The next day I got an Urgent message that the assistant had sent the m.o. in the wrong amount to me. The m.o. that he had sent to me was meant for another person. So he wanted me to take the check when I received it and cash it and return the difference to him.

The first time I told him that I needed his name and address also so that I could ship the merchandise to him. He never gave it to me.

So I told him that I would not do that and if the check/m.o was not exactly as we had aggreed upon that the deal was off. Furthermore..the deal was off anyway.

I never heard from that one again. The next email was similar but slightly different. The vacation was the same and the assistant had sent the wrong m.o. amount and still wanted me to cash the check but this time the difference was supposed to be sent to a shipper who would come and pickup the merchandise. I have copies of all of the emails sent and recv’d. Now I don’t know what to do with them.

The last one,I asked him if it had already been sent and he said that it had by fedex. I told him that I would take care of it. So now, if I get such a check or m o I will take care of it alright. I will take it straight down to the local Sheriff dept. and let them handle it.
I still have 2 more items that he hasn’t “bought yet” I am looking forward to talking to this person more!! Oh yeah!!

Thanks for listening to my story…good luck out there!

Hello ,

I’m selling a beautiful, well maintained 2006 HONDA CIVIC LX because my platoon have been mobilized for deployment to Afghanistan. After we complete our training, we will deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The price is low because I need to sell it before 10 August. Paint shines, zero dings/dents,no accident. Non-smoker,always garaged and covered. It comes with all the documents needed for registration. The title is clear. It is gently used with only 14,531 miles and is ready for road trips or leisurely cruises to dinner!

I’m asking $2,990.00 this price includes door to door shipping, handling and insurance fees for shipping within the continental US. You will have 7 days for inspection and possibility for a refund policy. The vehicle is located in Suffolk, VA.

Please click here to view more pictures ( If the link doesn’t work,copy and paste it into a new browser page ) :

http://cid-dd96d1cb3ac09f1c.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Civic?uc=3

The transaction will be fully under eBay’s surveillance, I will post the car on eBay and I will give you the URL link to press ”buy it now” option .
Please get back to me if you’re interested in buying it.

SSG Ricky Lassiter
4th Combat Engineer Battalion
United States Marine Corps
One team, one fight

*****************************************************************

I have received your email regarding the 2004 Infiniti G35 with only 65,695 miles. The car is located in Houston, Texas at the shipping company. The car is in perfect condition,with no scratches on it,no damage, clear title. The engine is a V6 3.5 Liter. The transmission is automatic. The price for the car is $3,200 with shipping included.The car was my husband`s as he loved it very much, but he did not enjoy it as he died in Iraq 1 year ago. It brings very bad memories to me, I want to get rid of it.The buyer will receive the car with all papers and receipts that he needs to register it to his name.Shipping will be done whit DAS and it will take no more then 2-3 days. I have a friend there who will manage me a low price shipping and I assumed that it is my duty to pay for shipping it.It will be delivered directly to your address.Anyway, I have to let you know that I want a fast deal so if you are really interested in buying it,please reply with the following information’s:
-Your full name;
-Your shipping address.(street,city,state,zip code)
The transaction will close only through eBay so we both will be protected.
I want eBay because as they are the biggest company on the internet I think that we can close this deal fast and safe for both of us. Also I am not very familiar with the internet transactions and eBay is the only one I know.I will look for your email,so that we can move forward with this deal!
Let me know.
P.S I attached you some pictures with the car:
http://s1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/infinitig35_04/
Regards,
Monique

********************************************************************

I went back on craiglist to look at the posting again after receiving the email and the post had been removed…that made everything very suspicious….

——————————————————————————————————-

Hello,

You have to know that the 2006 Honda Accord EX/ Navigation System I am selling is 100% working and great looking, no flaws or dents, no scratches or any kind of damage. The title is clear. It has 35,340 miles. The VIN# is 1HGCM56886A007861.This vehicle engine runs very, very smooth. No electrical problems on this beauty. This detailed vehicle makes the exterior look like it just came off the assembly line.
As I know that my current situation is pretty special I want the deal closed only through eBay’s Buyer Protection Program in order for you to be 100% protected. You will make the payment to eBay and they will hold the money until you receive the car. ONLY AFTER you receive the car and inspect it (for 10 days) eBay will release the payment to me; in this way we are both protected. Anyway i am sure that if you won`t be satisfied with the car i will surely find another buyer in your area and there will be no need for you to ship the car back.
I am located in Madrid,Spain and I was sent here to improve the military relationships between our country and Spain. One month ago, my wife moved here with me and brought the car with her, but now we have to sell it back in the United States because In order to be able to register this car here, I would have to pay very high import/custom taxes. My final price on it is $ 2900. If you will take it for this price, I am willing to handle the shipping. It will be shipped from here by plane with US Air Military Cargo so it will not cost me anything. You will get it to the nearest airport in your area and then it will be trucked forward to your place. You will receive the car in about 4 days. Please get back to me asap if you decide to buy, and include in your e-mail your full name and address where you want it shipped so I can start the deal with eBay. You will receive all the transaction payment and shipping details from them.

