Is it a coincidence or just a fishy trap?

[dtran]

Something to share with TPF members.

More than 2 months ago, I found this deal on Houston Craiglist and sent email to

the seller. The deal is

"Canon EOS 5D 12.8 Meg with Lens EF 24-105 L IS USM KIT ( new) - $1500"

And below is the responding I got back from the seller,

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Hello,
I still have the camera.
My name is K------ F----- and I am now in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away.
Obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we

receive what we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal fast (3 days) and easy. The solution

is a worldwide delivery company called TNT. TNT is similar to Fedex, DHL or UPS and

they will provide assistance in handling the payment and delivery of the camera.
With this procedure you will be able to check the camera before I receive the

payment.
Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the camera right

away.
Let me know what you think.

Thank you,
K------

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

I felt something not right in the email so I just ignored it.

Yesterday, I found another unbelievable good deal on Houston Craigslist again'

"Canon EOS-1D Mark II Digital SLR Body - $610"

Sending an email to the seller and below is what I got back,

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Hi there,

Sorry for my late reply but I'm currently in England, Wolverhampton. I was promoted

to Sales Administrator and I have to take a 6 months trainning program here in UK,

before I'll be back home, in States.
The camera is still available, in perfect condition, and I will sell it only in US

because here the warranty and the CanonCare are US registered.
The reason why I am selling the camera is because I have just received a new camera

as a birthday gift here in UK, so I do not think I will be using my old camera any

more. I don't have use for 2 cameras.
I have attached some pics with the camera to this e-mail so you can see the condition

of the camera. I bought the camera 8 months ago and it still has 16 months of Canon

transferable warranty remaining.
I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away.
Since I can't meet you and make the exchange, I would like to use a service that will

help us with that:

http://www.tnt.com/tnt.express.wolve...y_service.html

TNT is a worldwide delivery company (like Fedex, DHL or UPS). You can see from their

procedure that you will be able to check the camera before I receive the payment. If

you are in a hurry, I will use 2 day delivery (on my expense).

Let me know what you think.


Best Wishes,
J----

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

You can see both of them used the same sentence,

"I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away"

and both happened to be in the UK and tried to convince me to use the same service "TNT". Do you think it is simply a coincidence or really a fishy trap?

Regards,

DTran

[crazeazn]

probably fishy

[Texasdave]

I vote for the fishy trap. Besides shipping would be expensive too. If you're not sure pass is my answer. There will always be another deal

[jleyendecker]

well i'm no weasel, but i can smell a rotten egg in the hen house when the wind blows my way!!

[CaptainTom]

it's a little fishy smelling. I'd do a lot more research.

[andyz]

So you have a choice, learn a lesson for $610 or $1,500. I suspect the buyer would get the same result with either "investment."

[LoungeLizard]

Dang, the smell of rotting fish is coming through my monitor.

[klynam]

why bother - you know it's a scam...but thanks for the heads up. You may help someone else out there avoid being taken...

[Concisus Cognatus]

Scam-a-rooskie, no doubt.

[RDM]

Scam. Period. Stay far far away. They do this with cars as well.

[robert t]

It's a game I got the same response from both of my e-mail address. I am playing right back to see what happens (not sending money) but making strange request.

[DeLeon]

The TNT scam has been going around for quite a while....the worst part is that some people actually send these people money.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102602156.html

[crackhead]

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

A lesson to be learned for all you guys out there trying to find the "best" bargain and save some bucks.

[yubbie2]

99 times out of 100, if they're out of the country, it's a scam. Guaranteed.

Biggest clues:
1) Out of country
2) Price too good to be true
3) Shipper other than FedEx or UPS
4) Decent English, but not perfect
5) Anxious to make deal happen "right away"

1 or more of these criteria = scam, hook line and sinker.

[Steelsun]

Scams.

No one in the UK would need to sell the camera in the USA. They would get more money for it in the UK, especailly with the value of the dollar and the VAT.