The big change that they made is the fact that the email isn’t anymore displayed in the add, so that it makes difficult for me to post it here and alert people about this ordinary scams.

eBay, like other big sites, is fighting fraud every day, but fraudsters have new tactics to bypass the security of ebay. Let me present to you some of the methods used to steal your money. Methods are divided in two categories:

A. Seller Scam
1. Classic scam on eBay(1). Fraudsters make ebay users with stolen credit cards and post fake auction. 90% of this auction don’t get live to ebay. After that fraudsters will reply to you with some common texts like these.
2. Classic scam on eBay(2). After spamming for ebay users, fraudsters will post fake auctions and we are back at point 1. The only difference is that now the seller has feedback, and in many cases this feedback is quite high and positive.
3. eBay second chance scam. In generally, scammers which do ebay fraud are very good organized and have good knowledge of how ebay system works. They will try to find a bug in the system and use it to get the user’s email address just from his username. This program is called ebay extractor and on the black market has a price between 5k-20k us dollars. With this program they can sending fake second chance offers through just one click to thousands of completed auctions.
4. Seller will not send the item. After the payment is made the seller could not ship the item or ship another item different from the one listed.

B. Buyer Scam
1. Fake check order. After you have listed your object on ebay you’ll be contacted to sell it with a higher price that you have requested and the buyer will try to send you a fake check. After the item is shipped and the check cashed you’ll think that you have made a good deal, but the check will bounce in 2-3 weeks. More on check fraud here
2. Fake paypal. Buyer wants to pay through paypal. You’ll think that you are secured, but the payment will be made from a hacked or stolen paypal account and after 3-4 days 100% will be a charge back.
3. Non-material items like domains, e-books, etc isn’t protected by paypal and there always is a chance that the buyer could make a charge back.
4. Steal from the package. If you sell a laptop or something like that, the buyer could steal the memory or the hard drive and ship the laptop back because it was broken or another reason and you are scammed.

This methods are some of the most used on ebay. It can varies from a transaction to another, but the best way to be protected is to research. Another tip: eBay doesn’t offer any protection program through MoneyGram, WesternUnion or anything like that. You can read more about the fake eBay protection service here

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ctd/1022081124.html budis70@msn.com

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ctd/1022069598.html ssgt.fergusonbrian@gmail.com

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ctd/1021964963.html emldnmn@aol.com

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/1022153273.html martin.anderson1977@yahoo.com

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ctd/1022149882.html sean33h@googlemail.com

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/ctd/1022144710.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/1022130698.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/1022071195.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/ctd/1022110620.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/1022162524.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/1022152847.html catscruz@aol.com

You can subscribe on right of this article to get the latest scams and methods used

Flag with me to help others, also add your comments here if you find another scam. Adding new scams shortly…..

Update 1
The car is in Manhattan, KS , but it was listed nation wide on craigslist, so it appeared in local searches too. I am an absolute begginer at these things, so i made a mistake. Since it was my fault,i accept to split the shipping fees with you,50-50. I hope this is ok with you and please accept my sincere apologizes.
Here’s some pictures with my car: http://s430.photobucket.com/albums/qq25/plmccu/
About the eBay program….they offers a 5 day inspection time with a return policy “no question asked”. So after you receive and inspect the car, if you decide not to keep it, you just return it at my own expense. I strongly doubt that you will find anything wrong, but I agree with these terms.
So please let me know your decision.

Update 2
Hi,
Thank you for your interest in my car.This is a 2005 honda odyssey
touring,Mileage: 37,800 Body Style: Minivan Exterior Color: Silver
Interior Color: Gray Engine: 6 Cylinders Transmission: Automatic
Drivetrain: 2WD Doors: 4 A/C: Front, A/C: Rear, Cruise Control,
Navigation System,TV/VCR, Leather Interior, Memory Seats, Power Seats,
Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Airbag: Side, Sunroof/Moonroof, Third
Row Seats
VIN:5FNRL38855B022837
Here you can find more pictures of the car:

http://s682.photobucket.com/albums/vv183/you_are_connected/

(if the above link does not work copy and paste it into a new web
browser window).
The car has been well taken care of, always kept in the garage.Flawless
exterior/interiorcondition,no scratches and no dents.It has never been
involved in an accident.The engine starts and drives like new and the
paintlooks great.It comes with US clear title which will be signed and
notorized in the buyer’s name.Have original manuals and all keys.
I’m an US Air Force lt.currently stationed in the United Kingdom.The car
is here with me. It was bought in the US and shipped to Europe, but it
was neverpermanently registered here, the car is still registered in the
US.The car is for sale locally as well, but there are slim chances of
this to happen. In order to be able to register this car here in the UK
the buyer would have to pay very high import/custom taxes that will
double the price. So I decided to sell the car back in the US.
The price is $4,400.00 including shipping from the UK to the US and
delivery to your home address.So if you decide to buy this car or need
further information please get back to me as soon as possible.
Thank you
Lt.Ryan Watson

