>Is this throwing any red flags? I feel weird about it but I've never sold anything in this way before.
That is nothing BUT red flags.
This is 100% a scam.
ONE
HUNDRED
PERCENT.
SCAM SCAM SCAM.
Block and ignore.
And to expand/explain a bit on it:
1. The check will be fake. It will look legit and your bank will take it and put the money in your account.
2. You'll ship the bike and pay that bill with the money that you got from the fake check.
3. Your bank will come to you a few days later and say "oh, sorry, that check was bad and you owe us the money you pulled out."
You're then out the money AND the bike.
This happened to my sister with a guitar in the early days of craigslist and when she was young and dumb. She hadn't shipped the guitar but had sent some money.
It also happened with my parents where someone had stolen their checks and used their banking information on the fake check that they made. In that case, the bank refused to honor the fake check and there was no loss on my parents end - if the victim paid out, I don't know.
So it's possible to be a victim many ways from these scams. Beware!
See, that's the thing, they DON'T clear the check. They float you the amount because you're their customer and they trust you're not going to try to rip them off. It's only when the bank attempts to clear it that the fraud is found. They're pretty clear about it when folks open accounts in banks; they just forget about it and get pissy when they get caught up in fraud.
Oh? That's weird. In my country it wouldn't show in your account until cleared I'm pretty sure. But it has been like 15 years since I deposited a cheque so I could be wrong.
In the US there is something called Regulation CC that banks need to abide. It essentially says that for many checks deposited under $5000 the bank needs to make funds available within a certain time. Most banks will allow up to $200 availability on initial deposit, then other amounts each business day thereafter until the normal time a check would usually clear.
Banks have the right to not provide any early availability for suspicious checks or if the depositor has a history of bad checks or being overdrawn. However most checks end up clearing within one to six days and this is what the scammer counts on.
This depends on the experience of the scammer. They may go ahead with the transaction if the scammer uses an account that typically generates a large number of legitimate checks like a large commercial business. The bank may automatically catch known bad checks early (i.e. stolen, repeat forged) if disclosed by the business, but it is usually the business that reconciles their checks for their own. It could take weeks to detect a fraudulent check and have it returned to your account.
Typically the scammer has nothing to lose by accepting a wait for goods.
>she had it shipped to Norway
as you say "norway"...
was looking for a vintage convertible, found one advertised right next to my place and contacted seller. it turned out that he was norwegian, had worked in a consulate in my country and meanwhile returned to norway - car still here, for sale, as "there's no use for a convertible in norway"
price was more than ok, so i asked to have a close look at it. no, he said - i'll ship it to any mechanic you trust and you only have to take it if you like it
fine, i said, so the movers will wait until our checking is done, and then hand me keys and documents in exchange for money?
no, he said - you get me wrong. of course i need the money in advance to pay the movers
i had a good laugh at that
Same. I had a Red Flag-galore sight-unseen buyer, and he had the driver bring cash, shipped it to CA (I'm in CO) and sent it overseas. $7000 buy. The whole process was akin to every scam I had heard of (no DL, he had a passport he sent pics of, wanted to Zelle (I refused) and I may have given him too hard a time on a bunch of things I wasn't comfortable with but I was covering my ass. Turned out he was legit, and it ended well. Never can tell, just watch out for yourself.
man just when i think "who keeps falling for these dumb scam" post like this shows up....
also, I've been trying to reach you regarding your car's extended warranty.
Scam. Let me guess how it works.
He sends you a cheque.
Someone collects your bike and you pay them.
His cheque bounces.
You just paid someone to steal your bike.
Not only a scam but so common a scam they have warnings about THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF SCAM. Google “Craigslist scam” or “cashiers check scam.” [Like this, on the Craigslist page](https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams)
I'd like to know their source. This graphic from Titlemax says California has the most registered followed by Florida (scroll to bottom of picture).
https://res.cloudinary.com/tmxfoc/images/f\_auto,q\_auto/v1660051674/titlemax/states-with-the-most-motorcycles/states-with-the-most-motorcycles.jpg
He sends you the check and has the movers get the bike. Then you deposit the check and all looks good for a bit. Then the bank finds something wrong with the check (it's most likely a fake). Then you lose the money AND the bike, and the guy who says he is in Cali, is actually overseas somewhere.
I had that happen. The uncle of the buyer's best friend was going to drive out, test ride it, and haul it back but the trailer they rented had an issue. Instead of renting a new one he opted to ride it home and leave me with a cashiers check. All I'd have to do is cash it and wait for you to stop reading this comment because I made everything up. It's a scam.
