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Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:23 pm  |
| Has anybody bought items off of craigslist sucessfully? I want to buy an ipod, and the seller claims everything is legit, and I'd be paying via paypal and I suppose they would be sending the item to me, but I don't want to waste my time and money on a scam. I don't think I am protected under paypal for transactions that do not involve ebay. If it turns out to be a scam I could get my money back from the bank correct? or should I send a check and stop payment if I never receive it? |
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:52 pm |
If you are uneasy about a transaction...listen to your instinct! I ignored mine twice and got scammed both times...
You can dispute any paypal transaction...you aren't just limited to ebay transactions. But paypal is a B*TCH to get your money back from. And I don't know if the bank will just refund it (your account is tied to a bank account I'm assuming...a credit card company would be easier...) if you don't get the merchandise. I had a super hard time getting money back when someone cashed a check that WAS NOT For them!
I would not send a check...that gives a perfect stranger your account number and routing number.
No way...you should send a money order if you go that route, but I don't know if you can "stop payment" on that. What if they cash it right away and then don't send the merchandise? You can't get your money back from them at that point...
How much are you actually saving on this ipod...is it worth not saving up and buying a new one direct from a store? |
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32, Fair Skin, combo/break-out prone. Simple routine of REN No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm and Argan oil as a moisturizer; Clarisonic when needed. That's it! |
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havana8
Moderator
 
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 3449
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:11 pm |
we have recently sold many items on craigslist but have not purchased anything ourselves. the people who came to pick up the items were respectable and very nice to deal with. i have, however, seen quite a few scams on CL's from both the selling and renting side of the website...  it could be due to my inexperience in the buyer's shoes, but i would be very careful with buying items that you are not going to physically pick up yourself. also, make sure you read the "avoiding scams & fraud on craigslist" section of the website. it prevented my sister from almost getting sucked into one of the scams described on that link. I'm with ParisTroika: listen to your instinct!! |
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:15 pm |
You really should ask yourself.. "Why are they not selling this on ebay?" I mean ebay fees aren't that bad... I would be weary of it. I sell ipods on ebay and wouldn't on craigslist. From a seller's standpoint.. if I'm going to be mailing the ipod anyway, there's no reason to go with craigslist. Only reason I can think of would be its a scam.. however this person might have a different situation.. I'm just saying. And yes, go with your instinct. I've bought things on craigslist, no problem.. but never sold anything on it. I go with ebay all the way.  |
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24 years old...Please click to Fund Food for Animals at the AnimalRescueSite! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 |
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havana8
Moderator
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 3449
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:27 pm |
| PhoebesMeow wrote: |
| You really should ask yourself.. "Why are they not selling this on ebay?" I mean ebay fees aren't that bad... I would be weary of it. I sell ipods on ebay and wouldn't on craigslist. From a seller's standpoint.. if I'm going to be mailing the ipod anyway, there's no reason to go with craigslist. Only reason I can think of would be its a scam.. however this person might have a different situation.. I'm just saying. And yes, go with your instinct. I've bought things on craigslist, no problem.. but never sold anything on it. I go with ebay all the way. |
I'm not sure what this means? Our only eBay purchase was the BabyQ. Other than, we've never sold on eBay and only recently tried selling on craigslist as it was mentioned on the local news in our area. For us, it was simply a matter of unloading items that we weren't using versus putting on a full-out garage sale. Everything we listed within a 7 day period sold within two hours of the listing and was picked up by the buyers at their convenience. In one case, the woman did not have a car and so we dropped it off. Is that how eBay works? Is the difference between the CL and eBay that vast? |
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:31 pm |
Coconut, what enabled paypal to appear and evolve into what it is is eBay's feedback system. Think of this stranger as having zero feedback and your transaction is insured/guaranteed for $0.00, because it's not on eBay! Craig's List warns its users away from the kind of transaction you are describing.
Invest in a buy-it-now ipod with a waranty and save yourself the uncertainty. |
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:54 pm |
Hi Coconut,
I would only buy something locally from craigslist where you can go and pick up the item and exchange the money vs goods at the same time. Craigslist is not regulated like ebay where you can check the seller's feedback, and craigslist is not responsible for anything if you got scammed. At least on ebay if you paid with paypal, you are protected by paypal if your transaction was fraudulent.
