if it bounces...they come lookin for you...

They ask for ID.

This makes good reading from the Saab forum....how to play the scammers..

http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/class/scam/


This is also good for laughs...http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/

enjoy

That is awesome!

I wonder how much this grifter is expecting to get for "moving" a bicycle?

I'm responding to see what happens.

The scammer sent me a check for $3500!!! The quality was very poor. I told him I sold the bike (for $245) and that I'll tear up the check. He told me no, please cash it and take a fee for wiring - via Western Union - the balance to some skank in Oklahoma.

What a tool. I'm going to use the "you spelled my name wrong" trick next.

Craig:

Please post pictures of the skank in Oklahoma...

Cheers,