Scams on Craigslist and Ebay
Ebay and Craigslist are trolled by scammers who email every seller an offer. They're usually trying to get your bank account information (saying they're going to transfer money to you) or trying to send you a fraudulent check/money order for the item. It's hard to tell if a check or money order is fake. Fake checks and money orders can be deposited into your account but the bank will track you down for their money back a few weeks later. Many scammers are safely out of US legal jurisdiction and won't be caught.
If you're using Craigslist to sell items, we recommend only making transactions in person with cash. Anyone who wants to send you a check or money order for their "daughter, client, whoever" is probably scamming you. If they offer to pay you via PayPal, make sure they email you from the email address on file with PayPal. Scammers are using stolen Paypal accounts to pay for purchases. If you don't have emails from the actual account that paid you, PayPal can take the money back if they determine it was fraud.
Check out "What are phishing scams and how can I avoid them?" for more examples and how to unmask what link you're really clicking on in those emails. We also have more email scam examples.
Example of Scam Offer
Published March 24, 2009 12:00 PM
Last modified on June 17, 2009 4:58 PM
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