What I learned on Craigslist

[Wildcat]

It helps to say, "There is always someone at the house, so they can greet you if I'm not around. The two rottweilers will let us know when someone pulls up in the driveway, if we don't see them first on the four security cameras we have near the driveway. Don't worry if it takes us a minute to unlock the five deadbolts on the front door and open the security gate. If you have any problems finding the place, there are a couple of cops living next door, and a former Navy SEAL across the street. They'll be glad to assist. By the way, I'm hard to miss--I'm about 6'5", 320 pounds, skull tattoos on both forearms. Name's 'Skullcrusher Jones.' But you can call me Skull."

That seems to work.

 

[HiFi in WYO]

"yeah sure come on by.... feel free to take photos while you case the place. By the way, I am going to Branson Missouri this weekend to see The Hermans Hermits."

Wow, you guys must live in some tough neighborhoods!

I guess I'm just not that much of a worrier about those things - not too afraid of people. But then again I'm 6'4", 230 pounds and live in a fairly safe community. Plus it's Wyoming - you never know who's packin' what around here.

 

[BilboBaggins]

It's statements like this that remind me that even though we are right beside each other and speak the same language, yours is a very different world from ours. I won't buy something electronics if I can't try it out at the sellers home. And vice versa, I encourage people to come over and try out different pieces of gear until they get synergy when selling something. And parking lots? Forget it unless it is something that I can fully check out there. The only times I've been ripped off is when I did a parking lot exchange.

 

[Dusty Ol'Man]

It's definitely not safe in my area to allow just anyone inside the house, so that is why many of us prefer off-site meetings. Granted, I tend to buy other things than audio via CL, so there is that. I just don't need someone coming here and seeing a rack of high-end equipment, computers, thousands of LPs/CDs, etc. if I'm selling off some of my older components. Around here, you never know who or what you are dealing with.

That's why the 9mm is a good idea. Just sayin'

 

[Wildcat]

That's why the 9mm is a good idea. Just sayin'

"But being that this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'"

Except the 9mm or "insured by Smith & Wesson" does no good when nobody it at home. Hungry rottweilers? That might be a deterrent. Not that we both haven't talked about getting some training and concealed carry permits here, just considering where we live...

 

[Bob]

signs out front like Glock dealer, tell him your neighbor is the head of the local SWAT,
or your SO is a 5th Dan Taekwando and just missed winning the world crown.

or play act, wear over the pants shirts, reach behind (as if to pat your Desert Eagle)
as you walk up. memorize the plates unless you're in NYC (you know - the robbers
take the subway).

I am definitely watching too many TV movies...

but seriously meet at a local starbucks or the neighborhood police station (they
allow for safe CL transactions).

 

[gladiator335]

...And why did you humiliate the rooster and give him a duck name?

Are you sure he was named after a duck???

 

[MannyE]

4 CD Players? Hmmmmmm that one on top seems a little suspect....

https://lakeland.craigslist.org/ele/d/four-cd-players/6317971366.html

 

[gladiator335]

What can I possibly learn from this??? That nobody has to neglect English classes?

 

[MannyE]

LOL! From the looks of it, it's someone that doesn't speak English as a first language. I get a lot of that here in Miami as well.

Or it could be this guy's cousin:

 

[Bob]

not a lot different than current.active.pop.slang

U down wid dat?

 

[MannyE]

MY daughters accuse me of being a grammar and spelling nationalist.

 

[JamVal]

I totally understand the security aspect as a seller. I was just thinking about buying without testing.

I use the garage myself to sell but there are valuables out there too, and if you're selling audio and obviously an audio geek, it's not real hard for a buyer to figure you probably have even nicer audio inside the house. So far so good, luckily a fairly small city and I haven't met any creepy people yet.

I use the garage also, and have had moderate success selling audio items on CL. I only do voice phone contact to set up a meet at my address. I talk to the prospective buyer about the item and what gear they plan to use it with. If they sound clueless, that could be a bad sign. On the initial contact I only give a generalized location. When we set up a date and time, I tell them to call me that day just before they head over and that's when I give them my address. Of course once they come over they know where you live, but you also know who they are and can get a plate number.

I've only had 1 instance that bothered me. On the day of the meet this guy named Will calls me back to get my address and tells me he will be there in about 30 minutes. After an hour of waiting, I made the mistake of calling him back. I said "Is this Will?" He said "Who?" All of a sudden he realized who I was and scrambled to say "Oh yeah, this is Will". Bad sign. Then he says "I'm on xyz street, not sure where I'm going, waiting to get a text for your address". Another bad sign. I said, "I don't think this is going to work out" and hung up. Over the following weeks he called me back a few times, but I wouldn't talk to him. A few days later someone followed me home late after midnight. I live deep in a quiet neighborhood where the only people on our streets would be residents at that hour. I sensed someone following me and I didn't pull in my driveway. I started driving around the neighborhood in circles and this guy kept following me. Finally, he broke off. It would be a far out coincidence if it was the same guy, but it did have me rattled.

I just had an email response to another of my CL listings. The person writes, "my boss is interested in your item, please email him at this yadayda@gmail.com address so he can come take a look at it today. You need to make email contact with him because he works in a plant and doesn't have access to his phone."
If doesn't have access to a phone, how is he going to access his email? I didn't respond.

 

[Goofyfoot201]

Had a guy advertise a turntable. Decent price at $300. I ask what part of town. He says he can meet me in Gastonia NC which is just west of Charlotte (Charlotte Craigslist). I ask, "You don't have it hooked up?" He says I do but I live in Boone (2.5 hours away) and I would have to drive it down.I check the Boone craigslist and it's not listed there. I tell him I don't want him to go to all that trouble. He says he's in Charlotte all the time. Next email he says he doesn't have it listed in Boone Craigslist for some reason I can't remember. Did make sense so I let it go. If it doesn't add up it doesn't add up.

 

[Bob]

my rules. never meet at the house, use a non-personal phone number and email (CL is
good at this), and test "let's meet at the XYZ police station".

there are numerous stories about robber/murder using CL. risk/reward ratio out of whack.

 

[toxcrusadr]

There are numerous stories about robbery and murder walking down the street, or sitting in your home, too. Yet people do it all the time.

It's your town, your neighborhoods, your security. Use your judgment. But don't be put off entirely just because bad things happen occasionally.

 

[toxcrusadr]

LOL! From the looks of it, it's someone that doesn't speak English as a first language. I get a lot of that here in Miami as well.

Or it could be this guy's cousin:

Somewhere, from 20 years ago, I have a picture of a similar sign in a similar looking yard in MO that said:

For Sale
Rabbits
Laying Hens


Those poor hens.

 

[MannyE]

There are numerous stories about robbery and murder walking down the street, or sitting in your home, too. Yet people do it all the time.

It's your town, your neighborhoods, your security. Use your judgment. But don't be put off entirely just because bad things happen occasionally.

I heard, that outside... people get hit by lightning.

 

[toxcrusadr]

 

[jberger]

Somewhere, from 20 years ago, I have a picture of a similar sign in a similar looking yard in MO that said:

For Sale
Rabbits
Laying Hens


Those poor hens.

All set for Easter.