How sketchy is this craigslist deal

kawi448
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kawi448
Edited Date/Time 5/22/2015 8:02pm
I have my bike on Craigslist. I get a text yesterday that says " is it still available", I say yes, he says "I'm willing to buy it" which I thought was odd but ok. He says "if I pay for delivery can you drive it here since I don't have a truck". I say yes. So he's in east Cleveland, I'm in Detroit area, which is a 2.5 hour
drive. He then says as long as it runs and rides everything is good I just want to buy it should be like a new bike (it's a 2013).

So I call him later and we talk about when I'm coming and I tell him I'm not coming unless he buys it for sure and he says he has 5000 cash. Now not to be racist, but I found out he is black, and his address is in the inner city somewhat. I told my dad about this and he said he thinks it's someone trying to set me up for a mugging by appointment or something like that. If I meet him in a public place it might be ok but what do you all think. Any suggestions?
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RPM68
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RPM68 4/7/2015 6:28am
4/7/2015 6:28am
edgo897 wrote:
Pass.
There are some days I take living in Texas for granted. Today is not one of those days. While we have alot of sketchy CL people, Texas still has alot more Southern Hospitality and general respect for the public, mostly b/c we're all packin. lol

The Shop

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Ashleymx
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Ashleymx 4/7/2015 6:32am
4/7/2015 6:32am
He will jump on the bike and take off. This is very old and common scam.
RbR
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RbR 4/7/2015 6:32am
4/7/2015 6:32am
kawi448 wrote:
I have my bike on Craigslist. I get a text yesterday that says " is it still available", I say yes, he says "I'm willing to...
I have my bike on Craigslist. I get a text yesterday that says " is it still available", I say yes, he says "I'm willing to buy it" which I thought was odd but ok. He says "if I pay for delivery can you drive it here since I don't have a truck". I say yes. So he's in east Cleveland, I'm in Detroit area, which is a 2.5 hour
drive. He then says as long as it runs and rides everything is good I just want to buy it should be like a new bike (it's a 2013).

So I call him later and we talk about when I'm coming and I tell him I'm not coming unless he buys it for sure and he says he has 5000 cash. Now not to be racist, but I found out he is black, and his address is in the inner city somewhat. I told my dad about this and he said he thinks it's someone trying to set me up for a mugging by appointment or something like that. If I meet him in a public place it might be ok but what do you all think. Any suggestions?
Best listen to Papa ...
Roostermx58
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Roostermx58 4/7/2015 6:33am
4/7/2015 6:33am
He can get a friend with a truck to come get the bike. He can also rent a trailer if he has no friends. I would pass...

If you do go through with this, please post the story.
mx256va
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mx256va 4/7/2015 6:34am
4/7/2015 6:34am
Have him meet you at a police station. If he says he cant meet you there, you know hes up to somethin.

But yea, Id pass
Rick M.
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Rick M. 4/7/2015 6:37am
4/7/2015 6:37am
Pass. The guy has stated that he will buy if it "runs and rides good". He is already setting you up to let him take a test ride. And we know how those go in Detroit. If you go, don't let this guy even sit on your bike without his cash in your hand.
kawi448
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kawi448 4/7/2015 6:37am
4/7/2015 6:37am
I'm definitely gonna pass. I already was going to pass I just wanted to see what you guys thought. I thought he'd probably jump on and ride away. Although I do have theft insurance...
EMA884mx
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EMA884mx 4/7/2015 6:37am
4/7/2015 6:37am Edited Date/Time 4/7/2015 6:39am
Yeah man, I'd be hesitant about that deal. I know you're eager to sell your bike but do not deliver it if you have doubts about the transaction. Like the old saying goes, if the deal is too good to be true it usually is. I would just explain to him that you're sorry but you simply cannot make it out to Cleveland at the date that you all had discussed. You can say that you have a potential buyer in Detroit that is going to come take a look at it and that you'd be happy to show him the bike locally rather than drive it out to Cleveland. If he does not want to arrange a ride to come out to see the bike in Detroit, well then you know he was not as eager to buy it as he originally acted and could potentially avoid a disaster.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 4/7/2015 6:42am
4/7/2015 6:42am Edited Date/Time 4/7/2015 6:43am
How is the CL market in this guys' neighborhood? Are there any comparable deals in his area? Why does he want a bike that is 2.5 hours away when there is likely a bike closer?

I work in the credit card processing industry. We have business owners all the time call asking about similar deals like this. We had a mattress dealer in California wanting to sell 10 regular mattresses to a guy in Florida that was willing to pay shipping. Shipping alone was a huge added expense. 10 mattresses is a big deal to the dealer in California so he did it against our judgement and low and behold, in came the chargeback. The dealer shipped the mattresses and lost the chargeback.

