I use Craigslist often enough to get wind of most of the scams that people are running pretty regularly, because I usually get scam replies to half the ads I post. Tonight I got one that’s new on me, and it takes a minute to figure out what the trick is.
I’m selling a nice set of furniture which I advertise to be in immaculate condition (which is true, but not necessarily something you’d take at face-value from a Craigslist ad), and I received a breezy email from someone interested while I was asleep- which happens a lot, oddly, with furniture sales on Craigslist (insomniacs wishing they could sit somewhere more comfortable while they stare at the ceiling?). A lot of the time, they don’t even follow-up to my reply, presumably because they woke up the next day and were like, why the fuck was I thinking about spending $350 on a chair last night?
Anyway- email #1 from “Jim Berger” read:
Hi good morning i just want to know if this item is still for sale and
i will happy if you can get back to me intime so that will can arrange
okay
Which is about right, and didn’t raise any flags. It’s largely incoherent, but that’s not anything unusual from Craigslist, and Jim Berger doesn’t sound like a scam name (scam names are usually mismatched non-name-sounding first names and incongruous last names. Like Sarah Palin’s kids.), so I followed up. The reply came tonight, and it’s a little tricky:
Hello I really appreciate your response to my email.I want you
toconsider
it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist toavoid
disturbance.I want you to know that i will be paying via bankcertified
check .I will like you to provide me with the following.information to
facilitate the mailing of the check to you ..
1…..Full name to write on the check
2…..Full Physical address to post the check
3…..City, State and Zip Code
4…..Home & Cell Phone to contact you
*** Note that the payment will be shiped to your address via UPS NEXT
DAYSERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsiblefor shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you
have cashedthe check** Thanks
It raises a bunch of the typical scam red flags- non-local buyer, non-cash payment, too-good-to-be-true payment set-up (next day service is like forty bucks with UPS, which is a 12% surcharge), lack of interest in the actual item (note how he didn’t even want to see the chair to check the condition)… So it’s obviously not on the level, but the details of the scam are kinda hard to pick up.
The trick with this one is that, like most bank certified check or money order promises, the payment’s counterfeit. You take it to the bank, cash it, then they determine it’s bogus and hold you liable for the money. Typically, though, you ship the item to the person in question, who’s usually on another continent (and overpaying you $150 or so for the shipping, no hesitation involved). This one is weird because it means that the scammer is actually coming to your house. Which is kind of exciting, because, hey, it’d be a good story, right? But uncomfortable, at the same time, and not really worth it, since there’s no actual money involved. Just a stolen chair.
Anyway, as per everyone else’s advice everywhere, never take an obscure payment type for merchandise or services offered on Craigslist, always meet face-to-face and in-person, etc. Don’t trust any deal that sounds too good to be true. Eat your vegetables, take your vitamins, say your prayers. Rock over London, rock on Chicago- Craigslist: Local classifieds and forums for more than 550 cities in over 50 countries worldwide!
42 responses so far ↓
1 scott // Oct 4, 2008 at 8:11 am
Hey…thanks for posting this. I am selling some music gear on Craigslist and I got the same e-mail from “Jim Berger” that said the exact same things, verbatim. What got me was that his initial e-mail address and his reply came from two different addresses. Another foreign scam I’m sure. Thanks!
Lori Reply:
April 24th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Thank you sooo much for the Jim Berger tip…I had a surfboard for sale and I received the same e-mail. Good tips…Thank you again
SCOTT S Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 8:29 am
I AM NOW WORKING WITH THIS JIM BERGER. THANKS FOR THE INFO. THE LOCAL PD SAID JUST FORGET IT.
2 StuporMundi // Oct 4, 2008 at 11:01 am
Hi Dan. I wonder if the scam is actually somewhat smaller than life, such as trying to harvest a cell phone number crosswalked to a name and geospatial location. I’ve started getting spam text messages on the cell and it’s annoying because they cost me 5 cents apiece on my cheapie prepaid phone. New frontiers for scummy telemarketers.
To my eyes, the text was clearly in some form of pidgin English, possibly created from an off-the-shelf or web text translator. Incoherence in email — even one I compose — is not unusual. But there are nonsequiturs in the texts that I wouldn’t expect from even a semi-literate native English speaker.
