Craigslist Fraud

I like all the people posting "rules" for making Craigslist sales.  Here's what a scammer tried with me. 

Scammer - Email - I want the item. 

Me - fine, local pickup, cash only. 

Scammer - I'm out of town, I'll send a down payment cashier's check. 

Me - No. Cash only.  Local pickup. 

Scammer: I've sent a cashier's check via FedEx, here's the tracking number.

Me - I know this is a scam, the FedEx will be refused.

Scammer:  Please deposit the check in your bank, etc.

Me - I've notified FedEx security of this scam using FedEx with the tracking number.  I've notified Tractor Supply security that you're using their address in Florida for a scam and possibly their FedEx number..  I've talked with Manager of the Tractor Supply store and notified her of the scam.  The FedEx will go back to Tractor Supply, and they're going to turn it over to the local police.

All of this took about a week to resolve.  The scammers are really persistent and even when you tell them you know it's a scam, they don't quit.  So, you can make up whatever rules YOU want for Craigslist sales, but ultimately it's up to you to clean up the mess the scammers have made for you.

Craigslist is full of crooks. They try me on every single high value item I list. Mostly the same cons over and over. The solution, ONLY take cash and only present the merchandise to the actual buyer. 

I've had pretty good luck selling electronics on Craigs list. The scammers always are ones that call as soon as you post your ad. They all have the same story line with a few added touches. One thing they have in common  is the cashiers check angle and usually offer you more than  you are asking for the item. Thats  the big tip off. Also they send someone other than themselves to pick it up. Saying their  wife is  in the hospital or something  similar. One guy even called me from Reno Nevada and tried to sound like an old man. He wasn't much of an actor. I could tell he was faking it. 

Craigslist scam with happy ending:  I live a little north of Fort Lauderdale. One day, I saw some B&W 803's (One missing tweeter) with an opening bid of $400 requested.  I was certain it was a scam, but it was close enough to go there to pick up the speakers.  I won the auction for that price, and tried to make an appointment to go get the speakers.  After repeated emails were always answered with, "Just send the damned money, and I will ship them", I gave up.  IA few weeks later, they were on ebay, again, but from a different seller.  I called and discovered he had bought them off of Craigslist for the same price, from a guy moving to CA.  Two other people sent the guy money, maybe more.  Now the good part of the story.  The buyer felt sorry for me, did not like the holes drilled to hang the speakers (Sacreledge), and had already ordered a pair of tweeters for $300 from a pal in the business.  I took all of it, and had an extra tweeter.  Next, I bought a single 805, with a tweeter, and a few months later, found one sans tweeter.  I sold these for $740 and now have some of the the best free speakers I have ever heard.  They even worked with my subs, and still do.  .

Ok, so what the deal/harm when you get a response asking “is the item still available?”
this, after you clearly state in the ad “ do not ask it it’s still available “.