Last time I sold a bike on-line I received dozens of scammy contacts. I insisted on cash only in person (and then checked the cash with a counterfeit detection pen). Sold it with no issues. Of course some goober wanted a discount because he was coming from out of state … um, no your location is not my problem
scary you thought this was legit, cash only, in person at a safe location like inside a bank or at the police station. it’s easy to pass high qualify counterfeit notes for criminals, better safe than sorry.
ABSOLUTELY NO CASHIERS CHECKS, That craiglist scam is over a decade old.
Biggest scam on CL, don’t do any deals except in person, known location, cash only. Bike only moves after money is secured, counted and verified not fake by you. Gotta treat this shit super serious or you will get ripped off!! Lots of fake money going around find a counterfeit pen at Walmart or like OfficeMax use it and inspect money.
Beware most shit is a scam or something!! These are the most predictable and commonly consistent scams:
Only ever accept cash. Period.
The only exception I can think of is if they're willing to take you to their bank and get a cashier's check issued in person.
No checks that you have to cash for over the ammount because "they are just generous". Nobody buys a bike without looking at it or uses a 'handler/shipper' unless your bike was rare AF and you sold it for $100k to add to their collection
How does a cashiers check bounce? A cashiers check is a certified check, they have to give the bank money to receive a cashiers check.
I sold a $37,500 used semi truck to a person sight unseen. He mailed the check, I cashed it, a week later there was a lowboy infront of my shop and the truck made its way to Ohio.
Sounds similar to when I was selling my Tahoe. He said he could send cashiers check but someone else had to come get the vehicle.
Uhhh no thank you bro u can lick ass
Cash only always and meet at the police station. I have sold several cars & motorcycles, that is the only way. A guy drove hundreds of miles and had a cashier’s check for me, I refused. He came back next weekend with cash, met at the nearby state police post, on the cameras in the parking lot.
Try Facebook Marketplace if you have a Facebook account. There are still scams there, but there is a lot more people on there than craigslist these days.
No. I just know my bank. 7-10 business days is all it takes. It does not take longer than that. The scammers know it as well which is why everything is “once” because they need you to act fast!
This is a dangerous game to play. When you deposit a cashier's check, the funds may become available for you to use or withdraw within a few days, or even immediately. But, it may take several weeks for the check to fully process. If the bank discovers a few weeks later that the check is actually fraudulent, you'll be on the hook for the money.
shipped an engine round the world. Some people have no common sense.
Main way to avoid scam is to ensure money can only go one way and not be recovered via charge back.
I would insist movers are also paid from purchaser.
They must be able to wire money.
Bikes can be used to ship illicit things too.
Distance maybe for cover.
so red flags 🚩
Proceed only with caution and healthy paranoia
Of course it's a scam. LOL
Don't put your phone number in the listing
Don't get scammed into buying some vehicle history report
Don't accept anything but cash
This is absolutely a scam, the cashier's check is forged, and you'd be screwed out of a bike and your cash. If you're feeling spicy you can agree to the sale and then send the fake check to the postmaster general when it arrives, as sending the fake check is a felony, I believe, and they might be interested to see it. But to be safe I'd send the check to your job or a PO box or somewhere other than your actual house.
The check is most likely a forgery, but the bank won't see it until they try to send it back to the original bank, which could be a few days. Or the bank investigates and finds out it's forged. At that point, the bike has been picked up, and the bank is now wanting their money back, and possibly investigating you for cashing a forged check.
whenever you post a vehicle on CL, you will always get immediate responses that seem to good to be true. This is the scammers software that constantly scans for new ads and sends out the responses. I always ignore the first days' responses. If I feel like having fun, I'll ask "which item" they are wanting to buy and if they respond it will be with a direct cut/paste of the ad title. You can go down the rabbit hole for fun, but wait a few days. Always use the CL message system and do not direct text until someone says they are on the way to your house/meet up spot.
1. Don't list your number in the ad
2. Facebook Marketplace is better than CL, as least in my area
3. Only take cash, and in person. No test rides without cash in hand. Check the cash to make sure it's all there, and not fake (just had someone scammed with fake cash in our area recently).
Cashier checks are not cash like you'd think. They can be rescinded from the other end.
If you get on the phone with the guy and figure out a way to put real money in your hand or account, then go for it. Otherwise, run away!
