Craigslist Scam E-mail

Update. Craigslist has a page devoted to avoiding scams and fraud. Good information!

Original post continues below.

I’m trying to sell a few items by Craigslist. I received the following e-mail this morning:

Hello
Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant purchase,so pls do withdraw the advert from Craigslist,i don’t mind adding an extra $50 dolls for you to take the advert down from criagslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check,and it will be over night payment due to the distance .You don’t need to bother your self with the shipment ok,i will take care of that.So i will need you to provide me with the following information
to facilitate the mailing of the check.
1.Your full name
2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address
3.Your phone number.
Once again ,I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for
shipping
i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check

Have a nice day

Being the helpful guy I am, I suggested he send the check to his mover who could deposit it and bring cash to me. He’d save $50! ;-)

Wanna bet I don’t hear from this guy again?

56 responses to “Craigslist Scam E-mail”

  1. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    I got the same email this morning 9/18. I thought it looked odd.

  2. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    I’ve received the same/similar email regarding the same item from 5 different Gmail accounts.

  3. Brent Logan Avatar

    Yeah, the joy of scammers. It doesn’t seem like it would be too hard for the police to catch these people. After all, all they’d have to do is sell something on Craigslist…

  4. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Yep, same email, 2007-09-27, this time from “Boomie Bain :”

    Hello
    Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make
    an instant purchase,so pls do withdraw the advert
    from Craigslist,i dont mind adding an extra $50 dolls
    for you to take the advert down from criagslist so
    that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the
    item. I will also like you to know that i will be
    paying via check,and it will be over night payment due
    to the distance .You dont need to bother your self
    with the shippment ok,i will take care of that.So i
    will need you to provide me with the following
    information
    to facilitate the mailing of the check.
    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal
    address
    3.Your phonenumber.
    **Once again ,I will like you to know that you will
    not be responsible for
    shipping
    i will have my mover come over as soon as you have
    cashed the check**
    Have a nice day

    Found this site by googling the rather unique phrase “over night payment.”

  5. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Oops, lost scammer’s email address: Boomie Bain is boomie_bain@yahoo.com this time around.

  6. Brent Logan Avatar

    Sure would be nice to put these scammers out of business.

  7. Kali Avatar
    Kali

    Got the same email regarding a couch I listed on ebay. I accepted the deal and the next day got this email from Bommie Bain:

    Hello , How was your day ? I want you to understand thatthe deal as my secretary as posted the paymentalready, but there was a slight error i guess we canhandle with care, instead of the actual amount $150for the item,she made out the check for $2500 sheclaim that was what i requested but she didn’t getthat straight. So once you have the check please cash it and deductthe money for your goods plus $50 that for your runaround expenses.The excess fund should please be sent to my mover viawestern union,this fund will be use in offsetting thecost of the shipment he as undertaken for merecently. **Please email at once to let me know that i can trustto have the excess funds sent to my mover**

    Called the deal off at that point.

  8. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Received this Sep 28, 2007 6:58 PM from: boomie_bain@yahoo.com

    Hello
    Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make
    an instant purchase,so pls do withdraw the advert
    from Craigslist,i dont mind adding an extra $50 dolls
    for you to take the advert down from criagslist so
    that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the
    item. I will also like you to know that i will be
    paying via check,and it will be over night payment due
    to the distance .You dont need to bother your self
    with the shippment ok,i will take care of that.So i
    will need you to provide me with the following
    information
    to facilitate the mailing of the check.
    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal
    address
    3.Your phonenumber.
    **Once again ,I will like you to know that you will
    not be responsible for
    shipping
    i will have my mover come over as soon as you have
    cashed the check**
    Have a nice day

  9. Brent Logan Avatar

    This Boomie Bain character is sending a lot of e-mails. I wonder how many people he’s defrauded. I searched Yahoo site for instructions on reporting it. This is what I found:

    Q: How do I report email scams, such as Nigerian “419” scams or other advance fee fraud scams?

