Check out this Stephen King SCAM

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Still no reply from this seller. I flagged it on CL. There is no doubt that this a scam. I hope that anyone that may be in the market for such items could see that this was a sketchy post in the first place.
If the seller never gets back to you, what exactly is the scam? What's in it for them? Do you think you sent out a "red flag" when you e-mailed the seller so as to alert them that you might be on to them? Just curious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Neesy and GNTLGNT

Machine's Way

“Go then, there are other worlds than these.”
Jul 13, 2009
671
2,877
44
Baltimore
If the seller never gets back to you, what exactly is the scam? What's in it for them? Do you think you sent out a "red flag" when you e-mailed the seller so as to alert them that you might be on to them? Just curious.

The scam can be many things, and yes you are correct they get alerted that the post has been flagged and more than likely just move on to the next thing they have up their sleeve to rip someone off.

People who post things like this on CL and other sites do TONS of post related to anything you can think of, the post is free and if one person responds and is suckered into giving advanced money, bank info, ect. then the goal is complete. They do this with literally everything, preying on the old and the young. Cars, motorcycles, books you name it, they try to scam it.

Example: This SK lot of books sounds amazing right? full signed collection, with a half ass story to go along with it. Well to most it just looks suspicious, but all it takes is one older person, or young person that just may be unaware of all the dangers in this kind of stuff to enquire. The person feeds them some line of crap, ohh this is going to auction soon going to get so much money for them, one of a kind collection ect. BUT for you if you want send me a check, wire me money, give me your bank account info I will deduct (insert any amount that seems like a deal) and that will save me on the huge auction fees and such that is why I can sell to you at this cheaper price. Blah blah you get the point. And all it takes is one gullible person to respond and that's that. Times that by a thousand different offers in every state on every CL and all they need is that small percentage that respond. This has been happening for many many years now especially on CL. Just first time I have seen it in reference to SK.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
The scam can be many things, and yes you are correct they get alerted that the post has been flagged and more than likely just move on to the next thing they have up their sleeve to rip someone off.

People who post things like this on CL and other sites do TONS of post related to anything you can think of, the post is free and if one person responds and is suckered into giving advanced money, bank info, ect. then the goal is complete. They do this with literally everything, preying on the old and the young. Cars, motorcycles, books you name it, they try to scam it.

Example: This SK lot of books sounds amazing right? full signed collection, with a half ass story to go along with it. Well to most it just looks suspicious, but all it takes is one older person, or young person that just may be unaware of all the dangers in this kind of stuff to enquire. The person feeds them some line of crap, ohh this is going to auction soon going to get so much money for them, one of a kind collection ect. BUT for you if you want send me a check, wire me money, give me your bank account info I will deduct (insert any amount that seems like a deal) and that will save me on the huge auction fees and such that is why I can sell to you at this cheaper price. Blah blah you get the point. And all it takes is one gullible person to respond and that's that. Times that by a thousand different offers in every state on every CL and all they need is that small percentage that respond. This has been happening for many many years now especially on CL. Just first time I have seen it in reference to SK.
Thanks for the response. I had no idea!
 

chief4db

When it doubt, run!
Feb 11, 2015
733
2,676
whatsamatteru. usa
if im reading that correctly it says that he would send the family member the books for approval. sounds like he would send them to the family member before the books were even published. now that sounds like crap from a bull.
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
157,324
Maine
Found this little scam when cruising my local Craigslist ads. Now out of full disclosure, I will say I am not 100% its a scam but it sure does seem like one to me. Thought I would share and see what my fellow SKMB members thought of this.

STEPHEN KING AUTOGRAPHED SET for the biggest KING FAN


For the record, I think its total BS.

Moderator

Jordan
It's a scam. There's no "family friend" in California or anywhere else for that matter that's received that many books, including the same one by a different publisher, signed by Stephen.
 

Machine's Way

“Go then, there are other worlds than these.”
Jul 13, 2009
671
2,877
44
Baltimore
It's a scam. There's no "family friend" in California or anywhere else for that matter that's received that many books, including the same one by a different publisher, signed by Stephen.

Yep, as I suspected. Thanks for the clarification. Maybe some future King subject material about how internet scammers meet a rather gruesome demise. :friendly_wink: