Craigslist Question

[Ronald Blue]

Those of you that use or browse Craigslist looking for that machine you never knew you needed until you saw it I have a question. I frequently search those same ads in case something is to good to pass up. It RARELY is but that's not the question. My question is do you avoid any ad that doesn't give a phone number as a contact method? One time I answered an email only ad and within hours I was getting bombarded with scam emails. And they never replied so I knew I had been had. So even when the deal looks legit when there is no way to contact by any means except email I keep scrolling. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Anyway short of creating an email just for this purpose do you also avoid such ads? Just seems to me that listings without a phone number scream bogus. Does anyone have suggestions or methods they use or am I just over paranoid?

[Alan Rutherford]

IME it's relatively rare to see a phone number in ad. I wouldn't even think about publishing my phone number in an ad. Email is protected both ways. That is, you can't see the seller's email address and the seller can't see yours when you reply, assuming it's through the CL email reply link. I expect email replies if I place a CL ad and I don't hesitate to reply to ads with email. I don't know why you are having such bad luck but don't think lack of a phone number is any indication of a bogus listing.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Craigslist now uses a masked email so they can’t see your email. The thing to never reply to is when they say, “just send your email address” or “email me directly at…”. That’s when they are just trying to get your email and spam you. If you email through the Craigslist system, then they can’t see your email address.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Craigslist now uses a masked email so they can’t see your email. The thing to never reply to is when they say, “just send your email address” or “email me directly at…”. That’s when they are just trying to get your email and spam you. If you email through the Craigslist system, then they can’t see your email address.

What Malcolm said..... I sell and buy a lot of things off Craigslist and have very little spam email, and that is with my actual email address displayed on my business website where any bot that happened down that digital alleyway could pick it up. The anonymous email system is great, the only downside I see is that if someone wants to contact me later the email expires after a few months or so. For instance I sold the last of our meat rabbit breeding stock to a lady who may be interested in buying the cages and equipment, but we won't know about selling it for a little longer. I sent her my actual email and she sent me hers so I can reach her again later if need be.

Back before I was on Craigslist (pre-2006 or so) we used to sell unwanted items in a local paper called The Swap Sheet that operated solely by phone numbers, and it was really annoying getting called by drunk people in the wee hours, so once I got on Craigslist I was very pleased not to have to post my number.

[Ken Combs]

I never publish my email. And never call an ad with a number. Has to do with my hearing issues. And, I want all discussions regarding price, condition etc in writing. Prevents misunderstandings

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Back before I was on Craigslist (pre-2006 or so) we used to sell unwanted items in a local paper called The Swap Sheet that operated solely by phone numbers, and it was really annoying getting called by drunk people in the wee hours, so once I got on Craigslist I was very pleased not to have to post my number.

Yep- When I sold my ‘57 Chevy (which was a mistake) I got a call at 2:30 in the morning from a drunk guy, clearly in a restroom by the background noises, wanting to know about the car for sale.

[Dan Friedrichs]

No one is posting craigslist ads to get a few dozen random email addresses...

I buy and sell a lot on CL and rarely use more than email. I have no desire to talk to anyone on the phone, and probably wouldn't reply to anyone who only gave a phone number - I much prefer handling the entire transaction over email.

[roger wiegand]

As others have said, email using their forwarding service until I have a pretty good idea that the person and transaction are for real. When selling, there is no way I'd include my phone number or actual email. Any request to communicate outside of their anonymized system is a big red flag.

[Ronald Blue]

I don't recall the specifics of my attempt to contact a seller now. Maybe I stupidly gave my email address but I'm also thinking CL hasn't always masked the email either for the responder. I'm not sure. Thanks for the responses though. I've passed by several items because there was no way to contact besides email. I will look at it differently now.

[Myk Rian]

Yahoo or Gmail? I stopped using yahoo because of the spam that gets through.

[Ronald Blue]

Actually through our internet provider and it has a spam filter that's good once you flag a sender. I didn't have a Gmail account at the time.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Yes I have gone through the masked email system to respond to ads for machinery. But, I also have an email account, just for online purchases and such classifieds. Another e-mail for family and friends. A third for business stuff. I have been doing it this way for 20 years. It has saved lots of hassles and headaches. My daughter has an on line sales business and uses the same system of three emails. (For a gal that didn't get good grades in school, she sure has a sense for on line sales. She buys stuff off Craigs list and others such places and sells on ebay, and a few other sites. Some of her inventory, she imports directly. A little more and she could quite the day job.)