I sold on craigslist before, and both times people called me and came to buy the things from my house.
ETA: Also if you pick it up in person, you can test the item right there and not buy it if it doesn't work well. |
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Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:36 pm |
| Thanks for all the replies! I certainly will not send the check now. I'm beginning to think that this is a scam. This price is too good ($75 for a nano that is supposedly brand new) Somebody told me it might be stolen, I asked them and they said it was all legit. They are claiming they are out of town at the moment so they would like to send it to me. I told them if they wanted to proceed with the transaction, they could sent it to me first with tracking, and once I got the tracking number I would pay via paypal. Though, that still doesn't guarantee I won't receive an empty box (saw that on peoples court once) or that it won't be defective. |
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:27 am |
| Can someone tell me what craigslist is? I nearly bought an iPOD in the States recently but at $199 why are they so much more expensive than MP3 players? I know they can hold a lot of songs but why would it be better than a £35 MP3 player? |
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:50 am |
craiglist is a centralized network where people can advertise their goods for free...but it is not regulated.
I have an ipod...I think it was worth the money I spent on it. Apple "owns" (not literally...) the market when it comes to these players...I can put videos on mine, photos, etc. My husband and I share it. We have Macs at home so I bought it based on my experience with the brand name...but I have friends that have other types of MP3 players.
Most of my friends have ipods as well...I really want a shuffle to go running/hooping with. My mum has a nano.
that said...I'd never buy a used one. Like any computer, you don't know how they used it. If they kept using it until the battery died (bad for ipod!) the battery could be almost worthless...to the point you always have to have it plugged in...did they ever drop it? If they did the hardware/software could be screwed up or could be more easily broken. Did they ever unplug it from the computer when the screen read "do not unplug"? Sounds silly but there's a reason you aren't supposed to just rip it out of your computer.
Naw...I'd just save up and buy a brand new one with no "history of ownership." |
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32, Fair Skin, combo/break-out prone. Simple routine of REN No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm and Argan oil as a moisturizer; Clarisonic when needed. That's it! |
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:25 am |
| alibabka wrote: |
Coconut, what enabled paypal to appear and evolve into what it is is eBay's feedback system. Think of this stranger as having zero feedback and your transaction is insured/guaranteed for $0.00, because it's not on eBay! Craig's List warns its users away from the kind of transaction you are describing.
Invest in a buy-it-now ipod with a waranty and save yourself the uncertainty. |
No.. see what I meant was on ebay, generally and most of the time, sellers ship off the items.. you mentioned people picked up your items or you dropped them off.. You didn't mail anything.
Mailing something like an ipod on craigslist still seems fishy to me
I sell brand new ipods on ebay... that's the way to go in my opinion. |
_________________
24 years old...Please click to Fund Food for Animals at the AnimalRescueSite! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 |
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:40 am |
| I'm not quite sure what you are saying, but we are both in agreement that she is better off not risking going ahead with this deal, but instead looking to a store or eBay. |
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:11 pm |
| alibabka wrote: |
| I'm not quite sure what you are saying, but we are both in agreement that she is better off not risking going ahead with this deal, but instead looking to a store or eBay. |
I'm just trying to say Craigslist is okay for picking up and dropping off items but when it comes to shipping them, you need protection so ebay is the way to go. |
_________________
24 years old...Please click to Fund Food for Animals at the AnimalRescueSite! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 |
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Caspers Mum
Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 1694
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Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:55 pm |
| I'v enever bought anything from C.L., but I recently sold my ergonomic steno. chair. I received a lot of responses/offers, but sold it to a girl who (ironically) lived down the street. |
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Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:12 pm |
| I use both CL and Ebay. I mainly Sell items on Craigslist and have Great success. I have never bought anything their or shipping things out, although I have had requests to do so and I just decline. To risky. I do buy and sell on E-Bay. It is a wonderful site, you can check out postings about what type of seller they are, and E-Bay backs the people that sell things their. Many of the people who sell the electronics, have stores (You can check that out too) and are just using E-Bay as another source to sell. I say go for it. |
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39 Year "young" female, Using PTR glycolic cleanser and Finacea with success! Passion for living and love Sunny Days/Beaches and The Ocean |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:24 am |
| I've bought items off of CL, but mostly tickets to events so I actually met up with them in a public place and made the transaction with cash. Not sure if I'd do it with an Ipod, wondering if you've looked on Ebay. The CL listing must be a really good buy then I'm assuming. Although paypal does offer some protection just be a little careful. I'd ask for pics and other info before going through. |
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26, combination skin with oily t-zone |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:41 am |
I have used Craig's List successfully once.