This post is for those who want to learn how to spot a scam on craigslist. On craigslist.org are many scammers. I will refer to those scammers that post fake ads under the section FOR SALE => CARS+TRUCKS, because “the best” craigslist scams are often spotted in this category.  As you know are many fraudulent ads, but most of them are flagged right away after appear. Good but not so good because tonight I have discovered one big scam. It belongs to the same person.

Let me show you what I have discovered.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/1021063951.html nicole.silton@gmail.com martinanderson37@gmail.com
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1021138909.html susan.woods12@gmail.com Alberslawre@aol.com
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/1020684855.html michellusarmy@gmail.com Saddlermifh@aol.com frankchaney7869@gmail.com

+ many more ads listed under the same e-mails. How you can discover craigslist scams in the For sale section? It is easy, or at least for me. Select your price range from $2900 to $3000 and you’ll see ads with a title like this:
2005 Toyota Camry, perfect condition, Air Conditioning – $2999 (maryland)
!!!2004 Toyota Camry SE NR !!! – $2900
What you need to follow in order to spot craigslist scams:
1. The price. If the price is under the real price then it is a scam. Fake ads have the half price of a real one or maybe more.
2. Information of the seller. 99% of the fake ads don’t provide a valid phone number for you to call or an address.
3. The payment. Ohh yea the payment. Most of the fake fraudsters use services like Yahoo Purchase Protection, eBay vehicle purchase protection or Microsoft Purchase protection, services that of course are FAKE, but involving the name of such a big company can convince the buyer to pay.
4. Fees and shipping. Remember that nobody will sell his car and pay for the shipping and all the fees.

So craigslist scams in the car+trucks section are very often and can be avoided with some attention. I will update this post in 2-3 days because I emailed to the fraudsters. I asked them more information so I must wait to see what they say and to exposed their methods here.

Be safe

Update 1
I am emailing you regarding the 2005 Toyota Camry LE that I have for sale on Craigslist,I sell it at this price ($3000) because i just finished the divorce with my husband and i don`t have drivers license.
The vehicle looks and works perfect. As you see it has a lot of options. No hidden problems and never involved in any kind of accidents, ONLY 84,993 miles. The VIN# is: VIN: 4T1BE32K55U560652
Since the car was also listed on eBay.com I prefer closing the transaction trough their Vehicle Purchase Protection system because we are both protected. If you don’t know how does the eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program work please let me know so I can help you. I used it several times (as a seller but as well as a buyer) and everything was perfect. The vehicle was inspected by eBay. As well, shipping & handling fees are included in the final price ($3000.00). If you are interested please let me know your shipping details so i can open a transaction case.

Update 2
The sale will be managed by eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program for our own protection as they act as a neutral third part.
eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program will keep the money until you inspect/drive the vehicle.
This is how the Vehicle Purchase Protection Program works:
1. I will contact eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program and give all the info about this deal.
2. They will email us the forms which are needed for our deal.
3. You will send the payment ($3000.00) to eBay and they will notify me to ship the vehicle to your location. The car will be delivered from Los Angeles CA.
4. After you will inspect/drive the vehicle and decide to keep it, eBay will forward me the funds and the deal is done.
Remember you have 10 days to test it. If by any reason the vehicle is not as described or if you find any problems with it I will pay for the returning fees. I’m sure it won’t be the case because it’s a state of art looking and working vehicle. I apologize if it seems like I’m pushing on this deal but I really want to be sure everything is clarified before any further steps.
If you wish to purchase it please provide me your full name, address so I can initiate the deal through eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection Program.
Looking forward to hear from you!

