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186 Comments

  1. Christine Van Gorder
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:46 am

    Being trusting does NOT make you dumb! I like you all the more since you fell for it. This world needs more unjaded souls like you!

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  2. Kelly Jo
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:46 am

    I love your spirit to believe in the good of this world. Don’t ever lose that. This would totally happen to me. (Scammers don’t seek me out). You are awesome! And thanks for sharing your tale.

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  3. Nancy Hopkins
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:47 am

    don’t ever apologize for wanting to believe in the goodness of human nature……….but now you will always doubt human nature and that is a shame !

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  4. Heather
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:47 am

    My favorite part of this post is Paul promising to mock you when he got home , then sending emails mocking you from afar!

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  5. Naomi J
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:52 am

    Hey, if you give a man $200 and you never see (or hear from) him again, then it’s money well-spent. Perhaps that will make you feel better!

    Also, it makes me so happy that your husband was all BWAHA! instead of OMBob! I can’t believe you just cost us 200 freaking dollars! How COULD you! It makes me like Paul even more. You definitely found a keeper!

    Reply

  6. Jamie
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:52 am

    Oh my goodness, you are priceless! (As is your husband)

    The Craigslist gods: They giveth, and they taketh away. 😉

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  7. Marsha
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:53 am

    Elizabeth- You wrote very clearly. As soon as I read that he asked you to describe the case I said- “ah-ha” But, it was “do not buy Arkansas that doubled me over with laughter. I love reading your posts- and now see that the comments are must reads also!

    Reply

  8. Sarah
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:57 am

    You are probley as unfamiliar with scams as I am,(with the exception of those described in Addie Pray, the book the movie Paper Moon was based on). However, I recently purchased sailboat parts from a very nice man through Craigslist, who took a check from me, I was then telling him I wanted to sell a rug through Craigslist and he told me to never ever, ever, ever, allow someone in my home. To never ever, ever take Western union, as the purchaser can cancel the money order, in ten days if it was deposited in a bank account! And ironically although he took a personal check from me to never, ever take a personal check. I don’t think there are a ton of people out there scamming for sunfish parts!

    So if you think you’ve been scammed, race back to any western union office and cancel the money order, too late for you Victoria but perhaps wise words for anyone making a future purchase! Or who think they have been scammed!

    Oh he also mentioned, not to respond to any e-mail, if you are selling that does not specifically mention the item that you are selling! Also, do not “hold” an item for someone who is offering you more money than you are asking!

    Reply

  9. Cat
    July 16, 2013 @ 11:59 am

    You TOTALLY made me laugh out loud this morning. Not about the scam. Not even about Paul. But about your HEAD STONE. Oh. Dear. GOD! You are SO funny!

    Reply

  10. stacia
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:05 pm

    I think it’s awesome how much faith you have in humanity and honesty. But, maybe I’m just saying that because I would have done the exact same thing!

    Reply

  11. Kim W.
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:22 pm

    I found an iPod years ago in an airplane seat pocket. I tried and tried and tried to find the owner. I called Apple with the serial number – they said it wasn’t registered. (If it had been registered, they would have paid the shipping for me to send it to them so they could return it to the owner.)

    The airline said that there was no way to know which airport the owner had come to or gone from, so it would be better for me to call the Lost and Found at each of the airports the plane had been at in the last day, and report my find. I did. Nobody ever called me to claim it.

    I posted in Craigslist and checked it for weeks.

    Never found the owner.

    (Poor me!)

    Reply

  12. teresa
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:29 pm

    Oh thank you for being brave & sharing!! LOVE your writing.

    (AND I will still love Craigslist and it’s wonderful goodies to be had if only you search long enough…but I will read and follow the warnings from now on thank you!!!)

    Reply

  13. KG
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:36 pm

    Oh my!! I feel really terrible at what happened to you….
    Scam or not…this just wasn’t right!!

    Sorry you had to lose $200 to make you aware that people on craigslist and not who they seem. …

    Reply

  14. SSdGJ
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:40 pm

    yes… you are welcomed into the “I’ve been scammed” club… hello, I am The President and also a Lifetime Member

    Reply

  15. Sharyl
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:49 pm

    Victoria, As usual, a fantastic story and a good laugh. You trusted him because you would never treat anyone that way so you wouldn’t expect it if others! Good for you 🙂 Sorry about the $200 lesson though….

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  16. Sharyl
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:50 pm

    “of” others

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  17. Maxine
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:52 pm

    ROTFL…I love the cemetery scene!!!! You get a gold star for being so cool about this situation. I bought a box of bricks once…innocent, naive victim of a bait and switch. Gotta luv it.

    Reply

  18. vaughn
    July 16, 2013 @ 12:57 pm

    (wipes tears of deeply sympathetic laughter)

    As my Grampa would’ve said; bless your kind heart and soft head.

    Also, my friends in Arizona totally have a bridge.

    Reply

  19. 3bed2bath1baby
    July 16, 2013 @ 1:06 pm

    You got iPhone catfished!!!
    Oh dear. Well, you learned a great lesson, and it only cost 200.00.

    Made me laugh though.

    My husband got sucked into a magazine scam. They called and offered him all these magazines for a ridiculous price, and all they needed us to pay was S&H. Like a goon,he offered up his card number. BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!! That card “didn’t work” for the scammers so they asked for another one. AND HE GAVE THEM THAT ONE TOO!!!!!!!

    Several months later and we’ve finally got everything back to normal, and the scammer calls have stopped.

    Reply

  20. sarrah groves
    July 16, 2013 @ 1:08 pm

    I just found an ipod touch on the ground at a park I put it on craigslist saying whoever can identify its color, case, and distinguishing marks or genre gets it back. Asking him to tell you what it looked like wouldn’t have worked. .. (ok well it would have with him but an honest person like me wants to make sure it goes to the right person) I totally would have done the EXACT same thing you did, right down to “you’re so awesome i want to give you even more money”. I’ve even PayPal-ed someone that promised to mail an awesome shiny object and Gave them my FedEx number to mail it!! It was a 12ft CRYSTAL AND GOLD chandelier from…. Texas!!! I swear we are related. I read your post and say yup yup yup done it done it done it. Oh that I had the gift to retell the tale as you! He covered himself with the dead battery and leaving town thing. I would have bought every word. I totally get caught up in the awesomeness of the people and the urgency and excitement of the deal. But look at it this way, you paid $280 for a mirror that is undisputedly worth $1,000,000,000,000,000,000. Which you will clearly be able to walk thru one day to your own private kingdom in the enchanted land of Texas..well just as soon as you say the magic words while rubbing her lovingly. Don’t worry it’ll happen. So i say… you’re still waaaaaay ahead.

    Reply

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