Thank you and have a nice day, Gerardo

Lt. Gerardo Buyher
4th Combat Engineer Battalion
United States Marine Corps
One team, one fight

It seemed too good to be true, so I decided to google Col Rebecca Campbell and the AFB and this was the first site it brougth me to. Hmmm. Big disappointment to my 18 year old daughter, but at least we didn’t send any money. Thanks for all your work on this and to all those that shared their stories!

Below is my last correspondence with this person. They must have become wise to me because the e-mail was returned as “refused”.

My Response:

If you are truly interested in selling this, you will give me a call. XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thanks!

Sue

——————————————————————————–
From: Rebecca Campbell [mailto:campbellrebeca@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:04 PM
To: Sue
Subject: Re: Mazda 6i

Good afternoon,
Check the pictures and see that have 36k miles.
Thanks
–

Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group

On Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 08:41, Sue wrote:

Does it have 36,000 or 86,000 miles?

—–Original Message—–

From: “Rebecca Campbell”
Subj: Re: Mazda 6i
Date: Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:46 am
Size: 4K
To: “Sue

The car is already at the shipping company, crated and ready to go
from Tullahoma, TN. I had another customer who said it will buy and after I
made all the necessary arrangements in advance and paid for all shipping &
handling fees, changed his mind because didn’t have all the money. This is
why I need to ship it since all transportation charges have already been
paid by me. Shipping may take anywhere between 3 to 4 business days
depending on the destination. All documents you need for ownership, title,
manuals and bill of sale will be provided along with the car.
As I know that my current situation is pretty special I want the deal closed
only through eBay’s Buyer Protection Program. They will keep your money into
a protection account until you get the car and will release it to me ONLY
AFTER inspection period is over and you agree to keep the car. So, this is
not a blind transaction, you can physically see the car before committing to
buy and to eliminate any concerns you will have 5 days to inspect the car.
If you decide not to keep it eBay will refund you the money, no questions
asked, and shipping back will be my concern. I think this is more than fair
for both of us.
I’ll start the official procedure, and eBay will contact us about this in
less than 24 hrs.
If you are interested in buying it just mail me back with:
- Your Full Name – Required by eBay (You’ll receive important guidelines +
instructions from them.)
- Your Shipping Address and Phone Number – Required by the Shipping company
(They will call you with delivery/pickup instructions 1 day ahead so you can
communicate what time schedule work best for you to receive the car)
Again I want to point out that because I am going to Iraq this sale is my
top priority and I am after a fast transaction, with no delays. That is why
I decided to lower the price, to avoid wasting time with negotiations and
find a buyer as soon as possible.

Thanks, hope to do business with you soon!

–

Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
Tullahoma, TN
UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group
–

Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group

On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 07:30, Sue wrote:

> Why do the pictures say it has 36,000 miles?
>
>
> Sue
>
> >
>
> ——————————
> *From:* Rebecca Campbell [mailto:campbellrebeca@gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 25, 2010 9:09 AM
> *To:* Sue
> *Subject:* Re: Mazda 6i
>
> Hello,
> Thanks for your email. This 2001 MAZDA 6 SPORT SEDAN is in
> perfect condition, has only 84K miles and it runs and drives excellent. This
> car has been extremely well maintained and has a full service history. It
> has no leaks or drips and does not smoke at all. I am the first owner of
> this car with a clear title free of encumbrances, loans or liens.
> I have dropped my price to $2900 (purchase price), since this is an Urgent
> Sale! At the moment I’m stationed at Arnold Air Force Base(AFB), Tullahoma,
> TN making final preparations before deploying to Iraq. I want to point out
> that i will donate the money to the Haition people for reconstruction and
> food supllies. I decided to lower the price for avoiding wasting time with
> negotiations so I can help the Haitians ASAP. I hope you understand that my
> situation and I also hope you will help them, because people should help
> each other when in need. If you’re interested to conclude this purchase in a
> timely manner email me your Full Name and Shipping Address to open a case
> with eBay’s Buyer Protection Program and they will contact you to explain
> the entire procedure. The financial part will be managed by them, which
> means that you will have a 5 days inspection period before committing to buy
> the vehicle. This way we are both covered 100% during the steps of this
> transaction. Also let me know if you have any questions and I will give you
> further details about the steps of this deal.
>
> Copy the link below for more info & pics about the car and paste in your
> browser.
>
> http://2005mazda6i.page.tl/
>
> Hope to hear from you soon.
>
> –
>
> Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
> Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
> Tullahoma, TN
> UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group
>
>

Try to contact them again, maybe they will give your money back.

Thanks.