PS: excellent advice about vegetables and vitamins, but don’t forget to floss, too.
3 waterboy51 // Oct 11, 2008 at 8:41 am
What if they actually send you a check and it clears , is there a scam there?
Dan Solomon Reply:
October 11th, 2008 at 9:55 am
When did the check clear? If it happened two weeks ago, you might be okay. If the money just landed in your account yesterday, don’t spend it- they’ll just take it back when they realize the check was fake.
–d
cali pixie Reply:
January 1st, 2009 at 12:42 pm
if the check clears then there is no scam, but beware, your bank may put the money in right away and then 30-45 days later hit you with overdrafts because the check was fake and any of the money you spent can cause overdrafts and you have to pay the bank that amount back plus some. use paypal, or us postal money orders far safer..got a check from this guy checked it out with the sheriffs office first numbers on the check didn’t match and the ups package has the name tim Briggs on it with the phone number for the pharmacy board of lic. in Montana… just be careful
4 Ant grippi // Oct 21, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Thanks for posting this I got the same message for my truck. he didn’t even want to see a picture of the truck. I’m concerned cause without thinking, I sent him my address and name to make the check out to, and then thought wait this is too good to be true. should I be worried about this. I’m not even gonna cash the check if I get it , I just worried about id theft, and the fact he’s got my address and name. Any one got any thoughts.
Dan Solomon Reply:
October 21st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I wouldn’t worry about him having your address and name, if that’s all you gave him. The phonebook is full of addresses and names. You need a bit more to run a scam.
–d
5 ant // Oct 28, 2008 at 5:56 pm
it get’s better. I just got a check for 4000 bucks. from Tennessee Technological university. Signed Tim Hall. I called the bank the check was issued from and they said the check was real and could be cashed. then I got an email from mr. berger asking me to please hurry and cash the check at any place that will cash it ie. my bank, or check cashing stores, and promptly send him the amount over with the exception of 100 dollars and the amount of my truck for my troubles via money wire, by 12pm. so his movers could come pick up the “item”. Notice he nevers says truck. The check came via Ups overnight from Chicago IL. the checks itself is from a bank in Tennessee, and he wants me to wire the money to a chick in Florida. talk about a good story. Any way I think I’m just gonna call the FBI or something. then again $4,000.
Think of the possibilities. What sucks is it would probably be some poor guy who’s identity got stolen in another scam who pays for it innitialy, and me who pays in the end. Crazy stuff if you ask me.
6 JHK // Oct 31, 2008 at 11:25 am
Thanks for your posting! Luckily, I had 2 items on craigslist that spawned identical-looking emails from different buyers - which then made my possible-scam-alert alarms go off.
Both of them not only mention they’d pay by check but also an additional $50 if I took down the posting immediately (I should have known by the 1st email that it was a scam when thought that that was too good to be true).
Seeing your experience made me glad I didn’t complete the deal (yet) - I just replied to them that’s it’s a cash transaction only.
Ah - another lesson learned in this scheming world.
7 CMS // Nov 6, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I also just received the same scam and text. Just an FYI it is still out there and thank you for posting!
anonymous Reply:
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I also just had the same experience. It all sounded too good to be true! The last email was “please hurry and cash the check as the mover was in the State I live in and I needed to western union the excess cash to the mover ASAP”. What kind of fool does he think I am! NOT!
8 EW // Nov 20, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I got the same scam word for word for my vehical ce ali instead of Jim Berger this time.
9 Anonymous // Nov 21, 2008 at 9:27 am
I had a similar experience from jim berger. Didn’t think it was too big a deal until I received a check for $3300 for a $450 item on craigs list. Called the local police as craigslist advises, they told me to shred the check and they would file a report for my protection. Now Mr. Jim berger is saying he will contact the CIA. Yeah right.
10 anonymous // Dec 13, 2008 at 7:17 am
what if you do cash the check. you spend some, wait for the rest to clear. what happens if you never knew it was a scam until after you cashed the check???
Dan Solomon Reply:
December 13th, 2008 at 9:18 am
The sad, scary answer is that, unless you never touched any of the money, you’re liable for it when your bank comes asking. If this did happen to you, I’d recommend going to your bank right away and explaining the situation. It won’t get you off the hook, but they’ll be more helpful in explaining your options (and definitely more helpful if you approach them than if they come to you). Good luck.
