Craig's list question
 

About half the time I put something up for sale on Craig's list I get an email within hours along the lines of, "Interested in your item. Call me, xxx-xxx-xxxx, Steve." The message is always similar, name is always different. I think the phone # is different. It's never my area code. What's the scam here?

Some one doesn't like Steve at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

just a guess.

Could be a phishing expedition

(I hope it is fixed by now)
...cough...

But some area codes were not real area codes.
They were actually variations of (900) numbers which charged $25+/min.
Automatic billing by CC.

It was a percentage business.
Some businesses and elderly just pay up and want to all to be done and over with.
Like getting robbed for cash on the street.
Money is gone.
Lawyers are too expensive.
Local DAs won't go after small-change fraud if it's too difficult and they are understaffed.
Especially companies based overseas with a mailbox HQ.

Run the phone number through Google. There are various web sites for reporting fraud attempts. If the number has been used numerous times, you should be able to see it come up on these sites.

My gut reaction is to balk at out of state area codes on Craigslist responses, but just in the past couple of weeks I've sold items to people who moved to town but kept their old numbers.

Good call. Nearly everyone I know kept their number from before they moved here, my wife and I included. I don't want to deal with the hassle of sending everyone out my new number plus the baggage of whoever had the old one. Last time I changed numbers for my work phone I got calls for months from the temp agency the former owner was set up with. A coworker got an escort's old number so the random calls and texts he got were a lot more interesting!

My experience is that real buyers will respond with real questions like: Is it 1 owner? What's a good time to call you? When's a good time to see _____? etc............

All else I ignore.......

Timely post. I just got an e-mail this morning regarding a Craigslist ad I posted:

"Was interested in the hookah hose and regulators you have contact me at 757639xxxx"

I googled the # and found it is an AT&T cell number with a Virginia area code and nothing bad reported on that number. Took a chance and called it and got:
"Welcome to AT&T voice mail, please enter the 10 digit number of the mailbox" which I though was a rather odd response. Entered the number and it came back something to the effect that this number has no mailbox. ?? so I ended the call.

Anyone have any ideas what this is about ? Can't see how it could be a 900- scam but it is all rather strange. With the number of people moving to this area and people keeping cell phone #'s the non-local area code doesn't really raise any big red flags.