Moral of the story, if something smells like a fish, flops like a fish, and looks like a fish. . . Guess what.
Crush
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Crush 4/7/2015 6:46am
4/7/2015 6:46am
As us Aussies like to say: "Yeah, nah"
ToolMaker
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ToolMaker 4/7/2015 6:58am
4/7/2015 6:58am
If he is willing to pay you at least $500 prior to you leaving your driveway, then you can meet him at a local Home Depot to his
neighborhood. Keep the bike chained to your truck. From there he can rent a truck for $20 to get it home. If you're worried about
funny money you can also incorporate a trip to the bank that you both go. There's a lot of decent folks that are stuck in shitty neighborhoods, but you need to take precautions to protect yourself. In the end it may be more trouble than what it's worth, if it's
a decent bike at a decent price it'll sell anyway.
my 2 cents
pete24
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pete24 4/7/2015 6:59am
4/7/2015 6:59am
a couple years ago my buddy gets a text from someone will to buy his kx 250 and pay him 100 extra to deliver it ,to New Haven CT,he gets there unloads the bike and the new owner test rides it off into the sunset, buddy calls the cops, and they tell him he got lucky usually in that area they pull out a gun make you load your own bike up, and they take your truck and bike and your clothes, and your sitting on the sidewalk in your skivies with only a cell phone

Pit Row

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Sandberm
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Sandberm 4/7/2015 7:05am
4/7/2015 7:05am
Detroit...Cleveland....I think Ive read enough.
ChrisB10
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ChrisB10 4/7/2015 7:12am
4/7/2015 7:12am
Ashleymx wrote:
He will jump on the bike and take off. This is very old and common scam.
Bingo. They test drive it and take off
Jroc
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Jroc 4/7/2015 7:22am
4/7/2015 7:22am
I wouldn't do it.
Jeff alessi
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Jeff alessi 4/7/2015 8:08am
4/7/2015 8:08am
I'd bring two bikes, your bike filled to the top with gas and the bike for sale with enough gas to run for a minute or two. Bring a gun and when he says he's wanting to ride it unload your bike n have a friend unload the other. If he takes off just follow him at a little distance till the bike runs out of gas.
DownSouth
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DownSouth 4/7/2015 8:11am
4/7/2015 8:11am
Show him the bike with no chain on it. He can start it up and run it through the gears but he ain't going anywhere. Laughing
jhansen510
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jhansen510 4/7/2015 8:17am
4/7/2015 8:17am
Obviously you have never made an insurance claim! If you had you would not of made that last comment. Insurance is the biggest scam that there has ever been. It is a necessary evil. If you think it will make you whole, you are mistaken.
jhansen510
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jhansen510 4/7/2015 8:19am
4/7/2015 8:19am
Jeff alessi wrote:
I'd bring two bikes, your bike filled to the top with gas and the bike for sale with enough gas to run for a minute or...
I'd bring two bikes, your bike filled to the top with gas and the bike for sale with enough gas to run for a minute or two. Bring a gun and when he says he's wanting to ride it unload your bike n have a friend unload the other. If he takes off just follow him at a little distance till the bike runs out of gas.
Jeff. This is a good thought. However, thugs do not play fair. When they are holding a gun to your face the bike is going to be the last of your worries. If they get you in a position to where they can steal your bike. Chances are they are going to. The trick is to not get yourself into such position.
Moto75
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Moto75 4/7/2015 8:20am
4/7/2015 8:20am
Tell him to come to you. If he likes it, with cash in hand, you will deliver it. I give it about 1% chance of happening, sounds like he's setting you up.
kawi448
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kawi448 4/7/2015 8:28am
4/7/2015 8:28am
jhansen510 wrote:
Obviously you have never made an insurance claim! If you had you would not of made that last comment. Insurance is the biggest scam that there...
Obviously you have never made an insurance claim! If you had you would not of made that last comment. Insurance is the biggest scam that there has ever been. It is a necessary evil. If you think it will make you whole, you are mistaken.
Lol I knew someone would say that!Wink
Rdubs19
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Rdubs19 4/7/2015 8:36am
4/7/2015 8:36am
Jeff alessi wrote:
I'd bring two bikes, your bike filled to the top with gas and the bike for sale with enough gas to run for a minute or...
I'd bring two bikes, your bike filled to the top with gas and the bike for sale with enough gas to run for a minute or two. Bring a gun and when he says he's wanting to ride it unload your bike n have a friend unload the other. If he takes off just follow him at a little distance till the bike runs out of gas.
This is genius, although I wouldn't try it unless I had some way to know 110% the dude is unarmed and has no lookouts. It's pretty plain to see this guy is getting set up to be robbed and possibly much worse. Anybody that sells bikes on CL knows that (usually) serious buyers are going to be asking for more info than if it "runs good". To the OP, just wait it out for a real buyer dude. Don't kid yourself about this buyer, it's obvious what's going to happen.

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