By Craig Brenden
How much is my washing machine worth? Evidently more than I thought.
I recently listed a used washing machine in a local newspaper classified ad and on Craigslist, the popular free online classified ad service. I was asking $100 for the machine.
I immediately got four offers sight unseen from buyers in the eastern United States. They offered to overnight me checks ranging in value from $2,400 to $2,900.
Wow! Did Elvis once wash his jeans in my machine?
The "buyers" told me to keep $100 for the purchase and an extra $100 just for my trouble. All I had to do was deposit the check at the credit union, then wire the remainder back to their authorized shipper, who would pick up and deliver the washing machine.
Who am I to question an over-developed need for clean clothes? How could I lose?
Actually, I could have lost big. The checks they wanted me to deposit would come back in seven to 14 days as counterfeit. By then, I would have wired the bulk of the money to the "shipper." And I would then owe the credit union $2,200 to $2,700!
Whether you're selling a car, a guitar, grandma's doll collection, or a washing machine, this type of scam is rampant on the Internet. If you advertise an item for sale online or in a newspaper that provides an Internet listing, you are likely to become a target of similar scams.
Here are some warning signs that you're about to be taken to the cleaners on your classified ad:
I avoided the classified ad scam, and eventually sold my washing machine for $100 cash to someone who lives in my community.
