Craigslist war stories

[tonysbricks]

CL isn't exactly the bastion of humanity but this scumbag is the worst I have dealt with to date. Guy posts an ad with horrible pictures and says he will accept a reasonable offer. I take a stab at an offer based more on his text than anything and even let him know I was offering without knowing what he really had. The next morning I get a "I accept your offer" reply, and we send back and forth 6 emails confirming time, address, pickup, etc etc. In terms of deals, this was done complete in the books ready to go. Meanwhile I spend a large part of my day (sick, staying home from work) researching what I can about the lot and themes he claimed to have and it looks like a good deal. An hour before our transaction (11 hours and 6 emails after he accepted) I get an email telling me the price has gone up but I am welcome to stop by and make a new offer. Hey clown, FU. I admit I have had pretty good luck with CL so this may be tame to some. Got a bad story? Share it and let the healing begin!

[Raykong]

I jumped on a deal from CL, two sets, a viking set and a star wars set for $200. I ask if set is complete, the seller says yes. The day of p/u, i get an email saying sorry cant sell it at that price...it was too cheap. i ask how much someone else offered. they say $300. I say ill take it even at that price. I go to pick it up and its a mom and her teenage son (maybe 13 or 14). everything looks good. the kid is eager to take my money. i take it home and immediately begin to discover that it is not complete and no where near complete. i immediately send an email. I get no response for a few days, and im emailing them every day with more and more parts that are missing. the mom finally emails back and says too bad..this is CL. I tell her about the representations that the set was complete, which was obviously made by her son, who should have known they were not because so many pieces were missing. the mom then offers to return $50, then $100. I say heck no, I will rather take you to small claims court so your son can learn a lesson. After days of nonsense, she finally says she will return my money. I take the sets back and she gives me my money back minus $20. She says, I didn't say I'd return all of your money! I tell her keep it, bad karma for you. I now have seen them trying to resell it on CL for a month. Now that it is listed as missing pieces, no one will touch it with a ten foot pole and the price dropped from $300 back to the original $200 last night. They wont sell it even for that price and even without me bad mouthing them on CL. Karma will get you every time. I wasted 2 hours total of driving and tons of time on email - i learned never to buy a set that is claimed to be complete on CL unless its already put together. Oh and I lost my $20 bucks.

[toolbox1]

craigslist is usually not the best avenue for me to obtain legos. i once picked up a 7965 from a tool who said it was sealed but the box was in not so great a shape. i bought it for 90, but when i took it home(it was dark during the exchange) it was obvious it had been opened, but all the bags were there. i guess it was not a bad deal.

[Blackjack]

Those people are such jerks!

[hxckid88]

I traveled an hour to buy a ps1 with 8 games for twenty bucks. 7 of those games were worthless but one of those games was bust a groove. For those who only know legos just look it up. From the time it took to drive out the gentleman selling apparently got enough emails and subsequently found out how much he game was worth. I was pissed and let him know. But still got game away from him for an additional twenty. The idiot didn't know how to use computer. With this said I think sometimes we take what we all day lego and outside of lego and not give ourselves enough credit. It's so simple but there are intangibles that make you either good at this nor not. Just because someone may be able to know a value of a set Em doesn't mean they have the know how or are coherent enough to sell on line and such. Just food for thought.

[Jackson]

Karma will get you every time.

Just like Santa and Jesus will get you too if you're a naughty boy.

[sadowsk1]

While I've had mostly good experiences with CL I did have one that stood out in my mind. I had some communications with a woman about a picture she posted and the deal was good. After a 40 minute drive to check it out it turns out she basically skim coated a bin with Lego and had a mixed assortment of weird toys underneath. She claimed that the Lego were all 'clean'. This was true, the whole bins contents were disturbingly damp with water pooling at the bottom of the container. As I proceeded to dry my hands on my jacket she accused me of stealing out of the bin. Needless to say I did not complete the transaction. What a waste of a Sunday afternoon. I still want that wasted drive time back.

[Diabolos80]

In the three months since i got back into Lego, I've been had three times by craigslist scumbags. First was a used 4195 Queen Anne's Revenge, offered for $40. I call her up, tell her what it's really worth, and offer her $100. She says yes, let's meet tomorrow, done deal. Except the next day she never shows up and the listing is gone. Next, a mother listed her son's used, supposedly complete Taj Mahal for $400. I email, tell her it's actually worth about $700, and I'll give her $500. Okay, done deal. I email back for a meeting place, never hear from her again and the listing is gone. Last, a guy lists a new Cafe Corner for 425 obo. I email, tell him I'll give him 425 today. Never hear back, the listing is gone. What the hell is going on with Craigslist? The only luck I've had on there is buying incomplete sets and lots from kids. I don't even really check Craigslist anymore.

