OMG scam artists

I recently bought a Roomba Discovery as a mistaken gift. After posting to craigslist, I got a response within a day. Yay! Or so I thought.

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From: didemola oladipo Sun, Oct 16, 2005 at 3:20 PM
To: anon-104508036@craigslist.org

craigslist Advisory: Fraud and Scam Warning!
Please read our scam advisory page before replying to this message:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

This warning is automatically attached to
ALL craigslist forwarded emails


Hello Seller,
How is Business? hope everthing is moving well.i am interested in purchasing your well posted item Ok? so please get back to me with the condition of the item and if the item is for sale Ok?Thanks

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The email was very cryptic, but I figured he just didn't have a great command of the English language. It happens now and again in New York City. I also thought how nice of him to ask about my "business"! (Also, craigslist's warning was welcomed. Who knew? Scams on the Internet?)

I replied and asked when he would come to pick it up. He got back to me promptly:

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From: didemola oladipo Sat, Oct 22, 2005 at 5:37 PM
To: lostpancake

Hello Seller,
I want to make immediate purchase of this item using USA POSTAL MONEY ORDER.
i will do the shipping arrangement by my self so dont border for shipping,and when you receive an email confirmation of the money order.... so i will do the pick up.
I need to know your full name and address to send the money order to and also your telephone #.
Please reply with this info so that i can go ahead to make the payment...
Thanks.

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Hmm. Ok, I guess that sounds alright. Oh, in case I didn't get it the first time, he sent me the same email again five minutes later.

I was a little confused - why would he need to send payment if he was going to pick it up from me locally? That's what most people do with stuff they buy on craigslist, at least in NYC. So I let him know:

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From: lostpancake Sat, Oct 22, 2005 at 8:51 PM
To: didemola oladipo

Hi Didemola,

I don't quite understand what you are asking. It's fine if you want to purchase using postal money order, but you would have to mail it to me first, and then I would ship it. I can ship it for $250+$20=$270.

If you live in New York City, then you can just come pick it up from me and we can exchange cash and the item.

thanks,

lostpancake

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He replied quickly:

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From: didemola oladipo Sat, Oct 22, 2005 at 9:01 PM
To: lostpancake

pls give me your detail so that i can make the payment
your full name and address also your phone number.
reply me..thanks

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So I "reply him". Why not? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. It's been a week, and no sign of the "USA postal money order".

I was feeling discouraged, so I posted again, this time to the New Jersey board.

Wow! A response the next day!

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From: jamz jones Thu, Oct 27, 2005 at 10:36 PM
To: anon-107036202@craigslist.org

craigslist Advisory: Fraud and Scam Warning!
Please read our scam advisory page before replying to this message:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

This warning is automatically attached to
ALL craigslist forwarded emails


Goodday,
I just want to let you know that i'm highly interested in the purchse of your (ITEM),but will like to know for how long you have been using this (ITEM) ,i will like to know the present condition of the (ITEM) ,how much you are going to sell it for me.I will also appreciate it if you can forward some recently taken pix of the (ITEM) ,thanks and hoping to hear from you soonest,bye.

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Hmm. It's different... but the same. Well, who knows. Since I wasn't sure if he knew what (ITEM) he was asking about, I asked him. His reply:

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From: jamz jones Fri, Oct 28, 2005 at 9:47 AM
To: lostpancake

Hello,
thanks for the mail,i am very glad to hear from you i want you to know that i am interested in buying your eletronic for sale ,also i want you to list out all the you have for sale so that i can take one of it,look forward to ready form you soonest.
thanks.

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I haven't quite decided how to reply yet, but I'm sure the response will be interesting.

ps. Anyone interested in a robot vacuum cleaner?