Update 3
Sorry for the delayed response, but I’m in Glasgow (United Kingdom) right now and I have been very busy. Anyway,thank you for your interest in buying the car. The car is located in US right now and has US papers.Why is the price so low? I am here in UK with my new work and I cannot register the car here, as it is made for USA, according to USA standards. So all that I want to do now is to sell the car at this price, because I need to sell it fast(I already made a deposit here to buy me another).The title is clean and you will have absolutely no problems to register the car in the States.I will tell you a few words about the car.. My 2003 Nissan Altima with automatic transmission it is in immaculate condition with 44,674 miles and have the VIN number: 1N4AL11D93C175214, rust free , no scratch and hasn’t been involved in any accident.The motor runs very well (4 Cylinders).The interior looks great(NO SMOKING).This car needs nothing,the title is clear ,it is not a salvage one. I want this transaction to go smoothly enough as I am caught in the middle of some very important events and have little time at my disposal. I already have tons of emails so I hope you understand that I need to sort them out.
The price is $2,900 THIS IS MY LAST PRICE.I will not negotiate the price.I will take in consideration only those buyers who are really interested in buying the car ,to be sure that I don’t waste my time with endless discussions.This way,I shall be assured of the serious intentions

Update 4
Thank you for being interested in buying my 2005 Toyota Camry LE, Automatic Transmission, 22000 MILES, VIN 4T1BE32K75U081715. It is in EXCELLENT condition; the body and paint are great, no scratches and no dents; the interior is clean; it has never been involved in an accident.
I’m an US Air Force Lieutenant currently stationed in the United Kingdom. And the car is here with me. It was bought in the US and shipped to Europe, but it was never permanently registered here, the car is still registered in the US. In order to register this car here in the UK I have to pay very high import/custom taxes. So I decided to sell the car back to the US.
As I’m unable to travel in the near future and I don’t have anyone back home to help me with the sale I decided to make this transaction through eBay. So how this actually works? Simple: the buyer sends the payment to eBay and they hold the money until the car is delivered; I ship the car; I get my money only after the buyer receives the car and makes sure everything is as agreed.
I believe this protects both buyer and seller and it’s the right way to do this. The final price is $2,990 including shipping from Europe and delivery to your home address. So if you decide to buy this car or need further information please get back to me as soon as possible.

Update 6 a fake invoice from eBay

Update 7
Hello,

As I told you in my first e-mail, I am in UK with my work. Before leaving US I had prearranged the deal with WorldPay so my presence in US isn’t necessary. The car and all the papers(title,etc..) are in their possession in US ready for delivery.You have 5 days to test and inspect the car. So if you want to make this deal I need the following details from you:

full name and address
shipping address
phone #

After I will have all this details I will forward them to WorldPay and I will proceed the order. They will contact you with all the details that you need to complete this deal and also to see that I am covered by them and that I am legit seller.

Waiting your email with the requested details.

Update 8
The car is still for sale. It is in perfect shape. It has no scratches, dents and it was never involved in an accident or something like that. You can check the carfax yourself, the VIN is 1NXBR32E63Z026023. It has 68,207 miles.
I have a clear title and it is on my name. I am forced by a bank loan to sell it so I need the money and I must do that. Dont worry, the loan does not involve the car.
My final price is $2,850. I already have tons of emails so I hope you understand that I need to sort them out. I will take in consideration only those buyers who are really interested in buying the car, to be sure that I don’t waste my time with endless discussions. This way, I shall be assured of the serious intentions.
Thank you.

P.S. If you are decided to buy it, I can make a private auction just for you on eBay so you can purchase it there. That way you will receive assistance for the purchase, paperwork, title transfer and an extended warranty. They also are guaranteeing purchases up to 20.000 so we will both be protected.

Note: If you want to be protected by fraudsters and scammers PLEASE read my guide “Avoid Car Scams Guide“.

So let’s start to discover their methods. First, the fraudsters post bulk actions to the above sites. Some of the auctions sites are free and some are paid. Paid auctions give some credibility to the buyer. After they convinced the buyer that this is a good transaction because the price is very small, like 20%-40% less than the normal price, they ask your details like name, address, phone number, etc. After they have received this information from you they will send a legit fake invoice.

The invoice will come from a good and also big company like Autotrader, Yahoo Finance, eBay and will ask you to pay to through Western Union, Money Gram or wire transfer. You think that is nothing suspicious because in the invoice is told that the company will keep the funds / money until you get the object or the item. Also the company require a reply to that email after the payment is made because the company must ask the seller to start shipping the item. Sounds good no? You are protected by scams and fraud. BUT is wrong, because the e-mail that you received from the company is spoofed. In the email you are asked to send the money to an agent of that company, not to the company itself. After the payment is made, you will reply to that message with the details. The email will arrive straight in the inbox of the swindlers and with fake ids they will pick up the money. At your home, you are 100% convinced that you made a great deal, but in reality the one that make a good deal is the fraudster.

So just remember there is no such thing as Autotrader Purchase Protection Service, Yahoo Protection Service, eBay protection (eBay just offer protection through PayPal, not another method of sending money) or something like that is a scam. If you receive invoices with subject like the one above, I beg you to report to the authorities and don’t send the money. This companies don’t intermediate, guarantee or endorse transactions between seller and buyer.

Be safe.