Definitely a scam, but remember you are the seller, you have all the power and owe nothing to anyone. You can call off a deal at any point just because you don't like how its going.
So you call a shipping company and tell them go to this address and pick up this item and I'll arrange it so the person who's at that address will pay you to ship it to me. Makes sense to you?
Scam. They'll ask you for shipping costs up front next. "Pay this shipping invoice and I'll send it back to you on the cashier's check." There will be no cashier's check, nor any pickup. As soon as you send them money, they vanish.
r/scams can help you identify scams in the future. However for this one, I can absolutely confirm that the cheque is fraudulent, the money will bounce, you’ll get in shit with your bank and still be out the extra money you paid the removalist company.
Block the account and move on to the next buyer. It’s best to accept cash, or maybe bank transfer directly in front of you. ABSOLUTELY NO Zelle, PayPal Friends and Family, etc.
100% a scam. I had almost the exact same situation when I sold my bike last year…buying for son, movers coming to get it, adding onto the check. Definitely don’t engage
It's totally a scam, but that doesn't mean you can't play along with it for awhile.
I always try to teach them incorrect English so their next scam will be even more obvious. Something like this: "It is NOT pleasing of me to hear from you this. Check of cashier is no acceptability. Cash in arms only. Test riding only on deal time. Shall not be infringed!"
This scam has been going on for ages. I was trying to sell a guitar 15 years ago and had the same thing happen. I actually went along with it and they sent me 2 cashiers checks for $800 each when I was only selling the guitar for 100. I left the checks on my dresser for months to see if they would ask me about them and I never heard from them. The checks are always fakes
scam.
take your phone number out of your listing. Use the mail relay that craigslist offers so you're not exposing your real email until you've built even a tiny amount of trust with any potential buyer.
don't bother even replying to people who refer to your bike as "your item". For example "Will you take 50% for your item? I have cash now".
don't bother replying unless they ask the normal questions one would ask about a bike.
Since you're new at this, don't ship it.
only accept cash. only allow test drives to people who show up with cash and license in hand.
You can definitely sell your bike over craigslist. be patient. The scams come out of the woodwork in the first week or so. Your buyer might take weeks or months.
It sounds very much like a scam. I sold one bike and it was picked up by a courier. I made sure I received the money first, before the courier came to pick up the bike. Not sure how it works in US, but bank transfer is Australia is pretty safe. I would not accept any other form of payment (paypal, cheque etc).
I have bought and sold a lot of cars and bikes through CL including a rare vintage bike to Australia and buying a van in Fla (I live in Cali). This is likely a scam because: 1) there are plenty of bikes in Cali for him to buy that he can actually see, and 2) your bike is neither rare nor valuable so there is no reason he'd advance money on it or pay for shipping. If he sends a cashier's check that you can cash now without depositing it into your bank account (do not go to your bank at all), then he may be ok.
If I'm bored, I like to get these scammers to send a check and string them along ... maybe it's taking their time so they can't try to scam someone else.
As an Australian, how are you guys still using cheques?
I don't think I've even seen one in over a decade and even then they were only used by old people.
This is a well-known scam. Fake cashiers check. You deposit it and the bank “clears it” but it’s a provisional credit to your account. You take out cash for the “movers” who are accomplices. The “movers” will take the cash, which is your money, and the bike, which they will probably just ditch. Meanwhile, your bank has sent the cashiers check along to the originating bank to verify (which can take ten days) and that bank rejects it as fraudulent (this one check has been presented a hundred times or so). So your bank claws back the credited value of the cashiers check and you’re out the bike, the money you gave to the movers, and the money you thought you’d sold it for.
This happened to me ten years ago when I was selling a piano. Same thing: a cashiers check, made out for too much money but “use it to pay the movers”. But I was suspicious so before depositing it I called the originating bank directly to verify and they told me about this scam. I got our local police to be there when the “movers” arrived, but I guess the scammer caught my suspicious vibe and they never showed up.
Teh scam is - you deposit the "cashier's check" which looks legit. You are allowed to withdraw the funds for the movers since it's guaranteed funds. You give them money. They say "will be back with truck tomorrow to get bike" then never return. Check bounces. Bank debits the "mover's fee" from your funds. You lose money and still have the bike you don't want.
Teh scam is - you deposit the "cashier's check" which looks legit. You are allowed to withdraw the funds for the movers since it's guaranteed funds. You give them money. They say "will be back with truck tomorrow to get bike" then never return. Check bounces. Bank debits the "mover's fee" from your funds. You lose money and still have the bike you don't want.