[comicblast]

In the three months since i got back into Lego, I've been had three times by craigslist scumbags. First was a used 4195 Queen Anne's Revenge, offered for $40. I call her up, tell her what it's really worth, and offer her $100. She says yes, let's meet tomorrow, done deal. Except the next day she never shows up and the listing is gone. Next, a mother listed her son's used, supposedly complete Taj Mahal for $400. I email, tell her it's actually worth about $700, and I'll give her $500. Okay, done deal. I email back for a meeting place, never hear from her again and the listing is gone. Last, a guy lists a new Cafe Corner for 425 obo. I email, tell him I'll give him 425 today. Never hear back, the listing is gone. What the hell is going on with Craigslist? The only luck I've had on there is buying incomplete sets and lots from kids. I don't even really check Craigslist anymore.

I saw a Taj Mahal for $400 but opened box on Craigslist but it looked like a scam so I ignored it. I also saw someone post a "listing" about a Corner Cafe listing scam, so those might have been the same ones you saw.

[JoshTX]

Figured I'd revive this thread to talk about another ridiculous listing:

 

http://austin.craigslist.org/tag/3969296943.html

 

I don't know what this guy is smoking, but delusional would be an understatement.

[stackables]

Didn't know this was a thread already.  Might have to add a couple of my dealings.  I think most already know the one where I got scammed for a lot of money.  Trying to repress that one.

[comicblast]

Figured I'd revive this thread to talk about another ridiculous listing:

 

http://austin.craigslist.org/tag/3969296943.html

 

I don't know what this guy is smoking, but delusional would be an understatement.

We should list stuff like this to see if people actually take the bait...

Exchanging a NEW OR USED 2008 10179 Millennium Falcon for the NEW 2011 7965 Millennium Falcon!

[JoshTX]

We should list stuff like this to see if people actually take the bait...

Exchanging a NEW OR USED 2008 10179 Millennium Falcon for the NEW 2011 7965 Millennium Falcon!

 

Ha ha. I actually expect, given as popular Lego is around here, that this guy did this for attention. He's likely sitting around his PC waiting for the inevitable hate mail to come in, just to entertain himself. He may also be using it as a method to gauge how many other investors are in the area, as he likely realizes only people that are serious about Lego are going to know well enough to respond and call him out for it.

[mikeur86]

Figured I'd revive this thread to talk about another ridiculous listing:

 

http://austin.craigslist.org/tag/3969296943.html

 

I don't know what this guy is smoking, but delusional would be an understatement.

 

Hahah I saw this too! I couldn't believe it. Someone was selling a SSD for 200 late last week. I hit them up but no response..

[kerrmando]

I've done literally thousands of craigslist transactions. The good outweighs the bad, but I've had literally about 80-90 bad experiences!

[JoshTX]

Hahah I saw this too! I couldn't believe it. Someone was selling a SSD for 200 late last week. I hit them up but no response...

 

Ahh I forgot...you are in Round Rock, right? I knew there was at least one other Central Texas person here...I think there are many lurkers, though.

 

I didn't respond to the SSD, I saw it like 3 hours after it was posted and assumed it was gone. I just had my heart broken though on a bulk lot...some girl said I was the first responder and was supposed to meet me for a lot she estimated at 100 pounds for 300 bucks, it was a nice organized collection with lots of boxes and manuals...for whatever reason she stopped responding to me and pulled the listing, I'm thinking someone came in and offered way over her asking price...I hope that wasn't you, lol.

[terrymc4677]

I responded to an ad from a guy who was selling the entire legends of chima line and four ninjago sets. my son loves the cartoons and I thought it would be a great way to get the sets at a good price. adult owned. displayed only. all instruction manuels and figs present. he was asking $225. I talked him down to $175. he agreed. I drive over to his place to pick them up. they are all sitting on the counter and look great. I start to count the sets to make sure everything that was posted in his ad was in fact there. I notice that 2 sets that were listed were not there (the two large bird sets). he informs me that his girlfriend really liked those sets so he didn't want to sell them (then why did you include them in the listing?? I am thinking to myself). he could tell I was agitated a bit, so he threw in the spider man with venom set and the catwoman set, neither of which my son had yet, so I guess it turned out ok. when I got them home and surprised my son we started to go though everything and compare against the parts list in each book. the only thing missing was one chima figure, which we acquired off of ebay for $7. I don't feel like I got burned too bad, but the whole situation was a little awkward. 

[mikeur86]

hahah it wasn't I didn't even see that one. And yeah I am in RR. I went to a garage sale the other day they had a massive tote full of Legos. I asked the lady how much for all the Lego's and she said "PSSSH We are selling the pieces for 10 cents each and the little people for 5.00 each. So if you want to count them up we can negotiate from there." 

 

Lets step aside for a moment that those prices were ridiculous but how the heck was I supposed to count a giant tote with at least fifty pounds worth of legos in the middle of a garage sale. 

