This part is strange and telling.

Why would they ship to you and then pick them up? Why not have you ship back to them?

God Bless
Urgent
Please _______ immediately
I'll need personal information for ____________
hotmail, yahoo, gmail as only contact

But yeah, scam.

I have no idea really. It all smelled fishy that's why I asked CP for their input. I'm wondering if they wanted me to send me some "stolen" systems. I do all the work send them back and then no payment or a fake check.

There's been no further contact from them since I asked for their phone, contact info.

I'm guessing after you send them your contact information they'll dig deeper for a SSN# or drivers license number (to verify something of course) at which point they'll try to find out your birth date through a quick google search and voila' - identity theft.

It's a shame Craigslist is being inundated with these scammers.

Don't you have to pay a fee to Craigslist to put up ads for employment?

Nevermind, found my answer

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/posting_fees

He replied to you after you said you'd charge $175 per laptop to do all that crap.

Duh. Scam.

What do you charge?

Or they are hot and after you get them the cops show up at his door.

I have bought several things off Craigslist but I have always met in a public place and usually have another person with me.

I have too, but I don't bring another person, I pack the Glock.

I didnt read through the thread, but its the classic 'Nigerian' scam where they will send you a fake check for more than the amount, ask you to cash it...you get to keep your part but you have to western union them the other part....all seems fine for a couple of weeks until the fake check comes back to your bank and then you are on the hook for all the money.....and you cant do anything about the money they already got from you (the "extra" money)...Someone probably already posted this but it was faster for me to post than reading through the thread.

Classic nigerian scam (advance fee fraud)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_fraud

Specifically see: common elements----> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance...ommon_elements

see my above post, but basically at some point they will send a fake check/money order wanting you to cash it..but it will be for too much....since by law US banks have to make some of the money available within 5 days, people think because their account was credited, the check CLEARS. So, they wire back the 10% or whatever the extra money was (western union) in hopes of doing another deal with the same people....2 weeks to a month later, the check is discovered as a fraud and you are on the hook for the check PLUS the extra money you already sent the guys...plus any charges you may have for overdraft etc.

I recommend this site also as some good reading if you should ever get one of these letters...

http://www.419eater.com/html/ethics.htm

http://www.419eater.com/html/trophy_room109.htm

Funny stuff when the scammers get scammed


http://www.419eater.com/images/troph...arris_cole.jpg