Good day, how was your day ? I just receive the confirmation from the
Bank,the check as been issued out and was mailed by the United Parcel
Service  it will be delivered to your address a day from now according
to the courier ,but to my greatest surprise the draft was made out for
$2800 instead of the actual cost .It was claimed at the Bank that i
requested for such but am very sure i only made a request for the cost
of the goods.This is a terrible mistake and i was just informed about
this.

When and once the check is delivered to you please take it to you bank
and have it cashed,you will deduct your money plus an extra $100 to
offset the cost of you run around expenses,the rest of the fund should
be sent to my pick up man via western union the same day so that he
can come over for the pick asap.I would have actually love to give you
a call immediately i was informed about this but am a deaf and only
uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send me a email if
i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a message on my
voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an email  to me as
well,thank you.

Response from Craigslist...

Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send
me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a
message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
email  to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered,regards.

Well, got the same email from James Pearl about a pool I'm selling.

Of course, the initial tipoff to it being a scam is the fact the scammer calls the item "the item" and not a pool, or a car, or whatever you're selling.  When have you ever talked to someone, via email or in person, and called what you're interested in purchasing "the item" instead of calling it what it is....car, pool, mower, whatever.

Then "the piece."  Just the usual generic scammer speak....hoping to lure someone in who is not paying a bit of attention or using their common sense.


First rule.....if the interested buyer calls your for sale item "the item", it's a scam.  

Second.....if it's not going to be a local sale for cash and transacted in a public place, move on to the next interested party. Always better safe than sorry.

I received the exact same inquiry and response to my craigslist ad. I looked up the name James Pearl, and there was one Santa Fe. I had hope for selling the item until I looked up the phone number. Thank you to those before me who reported this number.

I've done business on craigslist a few times and this is a first. I just got these emails within the past 2 days. I knew it sounded fishy. The language just didn't sound right. What a piece of Sh*t!

06/06/09
Hello, I am satisfied with the description and condition of the item
listed above by you on the Ad, Please let me know if the piece is
still available for sale?
Regards

06/07/09
Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
guy and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send
me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a
message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
email  to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered,regards


J.P. from San Diego

WoW! I got the same exact; word for word email!!! At first I was very surprise that someone had responded so quickly but then got suspicious... so I googled it cause these where the two emails I got from the guy! From an email account: jamesdeafpearl09@gmail.com
First one:
"Hello, I am satisfied with the description and condition of the item listed above by you on the Ad, Please let me know if the piece is still available for sale?"

After I responded... Second email said:
"Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
guy and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so please send
me a email if i can trust in you to handle this with care or leave a
message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
email to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered,regards."

Thanks to everyone who realized that this was too good to be true and reported it... Cause this screams out FRAUD!!!

The same story...
First letter was:
"Hello, I am satisfied with the description and condition of the item
listed above by you on the Ad, Please let me know if the piece is
still available for sale?
Regards"
And the second one: "Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
guy and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send
me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a
message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
email  to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered,regards."

THANK'S THIS SITE AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE POSTING INFORMATION ABOUT SUCH FRAUDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the EXACT same message


Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
> satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
> guy and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so please send
> me a email if i can trust in you to handle this with care or leave a
> message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
> email to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
> draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
> the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
> draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
> days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
> addresses
> 1.Name to be on the check
> 2.Home address
> 3.Telephone
> Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
> to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
> only after the payment as been delivered,regards.

Oh it's a new spiel now, I feel special for getting the updated version as follows...                                                                                                                                                   Thanks so much for the swift response..Like i said am totally
satisfied with the item..Wish i could talk to u on phone but am a deaf
guy and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send
me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a
message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an
email  to me as well,my Bank will be processing and mail a certified
draft to cover the cost of my purchase as am completely satisfied with
the advert.I will need the details of whom & where to mail the
draft.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service within 3-4
days.Please note 'United Parcel Service' do not deliver to P.O.Box
addresses
1.Name to be on the check
2.Home address
3.Telephone
Kindly delete the posting as am totally committed to buying from you
to save me cost,my mover will be coming over for the pick up right
only after the payment as been delivered,regards.

Same thing here.  So I told them where to send the check to. Surprise!  It actually showed up!  I even got an address where to send it to (the mover to pick up):

Earl Hamilton
180 Fort Washington Ave
New York, NY 10032

I'm sure there's some type of pickup there somewhere or nearby (at a hospital in NYC).