–d
11 A.B. // Dec 13, 2008 at 7:23 am
I had a scam like this happen to me. I had an item for $150 and got a check for $2900. The check came from the “College Board” so when I saw how much it was I thought it was something for all the scholarships I had been filling out, who could mistake 150 with 2900? So craigslist wasn’t even a concern. Well then I got an email telling me it was the buyer’s “salary” and that the bank sent all of it by “misinterpretation”. I was to wire it immediately to a weird address. I began investigating and discovered the location overseas. Counterfeir check. Dammit.
I should have known, the asshole could barely speak english— not all americans are ignorant.
12 J // Jan 8, 2009 at 7:19 am
I just got the check - $1980 from College Board for a $250 listing. I have been looking at it and researching all the various addresses, etc. Of course, part of me is waiting to see if I can make the scam backfire on the guy (not Jim Berger, but some other pointless name) - and still get the money. I know if I cash it to my account - they can come back later and take it. What if I cash it somewhere else? Would any of these check-cashing places take it and then my account is not on the hook? I thought about going to his bank that issued the check - but that is DE and I am SC. Oh well - good thing is I think I have a real buyer now.
Dan Solomon Reply:
January 8th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Legally, you could still be on the hook if you knowingly cash a bad check, even if you weren’t the one who wrote it, depending on your state’s theft-by-check and fraud laws. I’d advise against that approach, generally speaking. Even if it’s not your account, you’ll have to show ID to cash it.
I also suspect that going to the bank that “issued” the check would be a bust, too - they’d likely tell you that it’s counterfeit then and there, which would save the heartbreak but not actually make a difference. It might be worth calling them, though, and telling them that you got a suspicious check that appears to be drawn on one of their accounts and seeing what happens.
–d
13 Melissa // Jan 8, 2009 at 7:34 am
I had the EXACT same situation. We were selling a $250 item, and got the exact amount from the college board….. We need to figure out how to nail this guy to the wall.
14 Rick // Mar 12, 2009 at 7:12 am
Had the same thing except this dude’s name was “evans henry”.
15 Al // May 15, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Similar story with me except my winner’s name was Charles Tony (charlest924@gmail.com). I recongized the second email requesting personal info for a certified check and cut all ties immediately.
16 Athens // May 21, 2009 at 7:17 am
I just got the same email from Jim Berger the day after I posted my item.
17 chrispdx // Jun 2, 2009 at 9:02 am
Thanks for your posting- my scam alert went off, too, so I did a google search. Same pattern with mine, but from a doctor on vacation in hawaii, wanted to pay $50 over via certified check, and have “movers” pick it up. Good grammer in the email, though, so scammers must be getting smarter…
18 Cody // Jun 17, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I had a similiar situation, i had my dirtbike for sale on cragslist for 3000, i recieved an email from Mic William wanting to know the condition of the item and my final asking price. i responded telling him excellent condition and 3000 was my final price. Just by the name mic william i was almost sure it was a scam but wanted to see how far this man would go to purchase my bike. Long story short he sent me a “cashiers check” for $6000, $3000 over my asking price. When i emailed him back telling him that i had called the bank it was issued from and taken it to my local bank and police department for verification and it had come up fraudulant, i never heard back from him. it was interesting anyway.
19 Ramona // Jun 27, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Well the scamming saga continues. I posted a futon and within a day got the following email from scammer: “Chris Marcus” at chrismarc006@gmail.com:
Hello,
i will like to know if the above item is still available for sale.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you again
I email back that it’s available and give him my phone number to call me to set up an appointment. Then instead of a call I get another email this time from chrismarcus12@gmail.com(??):
Hello,
Thanks for the prompt response and i will like you to withdraw the advert from Craigslist,i don’t mind adding an extra $50 for you to take the advert down from craigslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item.I don’t have time to come take a look. I will be paying via cashier’s check,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
3.Your phone number.
