Possible Craig's List scam

For those unfamiliar with Craig's List it is a free classified listing site where one can buy and sell all sorts of items. It also has networking forums.
Craig's List devotes considerable time and effort to educate their users to avoid scams. This is their number one admonition.

DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.

I had listed a desktop computer with a CRT monitor for $325. Nothing special and certainly not worth shipping across the country. Contact was to be made through Craig's List. keeping my phone number and email address secure.
Sure enough, I got an email offering to buy the computer for $370 to cover shipping to North Carolina. Payment to be made by USPS money order , PayPal, or however I wanted..... Yeah right, now I'm not as dumb as they look. I did not even respond. All I needed to do was hit the reply button and I would be giving them my email address at the very least and could be worse if I had fallen deeper into the tar pit

I am just not that desperate to sell this computer to take such a chance. I'll give it away first. I immediately deleted the email and edited my Craig's List offering to state "For local pick up only"

Hope this helps you out there. The Craig's List warning is there for a very good reason.

same thing here. They offer to use USPS money order for the Blackjack i sell. They said they will paid for the shipping via their Fedex account. First, they ask me to ship the item out first then go claim the money order later. Yah right.

Yeah, there's a bunch of scammers on GL.

The typical crap I've been getting is that they either work in UK or LA and they would use something like BuySafe to do the transaction.

That's pretty common these days.

I don't mind giving out my hotmail address since it's loaded with crap anyways. However phone# is a no no...

There are some great, great deals to be had on CL. Absolutely. You just have to sort through the crap to find them!

A few people got robbed at gun point and one of them was kept hostage while the other drove a robber to ATM to withdraw more money. It was for a computer listed on CL.

always meet in a public place and bring backup on any large transactions. Also never actually go into the place with your cash. Leave it with your backup in the car. When the transaction is deemed agreeable go back to the car and get the money.

You certainly don't show up at a guy's house with 4 grand in your back pocket looking for a XX.

Yeah, common sense precautions will definitely take you a long way in not getting ripped off.

I only agree to meet in public places, like a Starbucks, always during the day...no messing around.

CL certainly brings out the crazies but I've had good luck on there. I only accept payment in cash if you're local or USPS Money Order if I'm shipping. I also tell people not to bother low balling and that I won't ship to Nigeria.

My best was a lady that wanted a microwave and stand I was giving away for free. She wanted me to deliver it 50 miles because she didn't have transportation.

Win