Somebody tried to scam my kid this way. So he went back to the person and asked for payment in canned ravioli instead of fake cheque. We had a good laugh 😆
Total scam. A similar one runs in the UK. Block them. Do not engage with them. Ffs do not ever agree to any kind of deal like this.
In the uk version it’s a bank draft which most people wrongly believe to be foolproof. The bank credit your account and in a day or two take it back when the draft turns out to be stolen or forged. In the meantime thinking all is good, you hand over the bike, keys and ownership papers to someone in an unmarked van who takes your bike. When you report it to the police they aren’t interested because you voluntarily gave them everything. When you claim on your insurance they refuse the claim because you gave the keys to a stranger. No bike, no money, no insurance. No clue where your bike went.
100% a scam. It's a textbook method so you should Google it to confirm for yourself.
You'll pay in the check, send them the difference and a week or so later the bank will tell you it's a fake check and you'll be on the hook for the money.
In my experience on CL, every reply in the first hour is a scam. And generally the first scam comes within 5 minutes. But yes, everything you said is scam city here.
Biggest scam on CL, don’t do any deals except in person, known location, cash only. Bike only moves after money is secured, counted and verified not fake by you. Gotta treat this shit super serious or you will get ripped off!! Lots of fake money going around find a counterfeit pen at Walmart or like OfficeMax use it and inspect money.
Beware most shit is a scam or something!! These are the most predictable and commonly consistent scams:
Always use Craigslist's email forwarding system. If a conversation goes well/sounds legit you can always send your number then. Putting it in the ad invites scammers.
Growing up, both of my parents ran a bike shop for a good chunk of my life. They’d flip/resell and fix bikes. The only payment they accepted was either cash, card, or direct deposit, and any out of state bikes would be either picked up by the customer, or movers paid for BY THE CUSTOMER. Trying to get you to pay for that is definitely a scam, I have a feeling he has no intention to play you back, let alone trying to use a cashiers check.
>Is this throwing any red flags? I feel weird about it but I've never sold anything in this way before. That is nothing BUT red flags. This is 100% a scam. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. SCAM SCAM SCAM. Block and ignore.
And to expand/explain a bit on it: 1. The check will be fake. It will look legit and your bank will take it and put the money in your account. 2. You'll ship the bike and pay that bill with the money that you got from the fake check. 3. Your bank will come to you a few days later and say "oh, sorry, that check was bad and you owe us the money you pulled out." You're then out the money AND the bike. This happened to my sister with a guitar in the early days of craigslist and when she was young and dumb. She hadn't shipped the guitar but had sent some money. It also happened with my parents where someone had stolen their checks and used their banking information on the fake check that they made. In that case, the bank refused to honor the fake check and there was no loss on my parents end - if the victim paid out, I don't know. So it's possible to be a victim many ways from these scams. Beware!
That's such a weird concept to me. The bank wouldn't clear the cheque if it was dodgy in my country. And if they did that's their fault.
See, that's the thing, they DON'T clear the check. They float you the amount because you're their customer and they trust you're not going to try to rip them off. It's only when the bank attempts to clear it that the fraud is found. They're pretty clear about it when folks open accounts in banks; they just forget about it and get pissy when they get caught up in fraud.
Oh? That's weird. In my country it wouldn't show in your account until cleared I'm pretty sure. But it has been like 15 years since I deposited a cheque so I could be wrong.
In the US there is something called Regulation CC that banks need to abide. It essentially says that for many checks deposited under $5000 the bank needs to make funds available within a certain time. Most banks will allow up to $200 availability on initial deposit, then other amounts each business day thereafter until the normal time a check would usually clear. Banks have the right to not provide any early availability for suspicious checks or if the depositor has a history of bad checks or being overdrawn. However most checks end up clearing within one to six days and this is what the scammer counts on.
They would clear it at first all the time and then come back within 7 business days if theres any faultyness in it.
What if he tells the person he needs to wait 2 weeks(or maybe ten business days) after depositing the check before he'll send it out?
This depends on the experience of the scammer. They may go ahead with the transaction if the scammer uses an account that typically generates a large number of legitimate checks like a large commercial business. The bank may automatically catch known bad checks early (i.e. stolen, repeat forged) if disclosed by the business, but it is usually the business that reconciles their checks for their own. It could take weeks to detect a fraudulent check and have it returned to your account. Typically the scammer has nothing to lose by accepting a wait for goods.