I will have my mover come over as soon as you have the check
Have a great day
Chris
Now my husband and I are cracking up. The deal is my husband of 18 years is a Nigerian. Unfortunately for all the very well educated and hard working Nigerians like my husband, a lot of these scams originate in Nigeria. So my husband and I are forever hearing about these money scams or “419″ (=penal code section for fraud in Nigerian law) in the Nigerian press and on Nigerian blogs. Immediately we came up with the 2 angles: either the bank will hold us repsponsible for the fake check while “Chris Marcus” is long gone with my futon or he ‘ll send a check with an outlandish high amount and ask us to wire some obscure “mover/shipper” the difference. The kicker is I emailed him back with one single statement: “419.” He didn’t contact me again.
20 Nate // Jul 6, 2009 at 3:47 am
I just wanted to let you know, I just recieved on just about word for word from a Mic William. I am trying to sell my truck, but they still try and get you. Funny thing is once I metioned that there was a lien on it and they would have to wait 3 to 4 weeks to get the title, I haven’t heard back from them. It’s just like they say, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Thanks for posting this scam.
21 JBM // Jul 7, 2009 at 11:29 pm
FYI Mic William is the one to look out for lol trying to sell dirtbike and got an email i wasnt wanting to sell my dirtbike i was wanting to trade the bike is only worth 3000 so i told im that i would sell it for 5000 two days later he sent one back and said the same exact thing as he always does lol wat a retard.
22 dandan // Jul 10, 2009 at 8:37 am
Damn - first time selling on Craigslist and I get the same scam thrown at me, but the name is only different [Amanda Walker]. I never completed the transaction and found a real live buyer an hour away that I could deliver to and get paid cash. The only thing that has me worried is the cell phone number being in their hands. So far, no weird calls or text messages.
dan Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I wouldn’t sweat the phone number thing at all - the point of this scam isn’t to collect phone numbers, it’s to collect lots of money when you wire the overage amount to them. Harassing you via text message is a waste of time, since this is strictly a numbers game.
–d
23 NOT dumb // Jul 14, 2009 at 5:24 am
Ha, these jokers are losers… I got the same thing and it was obviously to good to be true with the replies coming from different email addresses.
24 stuart // Aug 5, 2009 at 4:25 am
Thank you for a good response and It’s good reading from you concerning the price and the condition of the item and i must let you know that am okay with the price of the item.
I which to come over there to meet you in person and take a good looking of the item but I am currently away on business in United kingdom.
Payment will be inform Certified Cashier’s Check and the reason why is that am out of town if not i will be there with cash in view of this i need you to email me any information that may be required to send the payment across to you. As i do not want to send the check to a wrong location/hand…
Notice: I have a shipping company that takes care of the pick up of my consignments, and have my items shipped for me to my destination anywhere in the U.S.A. The company will send down a representative to arrange the sales documentation and the pick up from your pick up point.
Also want to alert you on the fact that you will be receiving an overdraft payment, which will cover the money for pickup and shipping to the final destination. As soon as you receive the payment do have it processed and deduct your money, and the remaining balance will be sent to the shipping company.
I will give you the details of the company that will be shipping the item as soon as we seal this deal. Once the money is received by the agent, the shipping agent will contact you immediately proper documentation as well as the pick up.
(1) Full Name:
(2) Residential Address: Not P.O.Box please
(3) Phone Number: (Home/Cell)
(4) last price
If you are okay with me please get back to me with your full details below so that the payment can be mail out to you via ups and if you can withdraw the advert from craigslist to avoid disturbance as you will be receiving payment soon i will be very happy.
Here is my contact number if you dont mind to call: +447024076392
Hope to hear from you soon..
Regards.
Mic William
HERE IS the first one I GOT!!!
August 3, 2009 7:06:52 PM
> Subject: GET
> BACK TO ME ASAP
>
> Good day
>
>
> How are you doing?………… my name is Mic William i read
> about the car and truck that you posted on c/l and i want to
> know more about it, so if you can get back to me with the
> condition and the final asking price of the car or truck you
> have for sale i will be very grateful…….Thanks
>
> Mic William
>
25 Laine // Aug 10, 2009 at 6:38 am
I got a response from “Jim Berger” on a vehicle I’m selling. Thanks for posting the truth about this schmuck!
26 carlos // Aug 27, 2009 at 11:47 am
Well i have a 5400 dollar check from david grams, well it came from LISCR, a shipping company on the east coast. I contacted the financial officer and he gave me an accurate discription of what the check looked like. i just tore it up and forgot about it. besides, the item is gone anyway. Oh i also want to add another detail. The check is from the east coast, but it was shipped from montanna. Feel free to email David Grams at d123grams@yahoo.com
27 kathy // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:37 am
same Jim Berger as above got the huge check kicker now is he is calling house and cell phone at all hours and demanding his money. Creepy thing is I did not give him my cell. Obviously I fell for it for a while because I gave my address and go the check.
