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Craig's List Crooks by Nikki Willhite I have to admit I didn't have a very good week.  It was one of those weeks filled with the sad things of life, including death and illness of close family members. Then I got kicked out of a forum I really liked for sending some PM's (personal messages).  The webmaster said I was "spamming."  For someone who hates spam, that stung.  (Why do they allow PM's then?)  I apologized, and said I would never send another PM....but received a very curt, non-forgiving and harsh reply.  All I could think of was "Merry Christmas to you too". Next I decided I wanted to sell a big ticket item and decided to put it on Craig's list.  So I took the pictures and listed the item. That night I got an email from a man who said he was very interested and "When could he come to see it?"  The next day I got another email.  Another person said they would like to come and see it, but they had to go out of town. Then they added that this was to be a surprise  present for their father, and if I could send them more pictures, and assure them they would be happy with the purchase, they would go ahead and send me the money, via Paypal, and send their own movers to pick up the item. Now, I don't want to help these crooks, so I'm not going to get too specific other than to say the English language is very complex, uses a lot of idioms, and is hard to learn.  You can always tell when an email is coming from a person who uses English as a second language.That email came late at night, and I knew there was something wrong with it when I went to bed. Sure enough, the next day another email came from this person informing me that he had sent me the money for the purchase, including some additional money to pay for the shipping.  I was to wire the extra money (which was around $500) to an address for the shipping company.  Yeah, right! The following day I got another email.  "I've sent the money to Paypal.  Check your spam folder.  I am waiting to have the item shipped.  I've sent the money...where is the shipping?" I filed the email away, after forwarding it to the fraud units of both Paypal and Craig's list.  They won't be able to do anything, and it must drive them nuts the way people are abusing their services, but you do need to let them keep track of the numbers. Shortly I received another email from the first person that responded to my ad.  They informed me that... "They had to go out of town, but....." I couldn't believe it.  It was the exact same scam.  I told them words to the effect of  "Yes, I know....you want some money for shipping.  I know the routine." Every bit of my boiling blood  wanted to ream these guys up and down.  However, I could not bring myself to do it.  I hear there are "computer cafes" in foreign countries where people sit all day running these scams.  What is scary is that they are all too often successful.  I know of two cases in the last year where people were defrauded of their hard earned money. (My personal opinion is that there is a special place "down under" reserved for these people.) Just to get them off my back, knowing it wouldn't hurt to write back as they already had my address and phone #,  I just said something to the effect of "You know, life is short.  Eternity is long.  How do you think you will be spending it?" So the moral to this rather rambling account of my week is be careful. You may be savvy enough to recognize a scam when you see it, but unfortunately, other people may not be as lucky.  Some people are desperate and are willing to believe anything.   Smetimes greed is the motivating factor. One of the people I mentioned was told he had won the lottery.  (Don't play the lottery.  If you've gotten past 3rd grade, do the math).  My personal opinion (again) is that the only "good" money is money that you've earned with your own two hands, or perhaps been given to you by someone who loves you. I've noticed that my words are "sharp" this week in all my articles.  Perhaps that is one of the negative effects of this past week's experiences.  These people do not belong in my world.  My world is full of soft, kind, caring and forgiving people.  I've been exposed to harsh, insensitive, callous and half dead souls. Be aware of the dangers of this world, but don't let them get to you.  Life is short.  In the words of John Wesley, "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can." About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

 

 

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