Need some advice on a potential sale

[Sax Magic]

I have a customer wanting to purchase my 1969 Buescher 400, contacted me through Craigslist. (S)he wants to buy using PayPal and have me ship the horn to an address in Nigeria for "her cousin." The city is in Nigeria, but the Zip Code looks like a NY/NJ kind of zip to me.
Does this sound like a scam? No pictures have been requested, and I have offered to send pics or meet the "buyer" to demo the horn, but such offers have been ignored with "send the PayPal address soonest" responses.
What say ye?
Thanks,
Sax Magic

[Carl H.]

Burn the money and crush the sax - same results and you know where everything is.

[Dr G]

Burn the money and crush the sax - same results and you know where everything is.

+1

Amen.

[Sax Magic]

Thanks, I thought so...
When there was no request for pics and the customer would not call my cell as requested, I smelled a rat.
Thanks again for the heads up, and the explanation of how the scam works.
We live, and we learn. Perhaps this thread will keep someone else from falling prey as well.
Sax Magic

[Thomas]

Thanks, I thought so...
I smelled a rat.Sax Magic

you didn't whiff the rodent when you saw Nigeria? for your own protection in all things internet.avoid anything that mentions Nigeria like the plague(which is spread by fleas on rodents btw)

[buddy lee]

Absolutely a scam.

[diskman50]

You'll never see your sax or the money again. Run and run fast.

Diskman50

[ATeamMusic]

Bottom line if your not shipping to the EXACT address as there verified pay pal they can easily make a claim and get the money back. Your better out dropping your price a few hundred and having a local swoop in on it.

[EsbSpecial]

I have 5 horns on Craigslist NH right now and the only responses I have gotten have been in the "I will be paying through paypal and sending my shipping company to get the item."

Well, except for the guy who sent me a letter that said that "The item listed has been confirmed as stolen from a Boston store in November 2010." He then went on saying how the Boston PD, Massachusettes state police and the "law enforcement in (my) community) have been informed" and how the only way to avoid prosecution was to send the item to a PO box in Taunton.

I responded with a "OMG I had no idea! I don't want any trouble!" email, and then promptly send him a box with 3 bricks and a large, black, rubber, anatomically correct Gorrila "personal pleasuring device" to said PO box. I hope he responds.

[Chicken 'Lil]

Totally awesome!

[Chicken 'Lil]

I have 5 horns on Craigslist NH right now and the only responses I have gotten have been in the "I will be paying through paypal and sending my shipping company to get the item."

Well, except for the guy who sent me a letter that said that "The item listed has been confirmed as stolen from a Boston store in November 2010." He then went on saying how the Boston PD, Massachusettes state police and the "law enforcement in (my) community) have been informed" and how the only way to avoid prosecution was to send the item to a PO box in Taunton.

I responded with a "OMG I had no idea! I don't want any trouble!" email, and then promptly send him a box with 3 bricks and a large, black, rubber, anatomically correct Gorrila "personal pleasuring device" to said PO box. I hope he responds.

I meant this was totally awesome. Not being scammed. In case there was any confusion.

[EsbSpecial]

I apologize for the horrid grammar in the above post. It has been a long day.

[abadcliche]

Interesting assortment of objects to just have laying around!

Still hilarious.

[Dave Dolson]

I admire the effort that went into teasing this idiot. I wouldn't take the time or spend the money but I'm glad someone did. By the way, you DO have a 12-gauge with 00-buck by the door, right? DAVE

[runzoff]

Not just no- but HELL NO!!
Don't even bother responding to these scammers.

[Head2wind]

I get the same in my business dealings. I bet I've received 50 similar requests to purhase my products. I now have a standard response.

"You might want to change your purchase regimen. Everyone knows anyone asking for such a transaction is a thief. I'm sure you don't want your reputation smeared like this other scum."

[bruce bailey]

I get those all the time. They ask me for my paypal address and really are only interested in having the name of your paypal and they already have your e-mail. What they do is send you (via your e-mail) and official looking paypal letter saying something like "your paypal has been flagged for..." which leads you to an attachment that is corrupt whereby you put in your password. Then they have your paypal username and your password. There is no interest in the horn, only your info. The Nigeria think is strange as it really sends up flags. Most of the ones I get say that they are out at sea, phone won't work, child has a terminal problem, horn is back home in the "state".
What I do is ask them for THEIR paypal name so I can send them an invoice. Sending an invoice is still the safest way to "ask" for money as then at least you know that they need to go via paypal channels although that is not foolproof.

[kcp]

Moved to eBay, Paypal & Craigslist Experiences where it belongs

Thanks for reporting, André