Of course the check is a fake...had my bank take a copy of it.  You can just Google the addresses on it and find out they don't exist.

Those who do cash the check, well, by the time they do so, send the money off, etc...the check turns out to be fake, the money's gone, and the person who cashed it is held liable for the missing funds.

Love to get the Attorney General's office involved, but my local city's consumer info. office sometimes is tough to get a hold of...so sadly, I'm going to have to call the bluff on this one.  Too bad...would have been like that site where they scam the Nigerian scammers.

We also got this response for an item on CraigsList...

Good day, how was your day ? I just receive the confirmation from the Bank that the payment as been issued out and was mailed by the United Parcel Service. It will be delivered to your address a day from now according to the courier ,but to my greatest surprise the draft was issued out for my monthly pay check $2800.01 instead of the actual cost of my purchase .

The Bank claimed that i requested for my monthly pay check to be issued out to you  but am very sure i only made a request for the cost of the goods to be made out to your name .This is a terrible mistake and i was just informed about this so please once  the check is delivered  please take it to your Bank and have it cashed as advised by the accounting officer at the Bank.

You will then deduct the cost of my purchase  plus an extra $100 to offset the cost of your run around expenses.The rest of the fund should be sent to my mover  via western union the same day you do receive the payment so that my mover  can make the trip over for the pick at once. **I will need your immediate response via email assuring me  that i can trust you to handle this with care and  have the remaining fund returned appropriately.I am hearing impaired and will hope that your intentions remains noble though out the duration of this transaction**


I CANNOT BELIVE this is the saem exacxt wording and everyhting!  Thank God my husband is so suspicious! :)

Its a good thing that I follow up,when I hear something that sounds to good to be true.Wanted to buy  what I had on craigslist sight unseen and didnt even try to get price lowered.They e-mailed and gave me the same B.S. story,and of course I checked as I do on all replies and guess what.BINGO a FRAUD there.If we are all posting here then how come he is not stopped.

We recieved the same email regarding our merchandise for sale.

Good day, how was your day ? I just receive the confirmation from the Bank,the check as been issued out and was mailed by the United Parcel Service  it will be delivered to your address a day from now according to the courier ,but to my greatest surprise the draft was made out for $2800 instead of the actual cost .It was claimed at the Bank that i  requested for such but am very sure i only made a request for the cost of the goods.This is a terrible mistake and i was just informed about this.

When and once the check is delivered to you please take it to you bank and have it cashed,you will deduct your money plus an extra $100 to offset the cost of you run around expenses,the rest of the fund should be sent to my pick up man via western union the same day so that he can come over for the pick asap.I would have actually love to give you a call immediately i was informed about this but am a deaf and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an email  to me as well,thank you.

I recieved the email as well in response to merchandise....

Good day, how was your day ? I just receive the confirmation from the Bank,the check as been issued out and was mailed by the United Parcel Service  it will be delivered to your address a day from now according to the courier ,but to my greatest surprise the draft was made out for $2800 instead of the actual cost .It was claimed at the Bank that i  requested for such but am very sure i only made a request for the cost of the goods.This is a terrible mistake and i was just informed about this.

When and once the check is delivered to you please take it to you bank and have it cashed,you will deduct your money plus an extra $100 to offset the cost of you run around expenses,the rest of the fund should be sent to my pick up man via western union the same day so that he can come over for the pick asap.I would have actually love to give you a call immediately i was informed about this but am a deaf and only uses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so  please send me a email if i can  trust in you to handle this with  care or leave a message on my voice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an email  to me as well,thank you.

I received this scam e-mail from someone trying to by merchandise from me.

"Good day, how was your day ? I just receive the confirmation from theBank,the check as been issued out and was mailed by the United ParcelService it will be delivered to your address a day from now accordingto the courier ,but to my greatest surprise the draft was made out for$2800 instead of the actual cost .It was claimed at the Bank that irequested for such but am very sure i only made a request for the costof the goods.This is a terrible mistake and i was just informed aboutthis. When and once the check is delivered to you please take it to you bankand have it cashed,you will deduct your money plus an extra $100 tooffset the cost of you run around expenses,the rest of the fund shouldbe sent to my pick up man via western union the same day so that hecan come over for the pick asap.I would have actually love to give youa call immediately i was informed about this but am a deaf and onlyuses a hearing-in paired phone the relay so please send me a email ifi can trust in you to handle this with care or leave a message on myvoice mail "443-841-8344" it will be delivered as an email to me aswell,thank you."