    A: Advance fee fraud scams, including Nigerian “419” scams, promise to share riches in exchange for loans to help cover some sort of upfront cost, such as bank fees, or in some cases, ransoms for “kidnapped” millionaires. If you receive one of these emails, mark it as spam, including any messages that originate from a yahoo.com email address. These emails are usually sent in bulk, and are rarely targeted at a specific individual. Yahoo cannot investigate these scams—reporting these emails as spam is the most effective measure you can take as it will help ensure additional copies are not delivered.

    In other words, Yahoo doesn’t want to hear about it. If you still have your e-mail, all you can do is mark it as “spam.”

  10. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    Hello
    Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make
    an instant purchase,so pls do withdraw the advert
    from Craigslist,i dont mind adding an extra $50 dolls
    for you to take the advert down from criagslist so
    that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the
    item. I will also like you to know that i will be
    paying via check,and it will be over night payment due
    to the distance .You dont need to bother your self
    with the shippment ok,i will take care of that.So i
    will need you to provide me with the following
    information
    to facilitate the mailing of the check.
    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal
    address
    3.Your phonenumber.
    **Once again ,I will like you to know that you will
    not be responsible for
    shipping
    i will have my mover come over as soon as you have
    cashed the check**
    Have a nice day

    —–
    Boomie strikes again….the email stinks of fraud. One would think you could trace this!

  11. Ron Avatar
    Ron

    I just got one of these as well. It smelled fishy, but it did not have the immediate mention of the check that was more than the item and all that jazz about deducting your cost. I figured that would come up in the follow up. One would expect that they would put off mentioning that part since people are now familiar with it. One thing that gave it away for me is that thay never actually mentioned what the item was. They said ‘item’ a couple of times, and ‘furniture’ once, never once mentioned that it was a shelf.

  12. PJ Avatar
    PJ

    Received the same inquiry from: swansonwilliams11@gmail.com
    Replied with a disposable email address that it was only avaqilable for local cash sales.

  13. PJ Avatar
    PJ

    I just received another inquiry on a second item. Here is my new response.

    If you have more questions you can reach me at the
    Atlanta Police Department
    Major Fraud Unit
    675 Ponce De Leon Ave
    Atlanta, Georgia 30308

    (404) 817-6810

  14. T Jackson Avatar
    T Jackson

    Received this today from marcus.philips1@hotmail.com. Sound familiar?

    Hello
    Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant purchase,so
    pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist,i don’t mind adding an extra $50
    for you to take the advert down from the web site so that i can be rest
    assured that am in hand of the item.I would have loved to come take a look my
    self but my son is going for kidney transplant in few days and i have to do
    all the running around as my wife is so scared,i am sure you understand. I
    will also like you to know that i will be paying via a check,and it will be
    over night payment due to the distance .You don’t need to bother your self
    with the shipment ok,i will take care of that.So i will need you to provide me
    with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address
    3.Your phone #.
    **Once again ,I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for
    shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check**
    Have a nice day

  15. Mandy Avatar
    Mandy

    Recieved this in response to an item I was selling from: chrismarcus11@gmail.com

    Hello,
    Thanks for the prompt response and i will like you to withdraw the advert from Craigslist,i dont mind adding an extra $20dolls for you to take the advert down from criagslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item.I dont have time to come take a look. I will be paying via cashier’s check,and it will be over night payment .You dont need to bother your self with the shippment ok,i will take care of that.So i will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address
    3.Your phonenumber.
    i will have my mover come over as soon as you have the check
    Have a great day .
    Chris

  16. foxxxy Avatar
    foxxxy

    So what happens if when you get the check you cash it say at a casino or ,omey cashing place, then when they try to get you to send the “difference” back to them you keep it instead? Or can’t you contact the police about this scam and the police can make the “movers” tell what address they are delivering to… or something.

    in my email they offer a cashiers check, isn’t a cashiers check the same as cash, I mean some companies will only accept cashiers checks because they are safer right?

    Brittan Smith”

    Hi again,
    Thank you for the prompt response to my inquiry and sorry it took me long to reply, am very much satisfied with the condition and price of the item and i would like to make an outright purchase immediately so i will advice that you withdraw the advert from the ad. my husband be making payment via Certified Check to your location after which my shipper will be coming over for the pick up once you have gotten the payment. I must notify you that my husband sending an excessive payment so that after it clear you will deduct your money and pay the rest to my shipper because we have some other item in care of our our shipper and due to our job we have no free time and i am giving $30 as a compensation for also keeping all buyers away. Thanks and feel free to ask any question .i will need both your name and address to post the payment and would appreciate you include you phone #,
    Thank you !

