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Location: Denver Colorado | Do you guys know that you can do a Google search that will search all of Craigslist instead of having to do it on a city by city basis?
In the Google search box, you do it this way:
ovation guitar site:craigslist.org
Just a helpful hint from your Auntie Sally.
:) |
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Location: Denver Colorado | I set the new record for killing a thread.
Killed the same day it was started.
:) |
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Posts: 1900
| I tried it, googled 26 pages of GAS... |
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Location: Denver Colorado | LOL....
SEEEEEEEE !?!?!?!?!??!!? |
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Posts: 176
Location: Denver Colorado | Oh... I should add why I found this...
I just knew some geek would make a chunk of software that would search all of the cities - so I was doing a google looking for a utility like that. And of course, BINGO - I found one.
But then I went on to find out that Craigslist put the kabosh on it. Their official reason was that they wanted CL to stay a local community sort of thing.
Phooooey.
I think it's more likely that it has something to do with the fact that eBay owns 25% of CL stock - and we sure would hate to see anything come down the pike that worked as well for free instead of having to go through eBay and their fees. |
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| So, Ebay is just slowly 'buying up' all the competititon and will eventually own Craigslist and absorb it. There were a few nice Ovation 12-strings on craigslist, I just got tired of searching... |
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Location: PDX | Originally posted by Pot_Stirrer:
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I think it's more likely that it has something to do with the fact that eBay owns 25% of CL stock ... I didn't know Craig's List was a publicly traded company -- what symbol does it trade under? Perhaps ebay just has a stake in it and owns equity?
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gh1 |
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Location: Central Massachusetts | It's not publicly traded, but it is a corporation. Long story short, Craig Newmark formed a corporation for craigslist to protect his assets. He shared some equity (25%) in the corp with a friend. Eventually, that other person decided they wanted out, and chose to sell their portion of the company to eBay. In theory, they get access to lots of bennies from eBay but eBay leaves them alone. craig explains here |
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Location: PDX | Originally posted by dvd:
It's not publicly traded, but it is a corporation. ..... craig explains here
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gh1 |
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Location: Berkeley, CA | I feel like that might be something I'd heard of before, but only off-handedly. Good to know and finally read about. Thanks! |
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| I just ran an add on craiglist for a Fender Jazz bass. I got an email this morning offering me MORE than the price I listed. That seemed unusual enough, but the text used in the response sounds like english transcribed from another language, and it's rather formal or polite like it was an originally an oriental language, but the grammar isn't accurate...this ought to be interesting. |
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Location: Denver Colorado | It's a Nigerian scam, Steve.
Don't even engage in a conversation with the buyer.
What normally happens is that they will send you a cashier's check or money order for more than you requested. Then, they have some kind of strange request for where to ship the item and usually some convoluted story about having the item shipped through their agent in the states ... or something to that effect.
In the end, you usually have sent some excess money to someone and shipped your item - and then you find out shortly thereafter that the cashier's check or money order was a fraudulent one.
The scam always works to have you lose your item as well as some extra cash. |
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| Hi Sally, Good advice. I returned an email just saying their offer was being considered among the others. If they, or anyone else, will not send me a valid USA Postal Money Order, I will not sell the bass. I want to sell this locally anyway so they can see the condition before they buy. |
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Location: Denver Colorado | Cool, Steve.
My daughter was selling a couple of cell phones via the local Craigslist here - and she had 2-3 responses similar to yours.
She was all excited - until I popped her bubble. |
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Posts: 1900
| I just received another email from this same individual. It's longer this time. He says he can't call me because his phone is out of order, but he wants me to send him my name and address so he can send it to www.alertpay.com, then they will confirm it with me, and they will send me the money and give me mailing instructions for sending the guitar. Is this similar to the offer received by your daughter? It sure sounds legit, doesn't it? I'm not biting on this one... |
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Location: Denver Colorado | Well...
At first glance (after a little Googling) the Alertpay site seems to be OK - but I did run into a couple of other references from other people who happen to be selling on CL that they had received similar "bites" like you have.
One of them went on to say that they were instructed to send the item before they totally cleared their received payment.
That wouldn't be smart. :(
I'm wondering if Alertpay might allow funding via money orders, etc - and then the scammer is scamming Alertpay which in turn might cause some kind of chargeback to the seller as well.
I wouldn't touch it.
Just curious... has the guy told you where you are going to ship to? |
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Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Steer clear, it's definitely a scam.
A good way to sniff these out.. the initial email is typically a generic form letter that would apply to any product -- they've probably got a script that sends it out to any posting that meets some criteria, such as more than $100 price. They won't specifically mention your product at all, most of the time.
Another good test is, do they ask anything specific about the product? Or do they ask questions that apply to any product, such as the age, etc. Do they ask any questions at all? Most of the scam letters I've seen never ask a single question.
The best approach is to never even engage them, or to simply say, "Sorry, I only deal face-to-face." I don't even reply to them as I don't want my email address to end up on some spam list.
If you still aren't sure, a good way to smoke them out is to ask them questions that require they know something about what you're selling. They'll either disappear or give you some nonsensical reply as they more than likely don't even know or care about what you're selling. |
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| I contacted Alertpay, they said it was fraudulent. And the guy didn't have anymore specific questions in his 2nd email, still wanted my name and address, etc., and tried to explain the alertpay process. I never sent him any more information... |
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Speaking of Craigslist....
