craigslist

[greenthumb]

my craigslist sign of the times rant. yesterday I thought I had a peice of equipment sold. I was asking 750 and ended up taking a 725 for it agreeing over the phone it was some forks for a skid steer. the guy shows up saturday like we agreed when he said he would and gets out a check book. I say I only take cash. he gets mad at me because I did not tell him I only would take cash. He did not have an atm card his wife had it. it just seemed odd. I could see what would happen i take the check it bounces he has a set of forks. was I wrong. I did tell him i would hold on to it until monday when he gets cash call me so I will see if he was just new to buying and selling or running a scam. I have never showed up to buy a craigslist in a yard or classified add with a personal check.

 

[/pine]

IMO, unless the ad stated so or you informed him that you would not take a check....he had every right to be disgruntled with you...

 

[BTDT2]

Interesting thoughts?

Many businesses no longer accept checks, and I have yet to write a check at a flea market.

Cash, debit/credit card is is king, and I normally change checkout lines when I see someone pulling out their check book.

I normally ask if the owner will accept a cashiers/bank check for large amounts, but never considered trying to write a personal check. Personal checks are becoming more like IOU's in this economic climate.

 

[brin]

Maybe it's just me but when going to buy any Craig's list item I automatically think Cash..It would never occur to me to give a personal check...#1 - I know I would not take a personal check from someone I did not know #2 I don't want to give a personal check to a stranger off Craig's list...since it has your acct. no. on it, your name, address and signature...more info than they need. I would also be leary takinga cashiers check since these scanners can make exact copies..good enough to fool even Banks...So for a large sum..I would let someone meet me at my bank or theirs.

 

[Mousefield]

I just sold a 7 ft back blade through Craigslist last week (which I purchased last year through Craigslist with cash). I was asked by the purchaser cash or cheque. I said cash works well, he came and got it and paid cash. Several weeks ago I bought a better back blade through Craigslist and paid cash. Frankly any one that takes a cheque is, in my mind, taking a good chance of being out the money. Mostly good folks out there but lots of bad ones as well. You do not know these people, they phone or email, show up and give you a check, take your goods and are gone. If the check is bad most sellers would not have gotten the purchasers name, phone number, how would you even find them and your goods. Any thing I have purchased from Craigslist, and there have been a number of items, I have always paid cash. A couple of times when I went to look at an item I did not have the full amount but left a cash deposit and when picking up the item paid cash. As a reminder I still have some bum checks from 1986.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Whenever I show up to buy something like this I always bring cash, I think a cash buyer can get a better deal. i.e., the guy is asking $450 and you whip out $400 cash...that is hard to resist!

I do think you should have told the guy you would only except cash up front.
Either that or follow him to his bank.

 

[deepNdirt]

IMO with the way things have got with scams and shady deals I would not except a check either, he should have ask when talking with you if you would take a check, one cannot assume everyone will take checks, But looking at it from the buyers point of view he might want to pay check for reasons of proof of purchase, I remember many years ago the wife held a Garage sale and I contributed many of my old things tools etc,etc, one guy came and purchased a couple hundred dollars worth and wanted to pay with check, the wife ask for cash instead the man said that he runs a Business buying and selling of used things and needs to keep record of his purchases reason for paying with check, but if he had to pay in cash he would like to get a itemized receipt, He then pulled out cash,
........................ I learned from this and now ask for receipts also when buying used things, Quite a lot of things being sold on CL are shady/ stolen and I wouldn't want to be caught up in something like that so getting a receipt or having purchase something with check name written out to person selling said item will help if ever something turns bad about the deal.
Please don't think I am suggesting anything... only trying to bring to light why some folks want to pay for used things with a check...
Hope this helps

 

[radman1]

The OP should have said cash only. However, if I was the buyer, I would have assumed cash instead of using a check. I still purchase some items with check and sold some items with check but it is becoming rare. Personally, if the seller expects cash, he should have said cash only. Two words - Cash only. As the buyer it is a bit of a hassel to get cash but if I want the item, I will get the cash.

Everyone is different. Most misunderstandings like this are a simple lack of communication. If the OP said cash, the buyer probably would have brought cash. I bought a set of car ramps 1 year ago off craigslist. The lady said she would leave them on the porch and to leave the money between the storm door and house door. I arrived, saw the ramps on the porch and left the $ in an envelope between the doors. Never saw the seller.

 

[jinman]

I went into an old auto parts store in my hometown one day, and they had a sign behind the parts counter that read, "We accept cash from pilots with two photo IDs." :laughing:

 

[greenthumb]

I guess I should have put cash only in the ad but I have sold about 10 things on CL And every buyer has shown up with cash. When he said on the phone he would buy it it never crossed my mind to say bring cash. Hopefully it works out. I just can't see taking a personal check. They could be from a old acount or stolen and then he is down the road with a 700 steal of a deal. I guess every ad from now on will say cash only.

