Shady dealings - Seller from San Antonio Craigslist

[shnitz]

I have been browsing Craigslist, and I came across an ad for a bunch of stuff, including a sp studios excalibur system, white lightning x800, a bunch of developing gear, Nikon hoods, etc. It seems a little shady, since when I emailed him, he said that he was actually in San Antonio, but he's posted in Austin. I got curious, and started doing some google searches, and I came across the same ad in many other cities, along with a few posts here:

Lots of Camera gear: Nikon, Toyo, Kodak,Lots of gear, bags, lighting
http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...archid=2581019

The Austin one has been flagged for removal. Does this sound fishy to anyone? Do you think it's a setup for some kind of scam, or is he just desperate to sell and is posting in multiple cities? If so, then he isn't doing a very good job. He isn't directly connected with the equipment, so he can't really vouch for it (he tried to tell me that the x800 is unused. Yeahhhh right). Also, he's asking pretty ridiculous prices. $325 for an old X800, when a new one is $390, or $350 with student discount and comes with 5 year warranty, and then he's insisting on selling the 85mm lens hood separately from the lens.

I sent him an email, but I'm definitely wary about this. I will want him to meet at like a Starbucks or something, and I told him that he has to come down to a realistic price (there are Hensel lights in Dallas Craigslist that I could just have my brother pick up for me for the same price), and factor in time and gas, considering he's expecting people to go to San Antonio. Plus, it kind of sucks that it's obvious from his post that he doesn't know much, if anything, about the equipment, so he can't really check anything before I'd drive down there. Any thoughts?

[camera shy]

It sounds like you are looking for a bargain and he's trying to make a profit.
Nothing wrong with either concept but it doesn't sound like you guys are a match.

[ChrisTX]

Scams they do all the time. Copy someone else's ad, paste it in another city. Tell people you aren't in that city, then when people send you money, they vanish. They have no idea what the stuff is they are supposedly selling, so it's pointless to inquire.

[shnitz]

Originally Posted by ChrisTX

Scams they do all the time. Copy someone else's ad, paste it in another city. Tell people you aren't in that city, then when people send you money, they vanish. They have no idea what the stuff is they are supposedly selling, so it's pointless to inquire.

Thanks, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I was wondering if people had experience with these kinds of dealings. I guess with the free posting of Craigslist, any new outlet to scam people is worth trying.

Originally Posted by camera shy

It sounds like you are looking for a bargain and he's trying to make a profit.
Nothing wrong with either concept but it doesn't sound like you guys are a match.

I don't think hoping for more than $25 off of an originally $350 item is "looking for a bargain," especially considering (if it were legit) that he expected someone to drive 90 miles one way to buy it.

[tertius]

I consider most things on Craigslist shady.

[SJHester]

my wife and I purchase and sell items on CL quite frequently. Mostly furniture. I would never purchase electronics or photo gear on CL. I always buy and sell locally. Cash and Carry, both in purchasing and selling.

this one smells like the paper they wrap fish in a pikes market