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I'm trying to sell a car on craigslist, and two times now I've been contacted via text message by people who tell me they're happy with my description and condition of the car and will pay me my asking price (one via Paypal, the other said he would Express Mail me a cashier's check) and then send someone to pick it up (they're phone numbers are out of my state). I've told them I only deal in person, because this smells very scam-y to me.

Has anyone else ever had this happen? What are these guys after? Just my personal info?

Here's my ad in case anyone wants to send me a check and then send someone to pick it up

http://lincoln.craigslist.org/cto/3985168261.html

bloke wrote: yeah...Those are scams.

+1

Stick with cash, deal in person and remember you'll need a bill of sale to deal with your local tax folks.
Get a photo of the buyer's drivers license so you have a name & address for your bill of sale / tax record.
You may be happy with Ben Franklin buying the car, but the local IRS and DMV will both want to know who's actually holding the keys.
Make sure you keep the license plate to return to the local DMV too. There may be a few other things for you to know - check your local DMV to see if they need anything else.

Yeah, those sound like scams. See http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

I responded this morning saying I only deal in person. He hasn't replied since then.

Ha! A third person just texted me with the same ploy! That's twice today! Man, this hot rod of mine is pretty popular!

I got a series of texts/voicemails from people interested in a car I was selling on Craigslist a few years ago.

Problem was, I wasn't selling a car on Craigslist. I searched for the ad with my phone number, but found nothing. The calls eventually stopped.

Sorry, this has nothing at all to do with your experience. I did buy my current car on Craigslist, dealt n person, in cash, and had an excellent experience. Good luck with the sale!

Last year, I posted a 2000 ford explorer on CL. I got bombarded with texts from many people wanting to negotiate me down in price, before they even came to look at the car. I admit, I was a fool at first but soon thereafter my response was they'd have to be standing in front of me and the car before id negotiate.

Ohh, and I got the same scam texts as you. I responded rudely.

Perhaps this goes in the "Update" section, but on Saturday as we left our driveway, I looked at my car and thought "I don't remember doing such a poor parking job."



As we drove past I saw that someone had hit my car!



We called the police later that afternoon to report the hit and run. When they arrived I showed them all the little bits and pieces I had picked up and they thought the blue matched the car that was parked across the street at our neighbor's house. One went over to investigate and found damage on their car. He knocked on the door and had to wake the guy up (it was 2:00 in the afternoon) and after talking to him and letting him know what would happen if he didn't help them out he then "remembered" that he had hit my car the night before.

Luckily, they have insurance and the damage was such that it totaled my car and the settlement they offered was more than we were trying to sell it for, so it worked out! We get more money for our car and they'll take it away! The best part is, no more dealing with selling it!

I don't know if you want to keep your car as an extra or perhaps have a friend or relative that might be able to use it, but many times if you ask, the insurance company will let you keep it as part of the settlement or for a nominal sum as it is cheaper for them rather than them disposing of it.

That's all great, except you still have to live across the street from that jerk!