Hay selling etiquette

[Kando]

Not sure where best to put this but it involves hay so this seems to fit. Now following the 'if it seems wrong it probably is' rule, the following seems plain wrong to me. In the time I've had my hay posted for sale, I've had two offers to buy, both of them requesting that I forward funds sent along with the payment to the hauler they would send to pick up the hay. At this point I just promptly broke contact and in both cases never heard from them again. Common practice or justified in being wary?

 

[Tx Jim]

Sounds similar to a scam.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

It's a scam. All ads like that are scams. You send money, wire it, what ever then sit on the front porch and wait. You will be a old dried up corpse and what ever you sent the money for will never show up. I can't say what I truly think of these kind of people. The forum would delete my account.

 

[motownbrowne]

Scam. It's basic check kiting. Best part is after you cash their phony check and forward the funds, you're liable for the amount of the check.

 

[M5farms]

I am not a hay jockey but I have been a salesman for most of my life and sold a few hundred rolls this year. If your posting on CL multiple pictures help , my ads have a pic of the field before cutting, during cutting after its windrowed and a pic of the bales then pricing at what your market is will insure you at least get some calls. If you have more in it that what its bringing its best to wait till all the cheap hay is sold. I sold some trash hay I made this year really cheap and I had less than 5 bucks a bale in it so I made over 10 $ profit on each one. I priced it this way because I wanted it moved quick. I believe in being fair and nit trying to take advantage of folks. It will pay dividends in the future . All of the customers this year told me to call them first next year even after I told them they may not ever see hay this cheap again.

 

[CobyRupert]

Never send money to someone you don't really know.

 

[Kando]

Thanks for the replies folks. I thought so.

 

[D2Cat]

If you're SELLING hay, why would you be forwarding funds to anyone?

 

[CobyRupert]

If you're SELLING hay, why would you be forwarding funds to anyone?

As I understand, here’s the scam:
“Buyer” sends you a check for the hay “plus the hauler’s fee” with the understanding that you forward the hauler’s fee.
You forward the fee (from you account), but in the meantime buyer’s check bounces.
Now you’re out those funds, plus you might of forwarded a personal check that has your bank account, routing numbers, address and signature on it.

 

[CincyFlyer]

If you're SELLING hay, why would you be forwarding funds to anyone?

'Cuz yer stupid. But, shockingly, this tactic works, over and over.
edit: editorial "yer", obviously!

 

[D2Cat]

Someone would have to be related to the village idiot to fall for something like that this day in age.

 

[kthompson]

Never send money to someone you don't really know.

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

 

[GLyford]

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

If they call on the phone and insist on being paid today, with gift cards, then yes. (also a current scam)

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Does this include the IRS? Just wondering.

Especially them...

 

[TheMan419]

This is a common scam. As described above you send the money to the hauler and the original check bounces. There is a whole segment of society that baits these scammers. See 419 Eater - The largest scambaiting community on the planet!

 

[Bigfoot62]

Someone would have to be related to the village idiot to fall for something like that this day in age.

Not necessarily.
Friend of mine who is a retired attorney, almost bit on a similar scam.
He wasn't selling hay, he was selling a boat. Advertised on C/L, had a "buyer" call him from way up north and wanted the boat. Asked for his PayPal email address, and sent him an official looking email that showed the money was in his account. He called me all excited that he had sold it so quick. When he told me the details and said that all he had to do was pay the shipper when he picked it up and sign the title. I said, "Wait a minute, it's a scam. You'll give the shipper $750, and a signed title, then he'll leave here with your boat. You won't have your boat or the money, and you'll be short the $750 out of your pocket too." He couldn't believe it. I told him to close his browser, go to PayPal and sign in. Sure enough, no money in his account. In his defense, he's in his 70's, so he didn't grow up in the computer age. I'm just 15 years younger, and didn't grow up with computers either, but I guess I'm a little more wary. I guess that you could say that I have a healthy dose of skepticism.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've been approached several times by these Craigslist scam artists. I knew about those previously but was sorta surprised by the quick response and no haggling on the price. Sends up red flags real quick. My mother is 86 and I understand how these folks can take advantage of trusting older folks. Very difficult to find out where these scams originate from. Bad people do bad things in lots of ways. This is just another example of the depravity of man. Sad.

 

[oosik]

I think I ran into the same thing but with a twist. CL listed a person selling a piece of agricultural equipment in Idaho. I contacted the person and they wanted $XX to give to the shipper. I said - NO, I'm close enough to drive to your location, inspect the implement, pay for it and bring it home myself. End of conversation - phone disconnect - not able to ever make future contact. Much the better.