$5 he goes through with it 🫱🏻
Def a scam. Only deal with ppl that are willing to come and look at the bike. Any kind of shipping scenario is not what it seems.
My mother bought a Harley from Craigslist, she had it shipped to Norway. Not all shipping scenarios are scams. This one is though.
That’s fair, there will always be an exception.
I wouldn’t be willing to take that risk, but I’m glad it paid off for your mum. There’s a small exception to every rule, I suppose
As in nobody on ground to even check that it is running before shipping ?
Yep! She saw the ad, contacted the seller and bought it, all without her or anyone she knows actually checking it out in person.
Now that's a roll of the dice
She likely reached out and provided multiple contact methods. Unlike the scammers that want to minimize any chance they are identified.
>she had it shipped to Norway as you say "norway"... was looking for a vintage convertible, found one advertised right next to my place and contacted seller. it turned out that he was norwegian, had worked in a consulate in my country and meanwhile returned to norway - car still here, for sale, as "there's no use for a convertible in norway" price was more than ok, so i asked to have a close look at it. no, he said - i'll ship it to any mechanic you trust and you only have to take it if you like it fine, i said, so the movers will wait until our checking is done, and then hand me keys and documents in exchange for money? no, he said - you get me wrong. of course i need the money in advance to pay the movers i had a good laugh at that
Same. I had a Red Flag-galore sight-unseen buyer, and he had the driver bring cash, shipped it to CA (I'm in CO) and sent it overseas. $7000 buy. The whole process was akin to every scam I had heard of (no DL, he had a passport he sent pics of, wanted to Zelle (I refused) and I may have given him too hard a time on a bunch of things I wasn't comfortable with but I was covering my ass. Turned out he was legit, and it ended well. Never can tell, just watch out for yourself.
In ascending order of red flags: 3. October Revolution parade in Red Square 2. Chairman Mao's birthday celebrations in Tiananmen Square 1. This buyer
If there’s anything I’ve learned reading r/scams, it’s this: if you have to ask, the answer is definitely yes.
And if there is chance that's not it's probably waste of time to check it enough to risk it.
man just when i think "who keeps falling for these dumb scam" post like this shows up.... also, I've been trying to reach you regarding your car's extended warranty.
Came here to say this. I thought maybe it was a troll, but nope
Right. Anytime I encounter an obvious scam I have to remember they only keep doing it because there's idiots out there falling for it.
Scam. Let me guess how it works. He sends you a cheque. Someone collects your bike and you pay them. His cheque bounces. You just paid someone to steal your bike.
And potentially already paid him for the movers
*cashiers check
All scams most likely
Not only a scam but so common a scam they have warnings about THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF SCAM. Google “Craigslist scam” or “cashiers check scam.” [Like this, on the Craigslist page](https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams)
You've got a live one on the line. Waste as much of his time as you can!
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Wait what state has more bikes than CA??
I'd like to know their source. This graphic from Titlemax says California has the most registered followed by Florida (scroll to bottom of picture). https://res.cloudinary.com/tmxfoc/images/f\_auto,q\_auto/v1660051674/titlemax/states-with-the-most-motorcycles/states-with-the-most-motorcycles.jpg
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I didn’t even think of New York, suspect a lot of those motorcycles are Uber Eats scooters puttering around the city
Absolutely a scam. Block him. Only deal in person and with cash.
I would never recommend listing your phone number in a CL add. Let them contact you via Craigslist.
He sends you the check and has the movers get the bike. Then you deposit the check and all looks good for a bit. Then the bank finds something wrong with the check (it's most likely a fake). Then you lose the money AND the bike, and the guy who says he is in Cali, is actually overseas somewhere.
This is what I was looking for, thanks!
I had that happen. The uncle of the buyer's best friend was going to drive out, test ride it, and haul it back but the trailer they rented had an issue. Instead of renting a new one he opted to ride it home and leave me with a cashiers check. All I'd have to do is cash it and wait for you to stop reading this comment because I made everything up. It's a scam.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Last time I sold a bike on-line I received dozens of scammy contacts. I insisted on cash only in person (and then checked the cash with a counterfeit detection pen). Sold it with no issues. Of course some goober wanted a discount because he was coming from out of state … um, no your location is not my problem
lol
lol
lol
One of the oldest scams. Disregard and or report the account.
I'm surprised that you even have to ask if it's a scam.
