Question about selling on Craigs List - certified check?

[sunshine873]

I've bought things on Craig's List, but haven't sold anything there before. DH is selling an old motorcycle on CL and has an offer from someone to buy it. We're just unsure about it though. The guy hasn't seen the bike in person, but is offering our asking price and wants to send us a Certified Check. He's going to arrange for movers to come pick up the bike. He has also asked that we consider this "sold" and remove the ad.

Can we trust a certified check? Is this a normal way of doing business over distances for a few Thousand $$s on CL? Our bank is out of state, so will we have to send the check to our bank before we can trust it's authenticity? It just kind of makes me nervous. Any inputs?

[kijip]

It's a textbook SCAM.

Do not deal with anyone hiring "movers" "agents". Do not take the check. It will be a forged check. It will bounce.

Learn more here: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

Local. Cash. Local. Cash. Local. Cash. Make this your CL selling mantra. :)

[lizzywednesday]

A certified check is a check cut straight from the person's bank and is probably THE most reliable way to pay for something, aside from cash.

Trust the certified check over a CC or wire-transfer any day of the week.

Heck, the security deposit for our old apartment had to be by certified check and not personal check - the bank will not cut the certified check if the customer does not have sufficient funds in his/her account.

ETA: PP is right to be skeptical about movers, though.

[codex57]

Yeah, that screams classic scam to me. One of the most common scams out there right now are fake money orders/certified checks. The only way I'd do it is if he'd send the check over about 10 business days earlier. That'd give the bank time to run it through, and see if a fraud alert pops up later. Can't imagine any buyer willing to do that tho.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

This scam has been going on for years, dude wants to buy item, dude has not even seen item. Run.

[kijip]

A certified check is a check cut straight from the person's bank and is probably THE most reliable way to pay for something, aside from cash.

Trust the certified check over a CC or wire-transfer any day of the week.


This certified check will be a forgery. It will not cash, anyone can print one, does not mean it is good. I bought a car with a certified check, but that was after the dealer had met me, I had test drove the car and taken it to my mechanic. I was not really comfortable with carrying $15,000 in cash with me, and I was buying from a professional dealer and he agreed to take a certified check. There are tons of scams people try to run with Craigslist and fake certified checks. Any check offered via CL sight unseen is 99.99999% of the time a fake.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Delete the email. Tell them they must buy it in person. Scam. Don't let it turn you off to CL though. I have friends who got the same kind of email about a sofa and now think CL is a hoax. I buy/sell so much on CL, that I"m not sure how they live w/o it!

[elektra]

DH sold his jetski on CL for a few thousand dollars, and he only accepted cash. You can still require cash for those higher amounts and people will find a way to bring cash if they really want it.

[MMMommy]

"The guy hasn't seen the bike in person, but is offering our asking price and wants to send us a Certified Check. He's going to arrange for movers to come pick up the bike. He has also asked that we consider this "sold" and remove the ad."

That language is typical standard Craig's List scam language. I've received many of those emails with the exact same language. Delete and ignore!!!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Scam, google it...

[lizzywednesday]

This certified check will be a forgery. It will not cash, anyone can print one, does not mean it is good. I bought a car with a certified check, but that was after the dealer had met me, I had test drove the car and taken it to my mechanic. I was not really comfortable with carrying $15,000 in cash with me, and I was buying from a professional dealer and he agreed to take a certified check. There are tons of scams people try to run with Craigslist and fake certified checks. Any check offered via CL sight unseen is 99.99999% of the time a fake.

I guess this just shows how familiar I am with selling stuff at all.

[codex57]

I guess this just shows how familiar I am with selling stuff at all.

But you asked questions about it first. That makes all the difference in the world. Pat yourself on the back for that one.

[sunshine873]

Thanks so much for the quick responses everyone! We were saying that it sounded too good to be true. Bottom line, it made us suspicious, which should say a lot. :) DH is responding right now...cash only, in person.

This won't turn me away from Craig's List. I've gotten too many good deals and sure there will be many more in the future. There's always going to be some losers out there, this is just a good learning experience for us that you need to be careful. :)

[Melaine]

Just for the record, you shouldn't respond to the scammers because then they will have your real email address (not just the anonymous one from CL). Forward to [email protected] and don't give it another thought. I get these almost daily, but CL is still a great way to sell stuff.

[TwinFoxes]

OP, this is straight from CL's list of known scams.

2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check

you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

I'm sure the next step would have been for him to say he was sending you a check, plus more to cover the movers. Will you please cash it and send him the balance?

Good for you for being suspicious. Agree w/Melaine not to contact this person.

[vejemom]

I have never had much luck selling things worth more than a few hundred on CL. I posted a big ticket item on there recently (figured why not, it's free) Not a single honest inquiry. Kind of depressing.

Yeah, insist on dealing with any buyer in person, cash only.

[HannaAddict]

Total and complete scam. Certified checks are forged and printed all the time. Sometimes they even clear the bank briefly and then weeks later, you are hit with the money and all the fines associated with depositing a bad check. And not seeing the bike and having "movers" pick it up is the final straw that says scam, scam, scam. Cash only, put it in your ad too and don't deviate from this rule. My friend bought a car, a newer BMW so not cheap, and the Craigslist person met her at her bank to get the CASH. Sounds crazy, but it worked. Do not take the "certified" check. No way. Hope you find a real local buyer.

[nofeea]

Don't worry, the scammer won't even respond to your e-mail. (Yes, it was a classic scam. I got about a dozen similar e-mails when I sold a high priced item). It took me a couple of days to realize it was a scam also so don't feel bad but once I wised up and said "cash only" the scammers did not bother responding. They give it a try looking for an easy mark then give up. Glad you caught it! (By the way, it took me a couple of months, but I eventually did find a real buyer locally so don't give up :) )