Transaction / help buying something / Trust

[petertay15]

Not to get off topic, but here is a comment about trusting strangers (I usually do). I’m selling an item on Craigslist. Not expensive at all. A buyer contacted me from another state, a thousand miles away. Asked if they could prepay by check and have a family member pick up the item sometime in the future when they would be traveling in our state.
1. Nothing wrong here, but I felt a red flag.
2. And I noticed that the buyer replied to my email directly, not through the CraigsList system. Red flag 2.

I replied they didn’t need to prepay, I would hold the item, and the family member could pay cash when they arrived. But, I also said they should bay via PayPal, not a check.

3. Never heard back from supposed buyer. I suspect it was a scam that we hear about. They send a check for way over the asking price, then apologize and ask me to send them the difference.

[MarkSingleton]

Missed this thread before now.

Good to hear things are going well.

The folks on this list are a good group.  There are others.
Not everyone you meet is like the bad ones we all hear about.




Some years back, on an old land cruiser list,  i was contacted by
a guy I barely knew who was aware of some Canadians whose cruiser broke down
about a half hour from me, in Pismo Beach.

All the guy knew, was that they were on the pavement, at the entrance to
the sand, in a cruiser wagon.  It was my day off. I had the time.  Called a
buddy of mine, threw some tools in my cruiser and we headed up there.

Upshot was, their diesel engine was toast. And they were literally as far from
home ( east coast of Canada ) as they could get on the north american
continent. And they knew NO ONE.

Called a tow guy I new. Had it towed to the local diesel place I knew.
Took them ( young couple) to my buddies house ( he had a spare room).
Next thing they knew they had a place to stay, and we fed them
Santa Maria style BBQ Tri-Tip and fresh local strawberries ( and daiquiris!!)

They stayed a week while a new diesel engine ( NOT normally available
in the US , gotta know the right aftermarket folks) was swapped in.
Old engine was put into the back of their wagon(!).

He drove his cruiser to LAX, the crated broke engine was then flown back to
Canada and they drove back home.  They were nice folks.

It was just one of those stories you fall into as you go through life.
Paying it forward. I have been on the receiving end of such stories.
So I had no problem helping out.  Neither did my buddy. RIP.


So, yeah, check folks out, but don't be in a huge hurry to condemn on scant
evidence.

[Arlin Eastman]

This takes a lot of nerve, to ask another to donate his time, just so you can take advantage of a bargain.

I would do it for anyone around here.  Lots of good people here that is just what friends do.

[MichaelS]

Also to close this out, the item arrived (6cfm vacupress unit, aged, but in good shape) and only needed a little TLC and maintenance (cracked fitting and replacement filter - both on the way now from the company.

Was a good discussion and reminded me of why woodnet is exceptional (in many ways
)

Michael