Beware of Craigslist Text Scams

Craigslist scammers are using texts these days to scam you. If you put in your cell phone number to allow calls or texts for potential buyers, be aware that Craigslist does not send a text link for questions from this so-called buyer. This is the second time I have received a text from someone with the message:

New Craigslist Buyer Message Read using this: http://question3300.do.am/account_log_in.html

I had a new one yesterday, which is posted below. Smart scammer made it personal, used a name and I checked the phone number - it was indeed from Florida. But I smelled a scam and went along with it until my zinger at the end. I haven't heard from him since, LOL.

BEWARE of these scams via text!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Two simultaneous text messages one from 847 221 6203, and another from 847 232 6201 came simultaneously to our cell #.
We had placed an add for a Toyota Camry this morning on Craig's List. The first texts said that they were interest in the car and if the car was sold. Then after my response to both another text came from both asking me to go to http://straight.readthebackground.space?straight and the other to http://will.drivinginfo.xyz?will . Both links lead to http://historyofallvins.com/ which showed the Vinchecked site,
We proceeded an bought the report. Both text then asked us to e-mail the report to two different e-mails. We did. Later on we woke up and saw we were victim of a scam. It seems that this company Vinchecked alleged hire people to sell their products (a very poor VIN # report) but does not require from the sellers that the transactions should be legal. This is a very intelligent scam as all at the end are. Just make sure that you tell everyone you know that is selling a car via Craig's List that this will happen with them.
Thank you.
Be Smart, we at the start were not.
We reported Fraud to Wells Fargo and change the CC account to avoid any further actions by the scammers.
We are attaching both text messages.
Mary Hopkins
2/09/2016 04:18:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Thank you for the info! I am currently selling my truck on craigslist and I got the same message from 847-221-6254. I was just about to buy the report but thought I would check out some stuff before I did... glad I did!
3/07/2016 02:37:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Yep, I'm wary of people wasting my time anyway but I'll play along for a little while. I have Google Voice so it adds a layer of protection. I have the same thing Mary did but I didn't trust the website to have anymore than a VIN#:

+13462014442: Hey there.. are you still selling your vehicle? 1995 YJ Jeep Trade OBO for Harley 6:01 PM
Me: Yes 7:58 PM
+13462014442: Have you ever run a report on its history? I am interested in coming over to buy it tomorrow from you. 7:58 PM
Me: The previous owner showed me a clean car fax on it. Sure. Just let me know when works for you. Where are you coming from? 8:25 PM
+13462014442: I need you to run a report on it first from http://probable.checkitnow.rocks?probable before I come buy it, I have to make sure it has a clean past. 8:30 PM
Me: http://historyofallvins.com/vin-check-regd.php?vin=[redacted]&zip=98032&ad=default 8:32 PM
Me: So everything good? When do you want to meet tomorrow? 10:10 PM
+13462014442: I have to work until later this evening but you can send that to tuvmkrpubqpe1981@ yahoo [dot] com - once I get it ill come buy it tomorrow or whenever your free over the next week if that doesnt work. 10:46 PM
+13462014442: Sounds good, thanks! 10:52 PM
Me: Great, I already sent it. 12:09 AM

By "I already sent it" I mean that I sent him the link to the fishy website with my VIN # in it. Hopefully this will help other people.
3/20/2016 03:17:00 AM
Anonymous said…
Two more scammers sent texts from these numbers to buy my 2003 Ford Focus.
415-735-9026
and
914-627-8261

These scammers are both using "text mail subscriber" service so they can text without using their real phones.

One of them even had the nerve to claim to be in the military.
5/14/2016 08:25:00 PM
Anonymous said…
----I got a text that told me that I haven't read three text from Craigslist claiming they are from Craigs list. I'm like--how did they know I haven't read three of my text from CL.
This came from this number: 587-317-6118
"You have 3 unread message http://post.craiglist.zdery.iro86.ru/5754282744.html
Id: HCGEHAHA
Received Wed Aug 31, 8:57am
8/31/2016 07:53:00 PM
Anonymous said…
The scammer listing that is "too good to be true" vehicle for sale are trying to get you to pay them with Vanilla Prepaid cards through eBay. You find the listing on Craigslist which looks like it could be in your local area. Call and leave a message on the Text Now number. They then text and send email with some sort of sob story most of the time praying on people's heart strings about being in the military, having to be deployed quickly and needing to sell quickly. They then send a very official looking invoice from eBay instructing you how to pay with Vanilla Prepaid cards and telling you where you can purchase those. Some people do fall for this I am sure. But as we know, you can't pay through eBay with a listing on Craigslist. The listing is not on eBay at all and eBay does not accept Vanilla Prepaid cards as an official payment. They get you to call them back with the numbers on those prepaid cards and they have all the information to use that money from those cards any way they choose specifically online and you lose, no vehicle, lost money! Total scammers. Then they will start texting strange things from very similar numbers with the last 4 of the phone number rearranged. It's amazing what these scammers try to do and sad that so many fall for this. Happened to a family member, luckily they were smart enough to ask me to take a look before they did anything with the scammer. Text #stop to the number and it will block them from contacting you any longer via text.

These are three numbers that have contacted my family member
601-448-8592
601-448-8292
601-448-8295
3/06/2017 12:38:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I have been getting two or three a day! From these numbers. 1-520-433-7681 and 1-720-358-6959.
4/13/2017 04:45:00 PM
AA said…
Got one today that was pretty convincing.

From 702-623-3051:
You have 2 new message on craigslist : www.285.cragislist.services Thank you
6/24/2017 10:23:00 AM
Anonymous said…
I got a new on today saying;

You have received an offer for your at on Craigslist. Review at:
Gave a tap to download

It was from 770-334-8981
4/16/2018 04:02:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Same here!!

‭+1 (509) 928-2127‬
You received an offer for your ad on Craiglist. Review at:

5/09/2018 08:31:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Just got one from phone number ‭+1 (910) 493-3911‬. Thanks for posting these! First time craigslist seller so wasn’t aware until he mentioned picking the item up in my New England location when the area code is from North Carolina!
5/17/2018 09:49:00 PM
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