28 Ed Sheridan // Dec 24, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Hey there
I just got this one from a John Foxy at gmail.com
He never sent the check and and I never sent the guitar, he just wasted my time.
Re: Martin CF-1 Archtop guitar - $2200
From: John Foxy Add to Contacts
To: Ed Sheridan
——————————————————————————–
I have send the check to you i will get back to you with the tracking # please bear with me
On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 6:08 AM, John Foxy wrote:
The check will clearimmediately i am sending the guiter to my cousin his on his musical carreer so i am sending it to him i will send you excess fund on it and you will cash it send the excess fund to him for him to clear the guiter i will send you the information as soon as you get the check please kindly bear with me everything is going to be fine
Thanks
On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 8:50 PM, Ed Sheridan wrote:
John
I am concerned, what kind of check will it be? do you know how long it will take to clear my bank. where will I be shipping the guitar to? How much will shipping cost?. you were the first to respond to my ad and I would love to sell it to you but I am thinking this is not right.
thanks
——————————————————————————–
From: John Foxy
To: Ed Sheridan
Sent: Mon, December 14, 2009 10:48:03 AM
Subject: Re: Martin CF-1 Archtop guitar - $2200
I am mailing the check out this week please bear with me i am kind of busy.. i will send you the information and the tracking#
On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 10:39 PM, Ed Sheridan wrote:
John
If I get the check on Monday/Tuesday I will gladly ship the guitar to you.
thanks
Ed Sheridan
——————————————————————————–
From: John Foxy
To: Ed Sheridan
Sent: Thu, December 10, 2009 1:33:40 PM
Subject: Re: Martin CF-1 Archtop guitar - $2200
I will let you as soon as possible for i will be sending you the check by monday and you will get it by monday or tuesday .. i will send you my contact address and where you will ship it to
On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 9:11 PM, Ed Sheridan wrote:
John
I will keep the guitar till Monday Dec 14 unless I hear from you. I want to sell the guitar soon, please let me know what you can do. please let me know where I will be shipping it too.
thanks
Ed Sheridan
——————————————————————————–
From: John Foxy
To: Ed Sheridan
Sent: Wed, December 9, 2009 7:26:48 PM
Subject: Re: Martin CF-1 Archtop guitar - $2200
I will send out the check to you as soon as i can and i let you know when you will get the check .. i will keep you update
thanks
29 Ashley // Mar 10, 2010 at 2:01 pm
IM DEALING WITH JIM NOW!! I just sent him a message that said “fuck you Jim” lol!
30 Justin // Jun 8, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Just delt with Jim. He even told me he would get in touch with the CIA if I did not get back to him, which I did but no response from him.
31 Kelly // Jul 13, 2010 at 10:17 pm
I’ve gotten two very similar emails in response to my ad. There’s a new detail they seem to be adding: they are deaf and prefer to be contacted via email. That way, you never get to actually speak to a person, just an anonymous email. They also say “Would have love to come over for viewing but I’m afraid that might not be possible due to my work frame. If you have more pics please send so I can have a good look.” I’m selling a rather nice dresser and it’s something I would expect people to come over in person to examine rather than trust my crappy photos. The emails were from Eva Knight (evaknight@wikizplc.com) and melvin blues (melvinblues100@gmail.com).
32 Dawn // Jul 27, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Wow, I cannot believe this person is still out there going back to 2008. Eva Knight also contacted me and tried the same scam. I realized it after receiving the check to pay for the item looked fishy. I contacted the bank listed on the check and found out the account wasn’t real. I reported it to the FTC and sent more info on to the bank that the check came from. She said she was deaf and would rather keep in contact with emails.
33 Brent // Jul 29, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Hi All,
I received the same scam. Poor ole deaf Eva. Luckily I read this posting before recieving the check.
Where does one report this nonesene. FTC? Local authorites? If any one has reported successfully, please post the process.
These people make me sick. How dare they damage the image of our deaf brothers and sisters. :O
Leave a Comment