[JoshTX]

I responded to an ad from a guy who was selling the entire legends of chima line and four ninjago sets. my son loves the cartoons and I thought it would be a great way to get the sets at a good price. adult owned. displayed only. all instruction manuels and figs present. he was asking $225. I talked him down to $175. he agreed. I drive over to his place to pick them up. they are all sitting on the counter and look great. I start to count the sets to make sure everything that was posted in his ad was in fact there. I notice that 2 sets that were listed were not there (the two large bird sets). he informs me that his girlfriend really liked those sets so he didn't want to sell them (then why did you include them in the listing?? I am thinking to myself). he could tell I was agitated a bit, so he threw in the spider man with venom set and the catwoman set, neither of which my son had yet, so I guess it turned out ok. when I got them home and surprised my son we started to go though everything and compare against the parts list in each book. the only thing missing was one chima figure, which we acquired off of ebay for $7. I don't feel like I got burned too bad, but the whole situation was a little awkward. 

 

It is weird when people do stuff like that. There is often alot of awkwardness with CL but I guess that's just the "cost" of getting things fiscally cheaper. I had an experience in which they situation kinda like that, or maybe it was a misunderstanding, but it was a bulk lot they advertised 50+ pounds for 200 bucks, I get out there to look at it, and she says the original price was 400 but you get half for 200 and the other "buyer" they had waiting in the wings got the other half for 200, then she acted as if she was "hooking me up" because I got first pick on the bags of pieces. I politely walked away without buying anything.

[Guest betsy805]

Not lego, but I remember driving nearly 2 hours through rush hour traffic to buy a dining room set.  Solid Mahogany.  Rented a truck and everything.  Guy sells it to someone else a half hour before I get there even though he knew I was coming.  Bastard wouldn't even open the door, only way I got a hold of him was to keep calling on my cell as I waited outside.

[JoshTX]

hahah it wasn't I didn't even see that one. And yeah I am in RR. I went to a garage sale the other day they had a massive tote full of Legos. I asked the lady how much for all the Lego's and she said "PSSSH We are selling the pieces for 10 cents each and the little people for 5.00 each. So if you want to count them up we can negotiate from there." 

 

Lets step aside for a moment that those prices were ridiculous but how the heck was I supposed to count a giant tote with at least fifty pounds worth of legos in the middle of a garage sale. 

5 bucks a pop for garage sale minifigs? Funny how people get a whiff that a type of product might be valuable and then assume that they have exactly what is valuable, like an issue of Alpha Flight is worth as much as Amazing Fantasy #15 just because they are both comics.

[terrymc4677]

It is weird when people do stuff like that. There is often alot of awkwardness with CL but I guess that's just the "cost" of getting things fiscally cheaper. I had an experience in which they situation kinda like that, or maybe it was a misunderstanding, but it was a bulk lot they advertised 50+ pounds for 200 bucks, I get out there to look at it, and she says the original price was 400 but you get half for 200 and the other "buyer" they had waiting in the wings got the other half for 200, then she acted as if she was "hooking me up" because I got first pick on the bags of pieces. I politely walked away without buying anything.

that's just odd. some people don't have a clue, or they think that everyone else is extremely stupid.

[Jimking23]

I have had mostly surreal experiences, not so much bad. I bought a rancor set at a great price. We had a hard time communicating because I'm a little hard of hearing and I'm pretty sure he was an alcoholic. The reason I say that is because when I asked for alternate routes home due to traffic. He pulled out this humongous phone and showed me highlighted routes. He then explained to me they were all bike routes because he lost his license. On another occasion I got a good deal on at train set. The guy was great and we had so much in common, we talked for a 1/2 hour, before we even talked about the lego set. The one thing that drives me crazy is no response. If its sold pull the listing, if not respond please.

[metsrock507]

someone had a used imperial shuttle for sale on QL nyc, i emailed him a few times and we settled on $150 for it and made up to meet at his apartment in lower Manhattan. i drive 45 mins to  get there then i pay to park. i go to the address and ring the bell. GUESS WHO WASN'T HOME?? and he also didn't answer his cellphone (i called him like 30 times in a row) i hung around for like 15mins hoping he would call me back or come home but i eventually gave up and left. (he never called me back or responded to my emails after this incident) i then drove to brooklyn and got a haunted house and that r2d2 technic set for a total of $260 (they retail at $360) so the day wasn't completely wasted.

[JoshTX]

Not lego, but I remember driving nearly 2 hours through rush hour traffic to buy a dining room set.  Solid Mahogany.  Rented a truck and everything.  Guy sells it to someone else a half hour before I get there even though he knew I was coming.  Bastard wouldn't even open the door, only way I got a hold of him was to keep calling on my cell as I waited outside.

This would have REALLY pissed me off. Driving far for something and being stood up is bad, but you rented a truck as well. That's pretty inconsiderate of them.