Craigslist Scam
Craigslist Scam
Thought you guys might get a kick out of this.....A little while back there was a 2003 Heritage with 9K miles and in excellent condition on Craigslist for $4K (including shipping). An obvious scam so I thought I'd have a little fun and reply to the add. Here is the email string:
2003 Heritage
John Smith:
I am very interested in the 2003 Heritage Classic you have on Craigslist. Where can I look at it and test ride it.
Thanks,
RJ
Reply Forward
Jessica Daren:
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my bike. This is a 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail, Mileage: 9,587, Title: Clear, Engine size: 1450 cc, Color: Blue. This bike is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clear title.
Here you can find some pictures of the bike: http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad353/vevans73/
I sell at this price ($4,000.00) because I just finished the divorce with my husband. When the divorce has finished I own this bike. From the beginning you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services.
We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated at eBay and I have a purchase protection account for $50.000.00 The final price that I want for this bike is $4,000.00 including shipping and handling.
I will wait your answer (if you are interested to buy) very soon
Thank you,
Jessica
Reply Forward
John Smith:
Please tell me where I can see the bike and test ride it. I don’t want to send money for a bike I haven't seen although this one is a really good deal.
Thanks,
RJ
Reply Forward
Jessica Daren:
I am located in Atlanta, GA and the bike is already at the shipping company in Atlanta sealed and ready for the shipping. I have a contract with eBay so this deal must go through them. According with eBay you have 5 days from the time you receive the bike to inspect it and decide if you want to keep it or not.
Here is how it will work:
1. First of all I will need the following details from you:
- Full Name
- Full Shipping Address
2. After I will receive the details from you, I will forward them to eBay.
3. After they will process your info, they will send us both invoices. The invoice will send you the details on how to make a refundable payment.
4. eBay will contact me and I will ship the bike to you. After you receive the bike you will have 5 days to test, verify and do whatever you want with the bike. If you will buy it, then I will receive the payment details from eBay so that I can pick up the money.
5. If you will decide that you will not buy the bike, eBay will refund the money and I will have the shipping company come pick up my bike.
If you wish to make the transaction, please send me the necessary info so that we can proceed. I look forward to hear from you.
Thank you,
Jessica
After laughing my a$$ of at "her" wonderful explanations, I started thing that what really bothers me about this is that as ridiculous as all this sounds, they wouldn't be running this scam if they didn't have people stupid enough to bite once in a while.
Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the email exchange.
2003 Heritage
John Smith:
I am very interested in the 2003 Heritage Classic you have on Craigslist. Where can I look at it and test ride it.
Thanks,
RJ
Reply Forward
Jessica Daren:
First of all I want to thank you for your interest for my bike. This is a 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail, Mileage: 9,587, Title: Clear, Engine size: 1450 cc, Color: Blue. This bike is in excellent working conditions, no scratches, any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions and comes with a clear title.
Here you can find some pictures of the bike: http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/ad353/vevans73/
I sell at this price ($4,000.00) because I just finished the divorce with my husband. When the divorce has finished I own this bike. From the beginning you have to know that for the payment I request only secure pay, I prefer the payment to be done using eBay services.
We will use a safe payment method because I am affiliated at eBay and I have a purchase protection account for $50.000.00 The final price that I want for this bike is $4,000.00 including shipping and handling.
I will wait your answer (if you are interested to buy) very soon
Thank you,
Jessica
Reply Forward
John Smith:
Please tell me where I can see the bike and test ride it. I don’t want to send money for a bike I haven't seen although this one is a really good deal.
Thanks,
RJ
Reply Forward
Jessica Daren:
I am located in Atlanta, GA and the bike is already at the shipping company in Atlanta sealed and ready for the shipping. I have a contract with eBay so this deal must go through them. According with eBay you have 5 days from the time you receive the bike to inspect it and decide if you want to keep it or not.
