How to spot and avoid a scam (from 20,000 miles away)

Every scam is a bit different, but they all have one thing in common:

1. 1. A scammer wants to get money from you before you get what you're promised. The simplest way to avoid being scammed is to NEVER PAY (until you get what you need).
   
   
2. 2. Your potential buyer lives in a big city in another continent, and you are selling something commonplace, and tangible (like a computer or a handbag). This is a SCAM. Why? No one in their right mind will buy something from 20,000 miles away that they can get closer to home. This rule may not apply if the item is rare, or if your deal is just too good to pass up.
   
   
3. 3. Your potential buyer lives in the USA but responds to your ad like they learned English in West Africa. This is a SCAM. Why? Although you'll meet plenty of illiterate and grammatically-challenged people online, the unique cachet of the 419 scammer is easy to spot. Here are some examples. If your buyer writes like a West African then they most likely don't live in the US.
4. 
   4. Your buyer offers to pay for shipping. This is the most obvious giveaway. No one in their right mind wants to pay shipping. At best, a buyer will ask how much they have to pay for shipping before hearing from you first.
   
   5. Your buyer offers to pay more for shipping than the actual shipping cost. SCAM - obviously.
5. 
   6. Your buyer offers to pay more than the asking price. SCAM!
   
   7. A seller offers an item for less than 1/3 of its actual value. If this isn't a SCAM, it's at least a warning sign. What's wrong with the item that it would be so cheap? Could it be that it doesn't even EXIST?
   
   8. URGENCY! Why are scammers always in such a hurry? Is it because they are always one step away from having their hovels busted up by a goon squad? If your buyer or seller requires URGENT action, fast payment, quick responses, or the like, you should increase your threat assessment ten-fold.
   
   8. Although I'm reluctant to classify scams by their industry or product type, you can pretty much forget about buying drugs of any kind, work-at-home business opportunities or tickets (of any kind) from Craigslist. It just isn't worth the risk.

RULES

1. You must sign up before you can post a scammer's email.

2. You must sign in before you can view the list.

3. You are restricted to 2 reports a day (this is to prevent spam).

4. If you spam this list with a false report or an ad then your email will be added to this list.

5. Stick to the facts.

6. Don't blame us if you get scammed because you didn't find an email listed here.
See our TOS and how to protect yourself and clues and giveways.
7. This list is only for Craigslist scammers. If you've been scammed or phished elsewhere use some of these other links: