Kinda O/T Craigslist scammer phone #

Howdy,
Everyone beware of texts from this number 510-692-9890 or emails from Ethan Elliott. I had something I was working on and had decided to get rid of. I received a text from the above number and not recognizing the area code I looked it up white pages and found it was out in California. I live in Indiana. The message read Hello my names ethan kindly get back to me if the vehicle you posted on craigslist is still up for sale. Thanks. Already a little uneasy about the whole deal I went ahead and replied to the text that was still for sale. No response for the rest of the day. Then today around the same time as yesterday I get a long text saying

"I'm highly interested in it and m okay with price and condition. my mode of payment will be bank-certified check, you will receive the check within 1-2 business days, i will make arrangement with a private shipper to handle the pickup so i'll wait till you clear the check and have you cash at hand before i arrange for the pickup/shipment so get back with me with your Full Name, Contact address or Po."

Now at this point I decided to lookup the number on yahoo and found numerous posts of people with craigslist ads that this number had responded to and even that he had changed his number once or twice. One person had taken this guys word so far as to getting the check which was for more than the amount of the vehicle they were selling. At which time the buyer wanted them to take their share of it and send the rest to his shipper via western union.

SO BEWARE IF YOU HAVE STUFF POSTED ON CRAIGSLIST!!

I've been trying to post a couple things on craigslist for a week. They say there posted,but when i do a search nothing shows up.

Yeah mine did the same for the first couple hours when I put them on. And also just random searches a couple days after I posted I'd put in the exact title i put for my add and it would say no matches. Here lately their site seems pretty screwy to me but I don't know

When you first register with CL, they tell you to only do business face to face, in cash, and ignore any long distance transactions. This is why.

Post this also in "buyer/seller feedback" section, under "discussion forums", link on the left side of the page. Ralph in Oklahoma.

Sop, for CL responses. The wording might change a little, but the scam remains the same. Send you a bogus check, on a stolen fedex account, ask you to deposit the check, keep some, and wire the rest to accomplice b, in timbuktu. This response to any ad on CL, goes right to the junk file, for me.

had a item listed,,got three replies from three different names, with same type of replies, all with-in one minute of each other,,yea right, g-mail address, no phone number, good tip-off to scammers...

Whenever you see the words Western Union or send over payment to somebody else in a Craigslist ad or other want ad. Walk away and you eliminate most if not all of the scammers.
Chuck

A dead giveaway is if they do not refer to the item in question by name.

"Hi I am interested in the item you have for sale."

vs.

"Hi I am interested in the grain drill you have for sale."