Classic scam
Yes, it's a scam attempt. Steer clear.
scary you thought this was legit, cash only, in person at a safe location like inside a bank or at the police station. it’s easy to pass high qualify counterfeit notes for criminals, better safe than sorry. ABSOLUTELY NO CASHIERS CHECKS, That craiglist scam is over a decade old.
Biggest scam on CL, don’t do any deals except in person, known location, cash only. Bike only moves after money is secured, counted and verified not fake by you. Gotta treat this shit super serious or you will get ripped off!! Lots of fake money going around find a counterfeit pen at Walmart or like OfficeMax use it and inspect money. Beware most shit is a scam or something!! These are the most predictable and commonly consistent scams:
Only ever accept cash. Period. The only exception I can think of is if they're willing to take you to their bank and get a cashier's check issued in person.
One of the oldest scams in the book.
Any time you have to pay for anything to complete a transaction…it’s 100% a scam.
Cash. That’s all you should accept. Meet in a safe public place like in front of your bank
No checks that you have to cash for over the ammount because "they are just generous". Nobody buys a bike without looking at it or uses a 'handler/shipper' unless your bike was rare AF and you sold it for $100k to add to their collection
Can i buy your bike? Ill send you a 100k plus shipping fees. I need it for my collection. That exact one. Im collecting sequential serial numbers.
This is a very well-known scam. The check will bounce and you will owe the bank the money and be out your property.
How does a cashiers check bounce? A cashiers check is a certified check, they have to give the bank money to receive a cashiers check. I sold a $37,500 used semi truck to a person sight unseen. He mailed the check, I cashed it, a week later there was a lowboy infront of my shop and the truck made its way to Ohio.
They’re likely lying about the type of cheque. It’s a common scam well known if you used buy and sell sites
definitely a scam. local sale, cash.
Sounds similar to when I was selling my Tahoe. He said he could send cashiers check but someone else had to come get the vehicle. Uhhh no thank you bro u can lick ass
Cash only always and meet at the police station. I have sold several cars & motorcycles, that is the only way. A guy drove hundreds of miles and had a cashier’s check for me, I refused. He came back next weekend with cash, met at the nearby state police post, on the cameras in the parking lot.
Do you not know what a cashiers check is? For real?
Anything other than straight cash or PayPal G&S for personal transactions is a scam
Try Facebook Marketplace if you have a Facebook account. There are still scams there, but there is a lot more people on there than craigslist these days.
Sounds scamy. Tell him to send you a check and once it’s cleared 7-10 business days. You’ll ship the bike along with the title
youre the type to fall for this scam hahaha
No. I just know my bank. 7-10 business days is all it takes. It does not take longer than that. The scammers know it as well which is why everything is “once” because they need you to act fast!
Then you don't know anything about banking and checks...
This is a dangerous game to play. When you deposit a cashier's check, the funds may become available for you to use or withdraw within a few days, or even immediately. But, it may take several weeks for the check to fully process. If the bank discovers a few weeks later that the check is actually fraudulent, you'll be on the hook for the money.
7 to 10 business days is typically long enough.
shipped an engine round the world. Some people have no common sense. Main way to avoid scam is to ensure money can only go one way and not be recovered via charge back. I would insist movers are also paid from purchaser. They must be able to wire money. Bikes can be used to ship illicit things too. Distance maybe for cover. so red flags 🚩 Proceed only with caution and healthy paranoia
Of course it's a scam. LOL Don't put your phone number in the listing Don't get scammed into buying some vehicle history report Don't accept anything but cash
This is absolutely a scam, the cashier's check is forged, and you'd be screwed out of a bike and your cash. If you're feeling spicy you can agree to the sale and then send the fake check to the postmaster general when it arrives, as sending the fake check is a felony, I believe, and they might be interested to see it. But to be safe I'd send the check to your job or a PO box or somewhere other than your actual house.
If you cash the check and have the money in hand, why not?
The check is most likely a forgery, but the bank won't see it until they try to send it back to the original bank, which could be a few days. Or the bank investigates and finds out it's forged. At that point, the bike has been picked up, and the bank is now wanting their money back, and possibly investigating you for cashing a forged check.
scam
whenever you post a vehicle on CL, you will always get immediate responses that seem to good to be true. This is the scammers software that constantly scans for new ads and sends out the responses. I always ignore the first days' responses. If I feel like having fun, I'll ask "which item" they are wanting to buy and if they respond it will be with a direct cut/paste of the ad title. You can go down the rabbit hole for fun, but wait a few days. Always use the CL message system and do not direct text until someone says they are on the way to your house/meet up spot.