  17. Brent Logan Avatar

    @foxxxy – Don’t do it. Suggest that the shipper deal with the check, deposit it, and bring you cash. They won’t accept because the “Certified Check” is a fraud.

  18. Sean K Avatar
    Sean K

    This guy named Anthony spells his last name “Haynes” in one place, and “Hanes” in another. good grief–


    Hello

    I will like to buy this item, Is it still available for sale ? Kindly reply me ASAP

    Thanks.
    Anthony Haynes
    anthonyhanes935@gmail.com

    later…

    “Hello Sean,

    i really appreciate your response to my earlier mail.like i said i will like to buy this item so pls do withdraw the advert from Craigslist. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check due to the distance as currently am in the Sharja working,but u will help me send it to my house in Petersburg.I will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.

    1.Your full name
    2.Your mailing address be it residential
    3.Your phone number.

    **I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping cost.
    i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check**

    Thanks
    Anthony Haynes

  19. Aaron Guan Avatar
    Aaron Guan

    from luky bunky and whait key (same email from different accounts)
    was selling a laptop on craiglist and got this. smelled fishy to me

    Hope we can do bussiness
    I will pay you the amount you said and i believe it is in good state.kindly understand i am in london right now on a bussiness trip.i will like the item shipped to my daughter who is with my granny down in west africa nigeria as a birthday(20th)she is working with the UNICEF in nigeria.i will include the shipping
    cost of the amount mail post

    Please i will pay you with PayPal or merchant express money order which you will ship to her after confirmation of money is seen.
    kindly get back to me with your contact address for immediate payment.+447045718969.that is my
    number please.

  20. Gary T. Avatar
    Gary T.

    I got this today through craigslist while trying to sell my used ps2:

    “i really appreciate for the mail in quick response i intended to make pick for the item but due to some circumstances am facing in my business am out the state presently all left with me now is my paypal account and for the package am sending it to one of my client in oversea who went there for a proposal on my new location so don’t be annoy with me for not making available pick up for your item am adding additional $100 to your money to cover the shipping through usps {EMS} GLOBAL EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE so with prestigious heart kindly make haste in response with your paypal account id for the fast payment into your account

    thanks very much and await your response soon”

  21. Howard Avatar
    Howard

    I got a similar e-mail from Bryan Devron. I even have a phone number. His original e-mail was from godson111@fresnomail.com and his phone number is a landline in Fresno CA. His second was from bryandevron@gmail.com. I was selling an inexpensive dresser.
    **********************************
    Hello,

    Am highly interested in your item listed for sale.I will
    like to know if the item is still available.I will be glad
    to know the conditions ? Thanks I await your quick response .

    Best Regards,

    Bryan
    Sent by [CompanyName] Mail

    **********************
    Hello,

    Thank for the prompt response to my mail,as the item is still available I
    will instruct my secretary to process a draft to cover the cost of my
    purchase as am completely satisfied with the advert.I will need the details
    of whom & where to mail the draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel
    Service within 2-3 days.Please note ‘United Parcel Service’ do not deliver
    to P.O.Box addresses.
    1.Name to be on the check
    2.Home address
    3.Mobile #
    Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you to save
    me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right only after the
    payment as been delivered and i want you to understand that,i love to call
    but am a deaf and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so please
    send me an email you leave a me leave a message on my voice mail 9518927142
    it will be delivered as an email to me as well,

    Thanks.

    Bryan


    Thanks & God Bless

  22. maria Avatar
    maria

    The same “chris” just tried to scam me as well. He actually did send me a check, for the error of $2400. The check is now in the hands of my good friend who is an LAPD detective. I don’t mess around.

  23. MARIA Avatar
    MARIA

    This jerk wrote me today….It didnt feel right from the start.I just ignored the email…

  24. Chrys Avatar
    Chrys

    I had this same email today! from craigslist and his name is
    steve bruce (stevebruce01@gmail.com)
    just wanted to warn yall