[Ron Citerone]

Yes I have gone through the masked email system to respond to ads for machinery. But, I also have an email account, just for online purchases and such classifieds. Another e-mail for family and friends. A third for business stuff. I have been doing it this way for 20 years. It has saved lots of hassles and headaches. My daughter has an on line sales business and uses the same system of three emails. (For a gal that didn't get good grades in school, she sure has a sense for on line sales. She buys stuff off Craigs list and others such places and sells on ebay, and a few other sites. Some of her inventory, she imports directly. A little more and she could quite the day job.)

That makes a lot of sense right there!

[Tom M King]

I buy a lot of stuff off CL. I don't care if the contact is phone, text, or email. My email is listed publicly on my website, so it's not something I hide. I've never had any trouble telling if the seller was legit, and have had friends pick up stuff for me, multiple times. I never open a link in an email, and gmail does a good enough job that I never have had any trouble.

The only thing I've ever sold on CL was a hydraulically controlled grading blade, for several thousand dollars. We used both phone, and email in that sale. It went fast, and smooth. I had no trouble telling the buyer was legit, and it was a cash only sale. I loaded it after I had the cash in hand.

[Warren Lake]

ive done craig and kiji, framing nailer Tig welder and more, so far havent had an issue. One type of car ive tried to buy disappointing there were so many moron owners when it should draw a whole other class of people. Ive met some Hillbillies.

One car was being curb sided and I had time into it so called the cops, cop didnt know what curb siding was and was giving me a hard time, called back next day got the same cop said thanks im not continuing with you and just left it. Youd think a cop who didnt know that would have gone and asked after.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I'd never heard of curb siding, I had to look it up and it appears to be a specifically Canadian term. I always like to learn new things like this, so thanks for introducing me to the concept. Here in the states people do that kind of thing too. I've never heard that it was illegal, though they're often not to be trusted (but then neither are used car sales people in many people's opinion, including mine).

[Warren Lake]

Yeah its a jungle out there. My only car off Ebay 1000 miles away guy lied but was more believable than the best you could think of., Fooled a friend that manages 20 companies. Long and short he only had it a year and had to do work to it, I demanded the records from the car and once home studied them and the onwer before a bank manager took great care of the car its whole life. I have ten years on that car and best car I ever owned so even with the liar in the mix it ended up not mattering at all in that case. Thankful owner before him for all his care as he owned it.

Thanks for mentioning you looked it up, good when people have interest in stuff too bad the cop didnt care enough to.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I bought my car on eBay last March from a used car lot in Philadelphia and it worried me a bit, buying it sight unseen, having it trucked up here and everything, but it worked out really well and has been a very good car so far. This is the only car I've had that belonged to me, prior to this I've had some use of the farm car and not needed my own though I've owned a utility trailer for the last 10 years.

[Richard Hart]

Don't know where you guys live but CL is so abysmal around here for tools (and everything else) that I gave up completely. Waste of time, really, really junky.
I've done well on FB marketplace though.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I was on FB for about 6 months in 2009 and decided it was not to my liking, so I deleted myself and have not been back. I can see that it could be handy to be able to use the marketplace, though, and maybe I should go back again for that.

[Ron Citerone]

I think any CL post that shows an email or phone number on the pic or post is suspect. I have bought quite a few fishing items, tools, machines and lumber on CL and did well. My car buying experience got really wierd and won't buy a car on it again.

I have, at the advice of my daughters and son in laws started using FBMP and like that better actually.

Damn shame the way scammers ruin very useful ways to buy and sell.

[Steve Demuth]

Those of you that use or browse Craigslist looking for that machine you never knew you needed until you saw it I have a question. I frequently search those same ads in case something is to good to pass up. It RARELY is but that's not the question. My question is do you avoid any ad that doesn't give a phone number as a contact method? One time I answered an email only ad and within hours I was getting bombarded with scam emails. And they never replied so I knew I had been had. So even when the deal looks legit when there is no way to contact by any means except email I keep scrolling. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Anyway short of creating an email just for this purpose do you also avoid such ads? Just seems to me that listings without a phone number scream bogus. Does anyone have suggestions or methods they use or am I just over paranoid?

If they don't give a phone number, then respond through the CL email, which won't require you to reveal your email address to the lister. It may well be a scam, particularly if it's a "too good to be true" item, but if it is, they just won't respond.

[Steve Demuth]

Don't know where you guys live but CL is so abysmal around here for tools (and everything else) that I gave up completely. Waste of time, really, really junky.
I've done well on FB marketplace though.

Most tools on CL here in the upper midwest are indeed junk. The exception is listings from actual businesses upgrading equipment, or going out of business, for machine tools, for example. Those keep me looking. But if you're looking for common woodworkers tool, like a table saw or jointer, 99% of what you see won't be worth the search time. But even then, there are exceptions. A couple of months back, there was Northfield Model 4 Table saw, with the sliding table listed an hour and half drive from me that was a gem (I'm pretty sure it was a real listing, because it had good photographs of the saw from many angles, in a real shop setting.)

