Craigslist ad - too good a deal to be true?

[seratone]

I found this on CL last night in Toronto.

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/msg/4303741184.html

the photo's looked like they had been lifted from here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-Cu...4-Mercedes-Blue-Tweed-hard-case-/350975473696

I had a Custom Shop Strat a few months ago and I've been kicking myself for letting it go. I bought it on a whim in a shop for $1800, thinking I could be make a nice little profit if I needed some cash. It turns out although Custom Shop Strats (Mine was a 63 Heavy Relic) retail for $3500+ no one will pay any where near anything over exactly what I paid for it.

$800 for a 2004 Clapton Custom Shop really should be looked into....

 

[TheBuffalo]

I bet that's not the real price

 

[VSK]

Scammer POS in Toronto it looks like to me...

 

[StratoCraig]

Definitely too good to be true. Not only the photos but even the text are the same in those CL and eBay.uk listings, both demanding in-person pickup. The guitar can't be in Toronto and the UK at the same time. One of those two is pulling something.

 

[weepman3]

Google maps shows the address to be a video rental store of some sort for the Craigslist ad. Does not appear to be an apartment nor a place that would sell a guitar.

Edit: address is for 2Qvideo (www.2qvideo.com) in Toronto. phone is 416-532-3829. You can call them to see if they have it.

 

[krusty1053]

I'm curious how an in-person pickup only ad would turn out to be a scam. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but I'm curious how it would work.

edit: I've sent a reply. It would be a relatively easy journey for me to see it, if it exists.

 

[npfrs]

I was trying to purchase a Les Paul Custom from a guy in Oshawa. The only photo he had came from an old Rumbleseat Music ad. He called me, we talked, he explained the guitar was at the studio and I could come see it. Address checked out but he was extremely flakey and kept changing the date/time to see it plus became less responsive to requests to see it.

Scammers really waste a lot of time.

 

[fendergeek]

There's no EC signature on the headstock, just the usual decal there.
Unless the CS EC model is like that they both got it wrong

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

I'm curious how an in-person pickup only ad would turn out to be a scam. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but I'm curious how it would work.

edit: I've sent a reply. It would be a relatively easy journey for me to see it, if it exists.

You show up with the money, they show up with a wrench and hit you with it.

 

[StratoCraig]

I'm curious how an in-person pickup only ad would turn out to be a scam. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but I'm curious how it would work.

You show up with the money, get robbed, go home with nothing.

There's no EC signature on the headstock, just the usual decal there.
Unless the CS EC model is like that they both got it wrong

Good point. I don't know offhand what the 2004 EC's looked like, but the current model, according to the photos on Fender's web site, do have a signature on the front of the headstock. [EDIT: This is true of the regular production EC Strat, but the Custom Shop models don't have the signature on the front. But who in their right mind would be selling a Custom Shop EC Strat for so little? Scam, scam, scam.]

 

[TheBuffalo]

There's no EC signature on the headstock, just the usual decal there.
Unless the CS EC model is like that they both got it wrong

Cs models have the sig on the back I think

 

[krusty1053]

You show up with the money, they show up with a wrench and hit you with it.

Not likely. I have seen stolen goods sold relatively cheaply on CL here, though.

 

[TheBuffalo]

Like I said, it's probably just a low price to attract attention. I'm pretty sure your not gonna walk away with that guitar for 800 bucks

 

[FennRx]

You show up with the money, get robbed, go home with nothing.

no kidding.

OP, prepare your anus.

 

[seratone]

It would be an interesting adventure, albeit risky. I look at the newest listings on CL via the mobile App every weekend. If the guitar is what it says it is, and they just used someone else's photo's for convenience - it's likely hot.

Last spring I found a J. Mascis Japanese Jazzmaster on Kijiji in Montreal for $450. I was there on business and agreed to meet the seller in my hotel Parking lot. He justified the low price because the rhythm circuit had been removed and there was a scuff on the neck. A few weeks ago I was talking about the guitar on an Offset Guitar board, the original owner contacted me. His bands van was stole earlier in the spring. I returned it to him with no questions.

The seller didn't respond to a couple of emails until he understood I REALLY wanted the guitar and would meet in a public place - looking back, he likely was feeling me out to see if I had issues about buying a hot guitar. I just racked it up to guitars, among other things (used cars), are far cheaper in Montreal.

I responded to the ad last night asking it was still available, no response yet. I would NEVER knowingly buy a hot guitar. Perhaps they want quick cash? I had my CS Heavy Relic 63 (69?) Strat on consignment for what I paid for it - $1800 - for months before there was any interest. These (with all the case candy - like mine) were on EBAY for $3500.

 

[seratone]

If it's not really $800 - I can't imagine walking into a CL situation with more than that.(????)...

BTW: the UK Ebay ad has the EC signature and CS logo on the back of the headstock

 

[krusty1053]

Well, this is the reply I just received. Sounds like he's harvesting email addresses more than anything.

"Hello. I am glad that you are interested in my Strat. If you want more detailed pictures with serial number or anything else please provide me your email address. That way i will also know you are a legit buyer interested in my guitar. Thank you"

 

[npfrs]

A real Canadian would use Kijiji.

 

[beforetone]

I have been looking at craigslists ads and seeing Les Pauls for $400 etc. way under priced, so I started entering/googled anything they have in the ad for contact info and find several items in differrent states posted by same scammer.
If you get hit up on your own ad through email, search anything in the reply and you may be suprised. It's almost to easy to protect ourselves, so far.

 

[Promit]

I'm curious how an in-person pickup only ad would turn out to be a scam. Not that I'm saying it isn't, but I'm curious how it would work.

So just to elaborate on how the scam works, as it's relatively common across lots of CL categories...

It's a pretty simple spammer approach. What they do is simply lift posts wholesale, photos and all, and relist them with some massively reduced price. That gets them the clicks and contacts. After that they harvest email addresses from and set about the usual spammer business of asking for bank deposits or cashier's checks or overseas shipping or whatever random garbage.