 

[Tororider]

I have bought and sold a lot of things on craigslist. I ALWAYS assume these are cash sales. I don't think you did anything wrong. Could you have specified that it was cash only, sure, but if you take the check you have all the risk. You could have told him that you would take the check but he had to come back and pick up the forks when the check cleared.

 

[Dargo]

I've never carried a checkbook in my life. Not once. If I need a check I gets the checkbook from my wife's purse. Just one of those things with me. If it doesn't print out from my Quickbooks or reside in my wife's purse, I'm not going to have a check.

 

[Mousefield]

IMO, unless the ad stated so or you informed him that you would not take a check....he had every right to be disgruntled with you...

If he was coming out with a check the purchaser should have asked, not the other way around.

 

[tallyho8]

I've noticed that in some small rural towns where everyone knows everyone that checks are used more often then cash. I've been in small local stores that kept a book of counter checks on the counter where you just fill in your account number and make out the check and they are used by all the locals.

I have never seen this in larger towns where most of your customers are strangers. Having run my own business for 38 years and taking hundreds of checks (many which I still have ), I would never take a large check from a stranger because I know that it is next to impossible to collect for a bad check in our area and know that this is one of the easiest, safest ways for a crook to steal without worrying about jail time.

When I place an ad I usually tell the responders cash only over the phone but I have had many show up with a check and insist that it IS cash, not credit.

 

[/pine]

If he was coming out with a check the purchaser should have asked, not the other way around.

...If the ad does not state "cash only" it is logical that the seller would accept a check...or other legal tender
just because it's 'Craigslist' makes no difference....CL is no different than any other classified listing...

An individual accepting a check from another has no fewer rights than any other entity accepting a check...all you do is make sure they have a photo ID and take their driver's license #....in reality a check is the same as cash...

It really comes down to "exactly how much money are we talking about?"...there is a buffer between what most would pay cash for and what most wouldn' consider anthing but a bank draft or cashiers check...

If paranoia has reached the level that you are afraid to do anything but cash transactions that's fine...but I see people with items at flea markets that are priced at thousands of dollars....how many folks carry that much cash on a regular basis? (not talking about dealers)

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I too pay in cash. The ad probably should have said that, but come on for that much money and a stranger he shouldn't have been surprised.

 

[aczlan]

I have only found two CL sellers who took checks, one took it as payment (after copying down license info) and the other would only take it as a deposit, we were buying a haywagon and made out a check for the sale price as a deposit, we then brought cash and traded the check for cash (he wasn't around so he left the check on the seat of his truck and we left cash in the same place). Would I take a check? Not unless I personally knew the person. It is too easy for someone to write a bad check if you are selling or take your account number and use it to make a fake check if you are buying.

I pay with a check at the Chiropractors, but that is about it (they dont take plastic and I dont carry much cash).

Aaron Z

 

[gregsons]

Let me give some advice, Craigslist deals should only be done in CASH. when i mean cash i mean little pieces of paper with pictures of dead guys on them. This comes from experiance taking compls. from numerous folks at work. If you do take a check ask for several forms of ID , home , cell , work, number, ss# mothers maiden name, and still dont take a check.

In my side business i stopped taking checks and it has been clear sailing since. if you get scamed they may get arrested but that dont mean you get your $$$ back.

And if you write checks for a sale like this your setting your self up for failure. like it was posted before Name / address / phone number / account #/ signiture. all there for the taking.

 

[Mousefield]

...If the ad does not state "cash only" it is logical that the seller would accept a check...or other legal tender
just because it's 'Craigslist' makes no difference....CL is no different than any other classified listing...

An individual accepting a check from another has no fewer rights than any other entity accepting a check...all you do is make sure they have a photo ID and take their driver's license #....in reality a check is the same as cash...
It really comes down to "exactly how much money are we talking about?"...there is a buffer between what most would pay cash for and what most wouldn' consider anthing but a bank draft or cashiers check...

If paranoia has reached the level that you are afraid to do anything but cash transactions that's fine...but I see people with items at flea markets that are priced at thousands of dollars....how many folks carry that much cash on a regular basis? (not talking about dealers)

Reality is cash is cash. A check is a piece of paper that, unless you can get cash for it, is still just a piece of paper. That is why I still have bum checks from 1986, they are not cash. If the account is closed or has no money in it how do you get the CASH? Then how much time do you spend trying to get your money, for most people it is not worth their time. You are just out the money.

 

[schmism]

wait, theres another option of buying something off of craigslist other than cash?

news to me. I would never offer a personal check, would never take one.

If you can bring a cashiers check, then you can instead get cash from the bank. If you can bring a money order, then instead you can bring cash.


I suppose we could do paypall, but then im going to charge another 4% on top of the agreed upon price.