I just successfully sold a brand new Whittemore-Sherrill top-quality leather sofa on Craigslist, but I wanted to warn everyone about ongoing scams that have plagued that website for the past several years. Craigslist is wonderful, but you do need to heed their warnings. They are based on known problems.

Here are the signs of a true scam -- and my suggested actions...
1) Place the words "Cash Only" in your Sale Ad. This usually prevents the scam I'm about to describe.

2) The first sure sign of a scam is when the potential Buyer says they will buy your leather sofa (or anything else) sight unseen. You'd have to be a fool to buy that way, yes? So don't believe a word of it -- they are playing on your sense of greed or need for a seemingly easy sale.

3) Second sign is their willingness to pay you right away through your Paypal account. The problem is NOT with using Paypal -- which is a reputable service. And your friends will ask "How can they possibly rip you off by using your Paypal account to send money?" The thing is -- they'll never actually pay you! They will only pretend they did.

4) Third sign is: They're in a real hurry because they have any of the following scenarios happening: a) They're in the military or traveling overseas and need furniture "right away!" for their return home. b) They'll arrange for a local moving company to pick up the item -- you don't have to lift a finger! c) Somebody died or is hospitalized and they need you to respond right now so they can setup house to help a sick relative or friend.

5) Their email address they are writing From: does not match their email address for Reply To:. Usually, this will be a gmail account or yahoo account. Trust me on this one -- of the 6 scam attempts I received, they ALL exhibited this. The immediate action to take? Search Google for those email addresses and the names they use! When I found almost all of mine listed on the Internet as known scammers, I was shocked. "Deborah Atteberry" is a prolific one that is used.

6) The initial email response to your ad is very short, and a little too "friendly": "Hey, mate, is that recliner still available?" No further questions about it's condition. No questions for details of any kind. I'm convinced this is generated by a scanning bot that fires off a teaser message to get you to respond.

The scenarios work out like this, usually...
First, you are asked simplistic questions. Sometimes, this is followed up by a typical storyline: "I'm traveling and out of the country. But your items look nice. I cannot possibly visit your home to review them, but I trust you. I'll send you immediate payment if you give me your Paypal account information. That way, it is safe for both of us." Oddly enough, the person sending this might use a different name than the one that first contacted you. Deborah Atteberry suddenly became Peter Simeone, in my case. The line "That way, it is safe for both of us." appeared in 4 of the 6 scam attempts I received.

They will immediately ask for your home address, and contact phone number to speed up the transaction. Time is of the essence! And you respond!

Next, you'll receive an emailed copy of an actual "notice" from Paypal stating the money has been paid. The email will say it was sent from someone at Paypal. Complete with active links, correct business addresses and logos. You gave them your Account Info, so to legitimize it, it will show that YOUR ACCOUNT has received payment. However, if you go out to your Account -- and this is IMPORTANT -- but NOT through the link in that email, you will soon discover no such transaction occurred.

After notifying "Deborah" that your info conflicts with hers, you may even receive a phone call from a Rep at Paypal telling you there's a glitch in their computer -- but confirming you did get paid. This is only if you've sent them your home address and contact info for the shipping firm.

They are not trying to hack your Paypal account. They are simply using the info you supplied to make their attempt to pay you look real.

Next, they may start bugging you about the shipping company being scheduled for pickup the very next day. You balk. They offer to send you a Cashier's Check, instead -- and, in one case I experienced, offer to include an extra $200 "for your trouble". Only thing is, that check is bogus and your Bank will not notify you until ten days after the sofa is gone. And you will be shocked to learn that a Cashier's Check is NOT guaranteed.

Please be very careful of Craigslist and insist on dealing face-to-face (preferably, not alone, however) -- and with CASH ONLY. It has become as untrustworthy as eBay in a lot of ways. These people are far smarter than we are. If you read Craigslist's own warnings you'll see they tell you NOT to do business "long distance" or sell items to someone "sight unseen". These are true signs of a scam.

This scenario also arises when you are looking to buy something -- like a car or horse trailer. As soon as they start telling you they'll ship it to you for your examination first, and asking you to put money into Paypal's "Escrow Account" -- you know it's a scam, because Paypal has no Escrow Account service of any kind.