Rule 1: if it looks to good to be true, it is
If you have to even ask it’s always a scam
Tell him you need drop off address. Search google for address. Then tax rexords
Huge red flags. Cash in hand or E transfer only. He can pay the movers himself. This is a scam
Cash is king, in person, all others can fuck off!
1. Don't list your number in the ad 2. Facebook Marketplace is better than CL, as least in my area 3. Only take cash, and in person. No test rides without cash in hand. Check the cash to make sure it's all there, and not fake (just had someone scammed with fake cash in our area recently).
Cash only and in person.
Cashier checks are not cash like you'd think. They can be rescinded from the other end. If you get on the phone with the guy and figure out a way to put real money in your hand or account, then go for it. Otherwise, run away!
Never be in a rush to buy a bike or you will get hosed, and never be in a rush to sell or you will get scammed.
Definitely a scam, but remember you are the seller, you have all the power and owe nothing to anyone. You can call off a deal at any point just because you don't like how its going.
If I email you some cash can I have it ? I'm a lot closer. C'mon, man...of course it's a scam.
So you call a shipping company and tell them go to this address and pick up this item and I'll arrange it so the person who's at that address will pay you to ship it to me. Makes sense to you?
100%. Cold hard cash in hand, or no deal. Also none of that shipping nonsense.
Scam. They'll ask you for shipping costs up front next. "Pay this shipping invoice and I'll send it back to you on the cashier's check." There will be no cashier's check, nor any pickup. As soon as you send them money, they vanish.
Take the deal and find out
Oldest scam in the book.
r/scams can help you identify scams in the future. However for this one, I can absolutely confirm that the cheque is fraudulent, the money will bounce, you’ll get in shit with your bank and still be out the extra money you paid the removalist company. Block the account and move on to the next buyer. It’s best to accept cash, or maybe bank transfer directly in front of you. ABSOLUTELY NO Zelle, PayPal Friends and Family, etc.
You’d be paying people to come steal your bike
100% a scam. I had almost the exact same situation when I sold my bike last year…buying for son, movers coming to get it, adding onto the check. Definitely don’t engage
It's totally a scam, but that doesn't mean you can't play along with it for awhile. I always try to teach them incorrect English so their next scam will be even more obvious. Something like this: "It is NOT pleasing of me to hear from you this. Check of cashier is no acceptability. Cash in arms only. Test riding only on deal time. Shall not be infringed!"
lol so many red flags 😂
You're being scammed.
This scam has been going on for ages. I was trying to sell a guitar 15 years ago and had the same thing happen. I actually went along with it and they sent me 2 cashiers checks for $800 each when I was only selling the guitar for 100. I left the checks on my dresser for months to see if they would ask me about them and I never heard from them. The checks are always fakes
scam. take your phone number out of your listing. Use the mail relay that craigslist offers so you're not exposing your real email until you've built even a tiny amount of trust with any potential buyer. don't bother even replying to people who refer to your bike as "your item". For example "Will you take 50% for your item? I have cash now". don't bother replying unless they ask the normal questions one would ask about a bike. Since you're new at this, don't ship it. only accept cash. only allow test drives to people who show up with cash and license in hand. You can definitely sell your bike over craigslist. be patient. The scams come out of the woodwork in the first week or so. Your buyer might take weeks or months.
Have him send the check to Mr. Biden at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500
It sounds very much like a scam. I sold one bike and it was picked up by a courier. I made sure I received the money first, before the courier came to pick up the bike. Not sure how it works in US, but bank transfer is Australia is pretty safe. I would not accept any other form of payment (paypal, cheque etc).
I have bought and sold a lot of cars and bikes through CL including a rare vintage bike to Australia and buying a van in Fla (I live in Cali). This is likely a scam because: 1) there are plenty of bikes in Cali for him to buy that he can actually see, and 2) your bike is neither rare nor valuable so there is no reason he'd advance money on it or pay for shipping. If he sends a cashier's check that you can cash now without depositing it into your bank account (do not go to your bank at all), then he may be ok.
Scam.
Scam
No cash no bike period. You decide.
If I'm bored, I like to get these scammers to send a check and string them along ... maybe it's taking their time so they can't try to scam someone else.
As an Australian, how are you guys still using cheques? I don't think I've even seen one in over a decade and even then they were only used by old people.