Here is how it will work:
1. First of all I will need the following details from you:
- Full Name
- Full Shipping Address
2. After I will receive the details from you, I will forward them to eBay.
3. After they will process your info, they will send us both invoices. The invoice will send you the details on how to make a refundable payment.
4. eBay will contact me and I will ship the bike to you. After you receive the bike you will have 5 days to test, verify and do whatever you want with the bike. If you will buy it, then I will receive the payment details from eBay so that I can pick up the money.
5. If you will decide that you will not buy the bike, eBay will refund the money and I will have the shipping company come pick up my bike.
If you wish to make the transaction, please send me the necessary info so that we can proceed. I look forward to hear from you.
Thank you,
Jessica
After laughing my a$$ of at "her" wonderful explanations, I started thing that what really bothers me about this is that as ridiculous as all this sounds, they wouldn't be running this scam if they didn't have people stupid enough to bite once in a while.
Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of the email exchange.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 193
Likes: 4
From: Damascus, MD
This sort of thing shows up all the time on Craigslist, 'selling' bikes, cars, trucks, you name it. My son had his heart set on a nearly new Chevy Silverado 4x4 that was on there for $5,000. He got pissed off at me when I told him it was a scam, but he later figured it out on his own (fortunately without getting sucked into it completely.) Amazing that sometimes Dad knows what he's talking about.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,282
Likes: 1,139
From: southeast PA
About two months ago, just for grins, I did just about the same thing you did with Jessica. The responses were identical, too. After I asked twice for the VIN I never heard from her/him again. Surprise, surprise! Excellent pics, though.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,282
Likes: 1,139
From: southeast PA
I guess there was a 1% chance that it wasn't too good to be true, but if it was priced just a few thou under market it might snag someone. Maybe this keeps the scammers going, but this one has been out there for several months so they are just going to plug away at it regardless of the responses they get.
I agree that greed (and stupidity) are what keep these going. However, I did not, for even a microsecond, think this was real. (I just wanted to have some fun and waste her time.
Novice
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
A few years ago, (when I was a Criminal Investigator), I had a young couple file a complaint that they were swindled out of $10k for a Harley they were trying to buy from someone in Italy. The couple sent their money in full via Western Union and surprise, no bike. The money was picked up at a Western Union in Spain and of course this becomes a Federal crime. At that time the FBI would not touch any International crime under $100k and I would imagine they still don't have the resources to investigate the "smaller" dollar crimes. Don't forget you have to deal with extradition too.
I easily tracked down the photo of the bogus HD by using Google images and found that bike photo was copied from a legitimate ad online.
This made the front page of our local paper. Two weeks later another victim of a similar crime filed a complaint that they were bilked trying to buy a boat they found online.
I had a lot of contact with the FBI trying to get some help. I was way over my head, way out of my jurisdiction, and mistakenly thought I could do something. I asked the FBI Agent I was dealing with if people fall for this type of scam often. He apogized for laughing at my question.
I easily tracked down the photo of the bogus HD by using Google images and found that bike photo was copied from a legitimate ad online.
This made the front page of our local paper. Two weeks later another victim of a similar crime filed a complaint that they were bilked trying to buy a boat they found online.
I had a lot of contact with the FBI trying to get some help. I was way over my head, way out of my jurisdiction, and mistakenly thought I could do something. I asked the FBI Agent I was dealing with if people fall for this type of scam often. He apogized for laughing at my question.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,871
Likes: 4
let it be known that by answering there inquirey you have verifed and gave them a em address that in turn they sell to buisseness, so they have won be careful when opening up and reasponding to obvious scams in essence you have been scamed having a active em address is worth money to them
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
From: Bella Vista, AR
I know it sounds like fun to mess with these people, but be careful as some are a lot smarter than you give them credit for. I have a good friend who had her computer wiped out by a scammer on Ebay, he made it look like she was sending info across the ebay site when it actually was his site and when she got a little ugly he opened a virus he had embedded in her computer. She had a fun time explaining that one to her IT dept!