[Ronald Blue]

Most tools on CL here in the upper midwest are indeed junk. The exception is listings from actual businesses upgrading equipment, or going out of business, for machine tools, for example. Those keep me looking. But if you're looking for common woodworkers tool, like a table saw or jointer, 99% of what you see won't be worth the search time. But even then, there are exceptions. A couple of months back, there was Northfield Model 4 Table saw, with the sliding table listed an hour and half drive from me that was a gem (I'm pretty sure it was a real listing, because it had good photographs of the saw from many angles, in a real shop setting.)

Most scams are easy to spot by there wording. If it doesn't look right it probably isn't. The best ones are the table saw that has such a rusted top that it might never clean up and obviously hasn't made sawdust in years but they want a $1000 for it. I haven't saw any in a while but Sawstop is one that used to be popular for bogus sellers. I know when the phone number matches up to the area as well but there are exceptions. Many list a number with a combination of letters and numbers. While there is plenty of junk the items I have some interest in are the opposite end of the spectrum. They think they can get new price for their item. Not sure I follow that logic. Even if you can see it run you are buying it as is. Plus you have to haul/move it yourself. I realize some things are hard to source from the OEM at this time but do your research so you know.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Never heard the term "curbsided" before. I heard the term "curbing cars" which from what I looked up is pretty much the same. 30 years ago, when I represented some new car dealers in Maryland, they depended on "curbers" to buy the trade in cars which were not good enough for their used car lots. Maryland started enforcing a law against curbing and the dealers had to send the cars out of state to auto auctions. I was suckered into buying a curbed Chev Suburban. the transmission had been switched and I had problems with it a week after purchase. I sued the seller under the states consumer warranty law and he defended on the grounds that it was his personal car. I had collected 9 classified ads from the Washington Post with his telephone number advertising cars for sale. Also got pictures of vehicles sitting in his yard with for sale signs, that matched the classified ads. The judge slammed him. I got a judgement for the transmission repair, court fees, and for my time as an attorney to bring the case. The Judge then had the bailiff take the guy into custody and hold him for the state police dealer enforcement folks. I had that Suburban for 12 years and put another 110,000 miles on it.

[Myk Rian]

I re-tooled my shop through CL. Bought all the vintage machines I needed, and restored them.
That started somewhere around 2010, about 6 years after I retired. I had already set up a WW shop, with Cheap Chinese Chit.

I've had a few no-shows, and have not been scammed, as of yet.
My current shopping list doesn't contain tools, and it seems I helped deplete the county of vintage stuff, as ads have been rare the last several years. (Sorry about that) ;)

[Ronald Blue]

Never heard the term "curbsided" before. I heard the term "curbing cars" which from what I looked up is pretty much the same. 30 years ago, when I represented some new car dealers in Maryland, they depended on "curbers" to buy the trade in cars which were not good enough for their used car lots. Maryland started enforcing a law against curbing and the dealers had to send the cars out of state to auto auctions. I was suckered into buying a curbed Chev Suburban. the transmission had been switched and I had problems with it a week after purchase. I sued the seller under the states consumer warranty law and he defended on the grounds that it was his personal car. I had collected 9 classified ads from the Washington Post with his telephone number advertising cars for sale. Also got pictures of vehicles sitting in his yard with for sale signs, that matched the classified ads. The judge slammed him. I got a judgement for the transmission repair, court fees, and for my time as an attorney to bring the case. The Judge then had the bailiff take the guy into custody and hold him for the state police dealer enforcement folks. I had that Suburban for 12 years and put another 110,000 miles on it.

I also didn't know what it was and struck out when I tried to google it. Your verbage worked though. I never knew there was a term for that. I do know a person who buys and sells motorcycles and used to do this. Never had them in his name I mean. To my knowledge he was not intentionally scamming anyone. He just bought "right" and sold for a profit. He wasn't buying wrecks etc. There are scammers everywhere.

[Warren Lake]

Perry thanks for mentioning that, a thing ive learned is we have to document save all. If you guy a machine from an auction save the URL. Do screen saves of all things. A thing im on now the auction is done and past but I can clic what i saved and it goes right to the ad.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

My wife's ex did that with motorcycles. He had an employee up in New England who bought bikes cheap for cash, especially when people needed cash for Christmas and were strapped. He would pick up truck loads around Christmas and haul them to Maryland, where he had a motorcycle garage. His employees fixed the bikes during their slow winter season and he would haul a truck load down South to sell during the spring bike shows and bike weeks at the resorts. He even hauled some customized bikes out to Sturgis to sell. When he died, I helped my step son process his father's estate. One year, he made almost a half a million between bike sales and the garage. Never imagined their was so much to be made on motorcycles.