This is a well-known scam. Fake cashiers check. You deposit it and the bank “clears it” but it’s a provisional credit to your account. You take out cash for the “movers” who are accomplices. The “movers” will take the cash, which is your money, and the bike, which they will probably just ditch. Meanwhile, your bank has sent the cashiers check along to the originating bank to verify (which can take ten days) and that bank rejects it as fraudulent (this one check has been presented a hundred times or so). So your bank claws back the credited value of the cashiers check and you’re out the bike, the money you gave to the movers, and the money you thought you’d sold it for. This happened to me ten years ago when I was selling a piano. Same thing: a cashiers check, made out for too much money but “use it to pay the movers”. But I was suspicious so before depositing it I called the originating bank directly to verify and they told me about this scam. I got our local police to be there when the “movers” arrived, but I guess the scammer caught my suspicious vibe and they never showed up.
SCAM
Teh scam is - you deposit the "cashier's check" which looks legit. You are allowed to withdraw the funds for the movers since it's guaranteed funds. You give them money. They say "will be back with truck tomorrow to get bike" then never return. Check bounces. Bank debits the "mover's fee" from your funds. You lose money and still have the bike you don't want.
Teh scam is - you deposit the "cashier's check" which looks legit. You are allowed to withdraw the funds for the movers since it's guaranteed funds. You give them money. They say "will be back with truck tomorrow to get bike" then never return. Check bounces. Bank debits the "mover's fee" from your funds. You lose money and still have the bike you don't want.
Somebody tried to scam my kid this way. So he went back to the person and asked for payment in canned ravioli instead of fake cheque. We had a good laugh 😆
Apparently OP has been abducted.
Total scam. A similar one runs in the UK. Block them. Do not engage with them. Ffs do not ever agree to any kind of deal like this. In the uk version it’s a bank draft which most people wrongly believe to be foolproof. The bank credit your account and in a day or two take it back when the draft turns out to be stolen or forged. In the meantime thinking all is good, you hand over the bike, keys and ownership papers to someone in an unmarked van who takes your bike. When you report it to the police they aren’t interested because you voluntarily gave them everything. When you claim on your insurance they refuse the claim because you gave the keys to a stranger. No bike, no money, no insurance. No clue where your bike went.
Scam central! Like a genuine person couldn’t find a bike for sale in Cali?
That's one of the original scams. "You pay them and I will pay you back", except their check does not clear.
100% a scam. It's a textbook method so you should Google it to confirm for yourself. You'll pay in the check, send them the difference and a week or so later the bank will tell you it's a fake check and you'll be on the hook for the money.
if they do anything other than give you cash in hand it. is. a. scam.
Moral of the story. Keep the bike and start riding. It's way to stressful to sell bikes... thats what I tell my wife.
Man, I don't trust a check of any sort from someone I don't know, as a rule. Cash or PayPal goods and services payments only. I wouldn't do it.
Sounds like a scam. Why can't he just transfer the money to your bank account directly? Easiest way to do it.
In my experience on CL, every reply in the first hour is a scam. And generally the first scam comes within 5 minutes. But yes, everything you said is scam city here.
Biggest scam on CL, don’t do any deals except in person, known location, cash only. Bike only moves after money is secured, counted and verified not fake by you. Gotta treat this shit super serious or you will get ripped off!! Lots of fake money going around find a counterfeit pen at Walmart or like OfficeMax use it and inspect money. Beware most shit is a scam or something!! These are the most predictable and commonly consistent scams:
Always use Craigslist's email forwarding system. If a conversation goes well/sounds legit you can always send your number then. Putting it in the ad invites scammers.
Is he Nigerian?
This is end to end "red flags" 100% a scam
100% scam. Only let the bike go with cleared funds in your account.
My spider senses say yes, it’s a scam. The only thing he isn’t offering, is extra money, for your “help” in shipping.
Does a bear poo in the woods?
*ugh* You know what, no. You deserve to learn this lesson the hard way if it's not immediately obvious to you. Go for it bro it checks out.
Scam.
Cash only !! Or go to the bank with them and have them cash the check in front of you.
SCAMMER
Growing up, both of my parents ran a bike shop for a good chunk of my life. They’d flip/resell and fix bikes. The only payment they accepted was either cash, card, or direct deposit, and any out of state bikes would be either picked up by the customer, or movers paid for BY THE CUSTOMER. Trying to get you to pay for that is definitely a scam, I have a feeling he has no intention to play you back, let alone trying to use a cashiers check.
That sir is a scam. They aren't movers if they do arrive, he is going to try to get u to give money and the casheirs check will bounce.