BUT, I saw something on the Today Show yesterday morning that makes me worry heavily about Craig's List.
Someone listed a home as being sold and the people were moving out. The add said EVERYTHING in the house was for FREE, just come and take it out and haul it home!
The Today Show showed pictures inside of the home and EVERYTHING was GONE and the home was ransacked, with graffitti and holes in the walls. The sinks and counters were torn out, windows broken...
THE PROBLEM?? The OWNERS of the home DID NOT post this add!!! They were on vacation and someone else posted it!!!! Their home was totally ransacked and everything was stolen due to a FALSE ADD ON CRAIG'S LIST, which as you know is NOT REGULATED!!
Now THAT scares me....
John |
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President and Chief Formulator for "Never Over The Hill Cosmetics" |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:18 am |
yea, I saw that too John. Holey be-jeezus. It scared the life out of me. To think.. well, I mean.. really what kind of person would go and do that to a house even if there was an "ad" telling them to?!
As for your i-pod.. go with Ebay or hunt down a bargain through an online store. Unless buying second hand stuff I would never even consider looking at CL (and to be honest, I never have)
But I buy/sell through classifieds here in Japan.. but never would I buy something "new" through it. |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 11:30 am |
| PhoebesMeow wrote: |
| alibabka wrote: |
| I'm not quite sure what you are saying, but we are both in agreement that she is better off not risking going ahead with this deal, but instead looking to a store or eBay. |
I'm just trying to say Craigslist is okay for picking up and dropping off items but when it comes to shipping them, you need protection so ebay is the way to go. |
Yes, I agree 100%!
That house story is awful. I remember a similar occurrence a few years ago where someone arranged to have his house demolished, only is wasn't really his house, it was someone else's, who was away. |
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Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:36 pm |
it's awefull!
i did not ever buy anything from this. |
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Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:03 am |
The story about the house sale was even on the news in the UK this morning..
Unbelievable !! |
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Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:49 am |
| My son buys and trades/sells things off of Craigslist all the time, but only local. He has sold TV's, a bowflex, washer and dryer, his old laptop, a big screen and traded a TV for a plasma I have bought a couple of things, like a slot machine and full-size arcade game for my game room, but again, all off of local. I have gone to their house, tried them out and took them home, paying or accepting only cash. No problems, but I wouldn't get into shipping anything. My son has had a couple of people want him to do that like with his bowflex, but he will not because he knows that isn't in his best interest. Keeping it local helps keep it honest along with meeting in public places (if possible), homes in an inhabited area or subdivision and not going by yourself. Paying cash also takes out the hot check and fake money order scams. It's not foolproof but easier than ebay for large items that involve shipping logistics. For small things, we buy off ebay all the time with no problems so far. Now my son did drive to San Antonio (45 min. away) to trade his Sony Playstation2 for a Nintendo Wii in a parking lot at Home Depot, no cash exchange. That was a little freaky to me, but he had several friends with him so he says he felt comfortable. Just exchanging two shopping bags in a parking lot. Glad I didn't know at the time. More grey hairs for me! |
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Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:20 pm |
Just wanted to add that we've been ripped off via eBay before - to the tune of $640AU from a seller with 100% feedback (that went waayyy down after a month or so - seller went bad and sold things that she didnt have and kept selling for a couple of months before buyers left negative feedback and reported her). It turned out to be a real scam, and even worse since she didnt accept paypal, and we paid bank deposit. Ebay refunded part of the money (just over half), and we learnt that not everyone can be trusted!
Moral of the story....even with your best intentions and precautions, there is always someone, somewhere who will rip you off!!    |
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