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Sellers Beware

Posted on January 6, 2009 by auburnchick

Ok…I think I’m getting scammed again.  Only this time, I think it’s for real.

Rooster wants to get some money to buy more paintball stuff…his latest craze.  He already washed my windows for me, for $1 per window.  We racked our brains and then came up with the brilliant idea of selling his ping-pong table…the one he got for his birthday.

It’s a very nice table.  It folds up for storage and has wheels for easy portability.

I remembered that I had purchased my treadmill from craigslist, and my mother-in-law has had good luck selling things on this forum.  So, I decided to give it a try.  After all, I could not see myself trying to ship a ping-pong table.

I listed it, described it appropriately, uploaded pictures, and submitted the listing.

It only took a few days to get a couple of interested buyers.  One of them sort of fell through, so I responded to the other party.

Things sounded strange from the start.  I cannot put my finger on it, but I knew, in my heart, that something was not right.

We have corresponded several times via email, and arrangements were made for payment.  The buyer did not provide much information to me.  He did say that he would need me to ship it, and that he would provide the shipping information.

After checking with the Mr. about this, we decided to proceed with the sale.

Tonight, while watching Rooster’s game, I chatted with the in-laws, who decided to attend since he was playing in their city.  I mentioned, proudly, how I had listed the item and had an interested buyer.  I also shared the transaction arrangements in his latest email.  We all thought it sounded odd.

Apparently my two-hour drive home was enough time for my mother-in-law to do some research.  She emailed a couple of things to me, and I did my own reading.

Folks, I think I’m being scammed.

I’m going to share some of the details with you so you will, hopefully, take heed and prevent yourself from being scammed as well.

The buyer is sending me a certified bank check.  It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow.  He’s adding in the cost of shipping to the check total and has instructed me to wire the difference via Western Union to a shipping company of his choosing.

This immediately drew a red flag for me.

If you go to this link, which is on the left side of craigslist’s home page, you will see that the above things are CLASSIC scammer methods.

If, for some reason, the bank cannot clear the check, which will in all probability be fake, it can come after you for the funds.

Scammers will often involve a third party, such as a shipping company, and will almost always ask you to wire money.

I do not like the idea of the law coming after me.  You guys know that from reading my post about my speeding ticket.

I’ve already sent the buyer a message telling him that I suspected he was scamming me and that I will shred his check.  I also notified him that if he contacts me again, I will report him to the authorities (good luck on that one, I know).

So, please be very careful when selling things online.  I’m an experienced eBayer.  Somehow, this slipped by me.  I should have done my homework, but I didn’t.

If you choose to sell things on craigslist, deal with LOCAL people only.  That’s the biggest way to avoid scams like this in the future.

I thank the Lord that He intervened.  Always trust your gut…or rather, the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

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Back to the Grind

Posted on January 6, 2009 by auburnchick

Well…it’s Tuesday.  Things could be worse.  It could be Monday.

The kids went back to school today, which meant that I had to get up to the sound of the alarm.  I have come to the conclusion that alarms should be outlawed.  Especially after two-week breaks!

I’ve also discovered that I’m a night owl.  I have totally enjoyed staying up late, knitting into the wee hours of the night, and sleeping in until 9 or 10am.  Yep…that’s the life for me.

Alas…the world does not run on my schedule, now does it?

Soccer Chick once recorded a song at Disney that was titled, “If I Ruled the World.”  I’ll see if I can find the CD.   The song is really quite funny, and it reminds me that we all have things we would do differently.  Of course, those things really wouldn’t suit everyone else, but it would be fun to be the boss one day.

Anyhow…the alarm went off, but I barely heard it.  Knowing I didn’t have a subbing job today gave me little incentive to get out of bed.  The only thing that did, though, was the routine the kids and I have of reading devotions each school morning.  We just started reading Romans.  What a fabulous book!  It’s very convicting and humbling.

After the kids left, I watched a few minutes of the Today Show before deciding to head back to bed.

Yes, you read that right.  Back to bed I went.

And that’s where I stayed for three more hours.  Wow!  I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle my tasks, which did not include much.

I had an interview at noon for a part-time bookkeeping position.  The interview went well, but I quickly recognized that the job is not for me.  I need to keep myself in the school system at least a couple of days a week, and the job wasn’t flexible enough to allow for that.  So, I continue to search for a way to supplement my income.

After the interview, I saw that I had a missed call from Chicky.  She was requesting that I bring her something to eat.

Boy, can this girl eat!  She’s so tiny,  you would never expect that.  Of course, I complied with her request and took a sandwich to her.

Insert personal musing…

Does Chicky really get how lucky she is — that she can call up Mom or Dad, and that they would even consider going out of their way to bring her something to eat, even though she already ate her packed lunch?

She needs to remember this the next time she fusses at me.

Back to the ramblings of this post…

After the visit to school, I had just enough time to run home, change my clothes, scarf down my own sub, and head out the door to Rooster’s game.

My week is one from you-know-where.  The kids are playing out of town three days in a row…each game being a two-hour drive…each way.

Crazy.

So I drove, observing the speed limit so I wouldn’t meet the law face-to-face (remember my first ticket ever this summer?).

I arrived at the game only a few minutes after kickoff and caught the rest of the game on camera.  Rooster and I then made the drive home, chatting pleasantly the entire way.

And now here I sit…

A long day.

I want to knit.

I need to wash dishes, sweep, pretend like I know how to take care of a house.

Back to the grind.

I can’t wait for retirement.

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