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[rcjordan]

So I'm consistently seeing spams on CL for heavy equipment (tractors/backhoes) and boats.  Some of them aren't well-written and raise yellow flags immediately but some are quite well done. Folksy example below:

"John Deere 5310 2x (NOT 4x4) with JD 540 Loader and JD 10A Mounted Backhoe. Has 3 point but NO draft arms, backhoe is subframe mounted, Live PTO, Very nice kept unit with only 965hrs. ROPS and Top, Good Buckets.Needs a seat, i will install a new seat today."

About the only tip-off is that prices are often (but not always) too-good-to-be-true.

Other than email harvesting, I see little reason they're pursuing this scam.  What say ye, oh great cache?

[nop_90]

why heavy equipment ? not too many people want that

[rcjordan]

>why heavy equipment ?

I assume that it's because of the price range -usually around $5k asking price. Maybe a setup for some sort of phishing scheme?  There are probably a bunch of these in the Autos section, too, but I'm not trolling that category right now.

If you suspect it's bogus, you can find them by search on an exact phrase within the ad and you'll see it posted all across the country. When you click, CL will have removed many of them and you'll see a moderator message.

[rcjordan]

<added>

Here's a warning on a tractor classifieds site
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/162709-beware-tractor-scams-craigslist.html

Thing is, I've purposely emailed them to see if I could get them to show their hand but -so far- no replies.

[Phaëton]

well if i was a hand powered tractor salesman it would be a great
way to get a narrowed down targeted list of people that at least
were looking for a deal on a tractor that werent too bright.

Well, one night i had a bottle of scotch , a skype in number and
nothing to do so i posted an ad on craigslist for a 'free concrete 8' 33,000 gallon
in ground pool' deck included must be moved, first come first server and i just laughed
myself to sleep , answering the phone all night telling people that it could be
moved and that it had been moved here and i was getting foreclosed on monday
so come get it and then every pool guy in town was calling every other h.i.
guy in town and then conferencing me getting vague answers to the impossible
question: can an inground concrete pool be moved, and how had it been done? ahaha

a guy I know got back at his ex wife by advertising:

free boat and trailer, good condition, won in divorce, rarely used ,
first come first serve, tow it out of here now, i want it gone, (her phone number)
Post Time: 1130pm sunday night

...she was late for work the next day  hahahaah