Item Description: 2005 MAZDA-6i SPORT SEDAN 1 Owner
Case ID: 93P801PV616Y
heading with the Ebay logo.

and instructions on how to handle the transaction:

Payment must be submitted via MoneyGram to an eBay Customer Support in charge of this transaction. The eBay Customer Support will secure the payment until the Buyer receives, inspects and accepts the vehicle. Or, if it will be the case, the Agent will refund the payment to the Buyer.

eBay Customer Support Agent*:

First Name: Steven
Last Name: Snyder
Address: 2589 Wood Valley

City: Atlanta

State: GA

Zip: 30344
Country: United States

*The MoneyGram transfer will be sent using this name and address.

Payment:
Invoice #4242666693
Total: $3,000.00

Shipping: $0.00
Sales Tax: $0.00
Deposit: $3,000.00
Remaining Balance: $0.00

It all looks and sounds legitimate. I am assuming these guys are too stupid to use different numbers for their ebay part so I've made a special point of posting them.

Now I just need to get another job so I can get a car. It was supposed to replace one that got totaled in December, and it was all the insurance money I had… I am such a fool! I hope this helps anyone else who even thinks about using Craigslist to buy a vehicle… Check it out!

Thank you so much,

Michael

My first email to them:

Hi, my name is April and I was contacting you in regards to the 2005 Mazda 6 you have posted for sale on Craig’s list. If the car is still for sale please contact me either by phone or email

Their response to me:

Hello,
Sorry to answer you so late, but I was on a training mission for the last 2 days. This 2005 MAZDA-6i SPORT SEDAN 1 Owner with 36422 miles runs and drives excellent. This car has been extremely well maintained with a full service history. It has no leaks or drips and does not smoke at all. I am the first owner of this car with a clear title free of encumbrances and liens.
I have dropped my price to $3300 (purchase price), since this is an Urgent Sale! At the moment I’m stationed at Arnold Air Force Base(AFB), Tullahoma, TN making final preparations before deploying to Iraq. If you’re interested to conclude this purchase in a timely manner email me your Full Name and Shipping Address to open a case with eBay’s Buyer Protection Program and they will contact you to explain the entire procedure. The financial part will be managed by them, which means that you will have a 5 days inspection period before committing to buy the car. In this way both, buyer and seller are 100% covered during the steps of this transaction.

Copy the link below for more info & pics about the car and paste in your browser.

2005mazda6i.page.tl

Hope to hear from you soon.

–

Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group

My 2nd response (remind you I was still unaware of the fact that this was a scam):

Rebecca,

Thank you for responding and yes I am very interested in buying this car but I do have a couple of questions. I found this car listed on Craigs List under Baton Rouge but I also noticed that you said you are stationed in Tennessee and I live in Louisiana so does this mean that the car would be shipped to me? Also, I am not asking for pity but my husband and I have two children and only one car and he works everyday at 6am and does not get home until after 6pm and I just filed my tax return today and am having it directly deposited into my bank account so I will not have the money for about 7-10 business days but I assure you that it is more than enough to pay for the car you are selling. However, if this is a problem please let me know and I will see about borrowing the money from my father in law. Thank you and I will hopefully hear from you soon.

Their response to me:

The car is already at the shipping company, crated and ready to go from Tullahoma, TN. I had another customer who said it will buy and after I made all the necessary arrangements in advance and paid for all shipping & handling fees, changed his mind because didn’t have all the money. This is why I need to ship it since all transportation charges have already been paid by me. Shipping may take anywhere between 3 to 4 business days depending on the destination. All documents you need for ownership, title, manuals and bill of sale will be provided along with the car.
As I know that my current situation is pretty special I want the deal closed only through eBay’s Buyer Protection Program. They will keep your money into a protection account until you get the car and will release it to me ONLY AFTER inspection period is over and you agree to keep the car. So, this is not a blind transaction, you can physically see the car before committing to buy and to eliminate any concerns you will have 5 days to inspect the car. If you decide not to keep it eBay will refund you the money, no questions asked, and shipping back will be my concern. I think this is more than fair for both of us.
The Transport Company will call you with delivery/pickup instructions 1 day ahead so you can communicate what time schedule work best for you to receive the car.
Again I want to point out that because I am going to Iraq this sale is my top priority and I am after a fast transaction, with no delays. That is why I decided to lower the price, to avoid wasting time with negotiations and find a buyer as soon as possible.

Thanks, hope to do business with you soon!

Col. (Dr.) Rebecca Campbell
Arnold Air Force Base(AFB)
Tullahoma, TN
UNIT: 704th Mission Support Group

My last response to them (after I found out it was a scam and before I sent any money):

Hi, this is April again and I just wanted to let you know that we will actually have the money because my husband is going to borrow it from his father because we didn’t want to pass this offer up so if you could please hold the car for a few more days we would really appreciate it. However, my husband also said that he doesn’t really trust giving the money over the internet especially when it is this amount so he has agreed that we will drive to Tennessee to make the purchase if the car will still be available this weekend. We will be able to come on Saturday so please let me know as soon as possible when you will be available to show us the car and if Saturday will work for you. Thank you so much, April